About the Author

CHRISTOPHER PAUL CURTIS won the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award for his bestselling second novel, Bud, Not Buddy. His first novel, The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963, was also singled out for many awards, among them a Newbery Honor and a Coretta Scott King Honor, and has been made into a Hallmark Channel Original Movie. He is also the recipient of the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Christopher Paul Curtis grew up in Flint, Michigan. After high school he began working on the assembly line at the Fisher Body Plant No. 1 while attending the Flint branch of the University of Michigan. He is now a full-time writer. He lives with his family in Windsor, Ontario.

Reviews

Best of the Year:
Publishers Weekly
Kirkus Reviews

“Witty and moving.” —The Wall Street Journal
 
“The fluidity of the writing, the strong sense of place and time combined with well-drawn characters will captivate and delight. . . . a fitting literary companion to Bud Caldwell.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred
 
“Curtis threads important bits of African-American history throughout the narrative. . . . Some readers will feel they are due a bit of happiness; others will be struck by how little has changed in 75 years for the nation’s have-nots.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred

Publisher's Weekly Best Children's Book of 2012

Kirkus Reviews Best Teen's Book of 2012


Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2011:
"Deza is one great heroine in her own right, a fitting literary companion to Bud Caldwell."

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, December 12, 2011:
"Though the resolution of the family's crisis is perhaps far-fetched, some readers will feel they are due a bit of happiness; others will be struck by how little has changed in 75 years for the nation's have-nots."

Twelve-year-old Deza Malone's family is struggling with Depression-era life in Gary, Indiana, but their strength to persevere is a testament to resilience, good humor, high hopes, and courage. As her father searches for work far away from home, Deza, her mother, and her brother are determined to follow him. When they do, the trials of racism, hunger, and homelessness are palpable. Turpin's talent embodies the voice of Deza as she journeys to find not only herself but also her most important family values. Common Core Standard: RL.7.9. Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and an historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history. Content Standard: Georgia Department of Education (English Language Arts, Grade 7: ELA7R1) c. Relate a literary work to information about its setting or historical moment. (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.