Izzy's Place [Hardcover]

Marc Kornblatt (Author)

Book Description

Ten-year-old Henry Stone's world has been turned upside down. Sent to Indiana for the summer to be with his grandma Martha while his parents work on their troubled marriage, Henry realizes on his first day that the summer is going to be a bust. There are no kids around, his grandmother treats him like a kindergartner, he has to waste his time at her jewelry shop with her child-allergic watch repair man, and most difficult of all, his beloved grandpa Jay has recently died. Henry just can't imagine having fun without him.

But hope can come from the most unexpected of sources. For Henry, that source is Mr. Fine, an older neighbor struggling with serious problems of his own. The friendship that Henry and Mr. Fine find together proves to be a surprising treasure for them both.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-Fifth-grader Henry Stone has been sent to visit his grandmother by his parents, who are constantly fighting and who won't tell him whether or not they are getting a divorce. He misses his recently deceased grandfather, who was his primary companion in previous visits. There is nothing special about this plot but the story is told with a simple honesty that will be especially appealing to reluctant readers. Henry's boredom is well described as are his encounters with local bullies. His efforts to learn how to juggle parallel his efforts to juggle the complexities of his life. His reluctant friendship with the man next door who has his own demons to face is a unique way to resolve Henry's feelings of loneliness and rejection. Henry and Mr. Fine reach out to one another slowly; both have reasons to hold back, and it is in this tentative approach to friendship between two unlikely figures that the book has its greatest strength. While not subtle, this is a quiet book about learning to deal with life's hurts and losses.
Edith Ching, St. Albans School, Mt. St. Alban, Washington, DC
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. Ten-year-old Henry Stone would rather not be spending the summer with Grandma Martha in Indiana; it's not the same there since his beloved Grandpa Jay died, but with his parents' not getting along, home's not so great, either. Trying to act as if everything is fine gets harder every day. However, with love and support from Grandma, and an older neighbor, Mr. Fine, Henry learns that although he can't change people and events, he can appreciate who and what he does have, and he can value kind hearts and hope. In straightforward language, Kornblatt writes a realistic, affecting account of the challenges of coming to terms with grief and family difficulties and the process of acceptance and healing. Henry is a likable, dimensional character that kids will relate to, and the problems he faces are sympathetically and sensitively portrayed. A well-written, touching novel, without overt sentimentality, that highlights the importance of giving and receiving understanding and sympathy. Shelle Rosenfeld
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry; 1 edition (May 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689846398
• ISBN-13: 978-0689846397
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,958,748 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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