First published 1993
Vernon struggles with his mother's recent death while his family falls apart around him. His father drinks too much and his siblings drift away from home. The seventh grader feels lost until he begins spending time with Maxine, the woman everyone calls the "crazy lady" who wanders the streets shouting at passersby. Maxine battles alcoholism while caring for her son Ronald, who has an intellectual disability. As Vernon gets to know them both, he discovers that Maxine and Ronald face daily cruelty from neighbors who see them as nuisances. Vernon must choose between fitting in with his peers who mock the pair or standing up for his new friends. Through his friendship with Maxine and Ronald, Vernon learns that the people others dismiss often need compassion most. The boy finds that helping them also helps him process his own grief and anger.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, outsider
180 pages · Hardcover · Harpercollins Childrens Books
Content warnings: addiction, mental-illness