false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1177119469m/682915.jpg 682915 3 <blockquote> <p> Folks say I'm bound to be unlucky in life, for I was born at midnight on a Friday, the thirteenth of December, and Peggy says it's certain I can commune with spirits. But I ain't never seen any ghosts, not even my own mother, and wouldn't that be the ghost I'd see if I could? </p> </blockquote> <p> So begins the tale of Billy Creekmore, a boy with mystifying powers and the glorious gift of storytelling. But what does life hold for someone growing up in the cruel clutches of the Guardian Angels Home for Boys, where Billy's gifts do more harm than good? </p> <p> Escaping the orphanage seems an impossible feat, but when a stranger comes to claim Billy, he sets off on an extraordinary journey. With only a tin box that holds precious mementos of his beloved mother and mysterious father, Billy travels from the coal mines of West Virginia to the spectacular world of a traveling circus in search of his past, his future, and his own true self. </p> 669304 1 7 2007 Billy Creekmore: A Novel total:66|5:15|4:22|3:25|2:4|1:0| 66 246 106 26 3 0 false true Fri Aug 14 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Aug 15 07:30:38 -0700 2009 Sat Aug 15 07:43:48 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Fri Sep 04 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Aug 25 18:36:45 -0700 2009 Fri Sep 04 12:30:54 -0700 2009
It's best not to get settled on things being a certain way, I realized. Life had a funny way of interrupting your plans.

I got awful lonely going over these memories. Once I was a union man, then I was a member of the Sparks World Famous Circus. Now I was part ...more...]]> 0 0 false false Tue Oct 06 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Sep 26 10:18:28 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 06 13:48:14 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed May 14 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sun May 18 18:43:51 -0700 2008 Sun May 18 19:01:40 -0700 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Wed Nov 28 12:27:55 -0800 2007 Sat Dec 01 21:19:48 -0800 2007 more...]]> 2 0 false false Mon Mar 23 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Mar 23 09:08:25 -0700 2009 Mon Mar 23 09:08:25 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Mon Jul 06 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 29 19:44:22 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 06 08:24:37 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Tue Jan 20 17:31:29 -0800 2009 Tue Jan 20 17:32:41 -0800 2009 5 0 false false Thu Nov 05 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Nov 08 09:53:09 -0800 2009 Sun Nov 08 09:54:25 -0800 2009 4 0 false false Fri Feb 22 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sat Feb 23 09:29:22 -0800 2008 Sat Feb 23 09:41:16 -0800 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Tue Jul 24 17:08:08 -0700 2007 Thu Jul 26 06:04:38 -0700 2007
it's a good enough book, but certainly not one of the best of the genre. Billy is a likable character, and his travels through the coal fields of West Virginia and the circus sto...more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Aug 05 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Oct 21 16:52:45 -0700 2009 Wed Oct 21 16:52:45 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Wed Mar 18 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Dec 03 17:37:53 -0800 2008 Mon May 18 17:10:15 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Jan 03 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 04 09:22:26 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 04 09:23:01 -0800 2009 3 0 false false Thu Jan 24 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Mon Jan 28 21:23:23 -0800 2008 Mon Jan 28 21:38:19 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Feb 16 17:35:32 -0800 2009 Sat Nov 15 06:10:37 -0800 2008 Mon Feb 16 17:35:32 -0800 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Mon Feb 25 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Mon Feb 18 08:30:09 -0800 2008 Mon Feb 25 21:45:37 -0800 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Sep 19 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 27 11:22:08 -0700 2009 Sat Sep 19 09:59:30 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Aug 25 01:30:59 -0700 2008 Wed Aug 27 05:03:15 -0700 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false true Mon Aug 03 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 08 06:29:30 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 03 20:09:48 -0700 2009
Child labor, similar to Counting on Grace. It also reminded me of reading Water for Elephants, since Billy worked for a circus at times.

I enjoyed the read. It would give kids a bit of background in mining camps and conditions, and circus life. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=682915