Haven [Paperback]

Beverly Patt (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Fourteen year old Latonya Dennison needs a home and, as luck would have it, Rudy Morris s home is available. However, because Latonya is black and Rudy s family is white, the foster care system is unwilling to make the placement. When Latonya, Rudy and Rudy s goofball friend, Stark, take matters into their own hands, each discovers a unique definition of family, as well as a few surprises along the road.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 218 pages
• Publisher: Blooming Tree Press/Tire Swing Books (November 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933831243
• ISBN-13: 978-1933831244
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,999,962 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #91 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Social Issues > Runaways

More About the Author

Beverly Patt writes from her suburban Chicago home, which she shares with her high school sweetheart husband, four wonderful kids and faithful dog, Hally. Before becoming a writer, Bev worked as a Sick-Bird-Catcher, Waitress, Licorice Inspector, Family Counselor and Special Education teacher. HAVEN is her first novel. Close on it's heels is BEST FRIENDS FOREVER: A WW II SCRAPBOOK (Marshall Cavendish).
BEST FRIENDS FOREVER: A WWII SCRAPBOOK received a starred review from SLJ and has been named to the Great Lakes, Great Books Spring 2010 List.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, August 25, 2010

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Haven (Paperback)

Something always happens during Christmas that lasts in your mind forever. It could be that you received nothing on your Christmas list and wondered what in the world is wrong with Santa. Maybe you did receive everything on the list, and yet you still felt something missing.

For Rudy Morris and Latonya Dennison, what they would remember the most about this Christmas is simply meeting each other.

Every year, the Morris family would invite a child from The Haven, the place full of kids waiting to be put in a foster home, over for Christmas. This time, it just happens to be Latonya. What did they each wish for? Rudy wanted an ATV and Latonya just wanted a home. Unfortunately, neither received what they wanted. Instead, an unexpected adventure and friendship was formed.

Latonya has had trouble being selected for a foster home numerous times, as the requests have always been denied, with race being an unfortunate factor. Since the ones in charge are not willing to help Latonya, she must take matters into her own hands, with the help of Rudy and his friend Stark, of course.

With what was supposed to be just a normal holiday season for Rudy, it quickly turns into a roller coaster ride that includes fixing up an ATV, a plot to run away, and confronting emotions that all are too scared to approach.

Not wanting to give too much away, HAVEN is a riveting novel full of twists and action with the added passion to pull on any heartstrings. Beverly Patt creates a cast of characters that anyone who reads HAVEN will be able to relate to. Do NOT pass up HAVEN, as it is one novel that will leave a lasting impression. With this story, readers will quickly discover that their own family means so much more than they would ever admit or even believe.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a pleasure to read... for any age, May 12, 2010

By 

L. Bierman - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Haven (Paperback)

Haven is a great read, whether you are young or grown up, boy or girl. There's longing in it (for adventure and an ATV) there's humor and a great boy friendship. There's a budding boy-girl friendship that rings totally-true. There's a glimpse of what life is like when you don't have a family, and what it can be like when you DO have a family, but somehow, things are never quite right at home.

The ending is so VERY satisfying... and I can't tell anything about it, or I'll spoil multiple surprises.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Haven: A Heart-warming Tale, March 14, 2010

By 

K. S. Jensen "Suey" (Utah) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Haven (Paperback)

This is the story of Rudy, who lives close to Haven, a home for displaced kids. Every Christmas his family invites one of these kids to their house for the day so they can have a nice "at home" Christmas experience. This year is no different... except that it is, because this year he meets Latonya.

She asks him some hard questions like "Why didn't you get the ATV that you wanted for Christmas?" This makes him think, yet again, about his dad, and why does he act so weird around him. Then he gets kinda mad, and then he ends up in trouble, right on Christmas Day!

Later, he gets a phone call from Latonya and she has a deal to make with him. And thus begins the adventure that is this book.

I loved what this book said about the relationship between fathers and sons, and between friends. And what does it mean to be truly loyal to your friend? I totally fell in love with Rudy, and his friend Stark too. I felt completely connected to them. Though I loved her too, I could have gotten to know Latonya a bit better I think.

Anyway, it's a wonderful, heart warming book. One that makes a statement without getting too preachy. It had me in tears at the end, something I totally didn't see coming.