A Blessing in Disguise [Paperback]

Eleanora Tate (Author)

Book Description

Life in itsy bitsy countrified do-nothing Deacon's Neck is plain boring to 12-year-old Zambia Brown. Living with Aunt Limo, Uncle Lamar, and nerdy cousin Aretha is all church, chores, and chump change. But when Zambia's father, Vernon (Snake) LaRange, opens a hot new nightclub down the road, things get more interesting. The neighborhood is up in arms, but Zambia has visions of living large now that Snake is nearby. He's got fine cars, flashy jewelry, and loads of cash. And no matter what her aunt and uncle say, Snake must want Zambia in his life, too...right?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"The witty and sassy?and sadly innocent?voice of narrator Zambia Brown instantly grabs readers' attention," said PW of the concluding volume of the trilogy begun in The Secret of Gumbo Grove and Thank You, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.! Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9?Zambia Brown, 12, is black and lives in Deacon's Neck, SC, with her aunt and uncle. She thinks her father, Snake, who is involved in a number of criminal activities, and her two older half sisters are exciting, and would love to live with them. She thinks the town is dull; she thinks her uncle and aunt are dull. To gain acceptance from her neglectful father, who is practically a stranger to her, she would do anything he asks. When given a choice, she opts to live with him, and he disappoints and humiliates her. Along the way, Zambia learns some valuable lessons about responsibility and caring, about loyalty and honesty. In the end, she learns to appreciate her uncle and her aunt and to recognize that a community has to be protected from those who would destroy it, no matter who the would-be destroyers are. This is a timely book that speaks to the subject of drugs and crime in a rural Southern town, and a valuable addition to most collections.?Carol Jones Collins, Montclair Kimberley Academy, NJ
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (May 2, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440412099
• ISBN-13: 978-0440412090
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,199,878 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The BEST Book I Have Ever Read!, February 17, 2000

By 

Jessica Plum (Shawnee, Kansas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Blessing in Disguise (Hardcover)

I rate this story 5 stars, because it is the greatest book I have ever read. It has touched my heart in a way no book has ever touched my heart before. I liked this book because it was about drug dealing, and I have had to deal with my parents and drugs throughout my life. This is a book that teaches you about the importance of life. It teaches you that you can accomplish anything that you try to accomplish in life, but there will always be things that you will have to overcome when you are trying to accomplish your goal. The author is using this girl in the story to let the reader know about what life is really like around bad neighborhoods. People don't realize how hard life is. For example the girl in the story, whose name is Zambia, goes through dealing with pain, frustration, and drugs. Zambia finally realizes what life is like and takes it seriously. I really think that everyone will like this book and should read it. I really recommend this book to young teenagers around the world.

1.0 out of 5 stars Zambia and drugs, March 1, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: A Blessing in Disguise (Paperback)

I thought this book was really boring the plot wasn't very exciting it was very hard to catch my attention with this book. The girl gets bored in her small little town living with her uncle she wants to live with her father so she starts acting out and taking drugs. He always visits in his rich little cars because he owns his own club so one day she got in a fight with her uncle about how she wants to live with her father. So her uncle says go and so she does she travels to her fathers club to try to get her Father. The whole book is about her traveling to her fathers club trying to find him and while she is fighting the problem with drugs.