No Place

by Todd Strasser

When Dan and his family go from middle class to homeless, issues of injustice rise to the forefront in this relatable, timely novel from Todd Strasser.It seems like Dan has it all. He's a baseball star who hangs with the popular crowd and dates the hottest girl in school. Then his family loses their home.Forced to move into the town's Tent City, Dan feels his world shifting. His friends try to pretend that everything's cool, but they're not the ones living among the homeless. As Dan struggles to adjust to his new life, he gets involved with the people who are fighting for better conditions and services for the residents of Tent City. But someone wants Tent City gone, and will stop at nothing until it's destroyed...

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Teen, Contemporary, Family, Poverty

Paperback

First published January 28, 2014

About the author

Todd Strasser is an American author of more than 130 novels for adults, young-adults, and middle graders.

His most recent novel is Summer of '69

Booklist review: "Drugs, sex, and rock 'n' roll, those hallmarks of the summer of 1969, are all here, but there's so much more. In this loosely autobiographical novel, Strasser introduces 18-year-old Lucas, who is bright and sensitive but also a screw up…. The picture painted of the Woodstock music festival shows the dark side of peace and love, and the prevalence of drugs is on almost every page…The best part of the book, however, is the one that transcends eras: Lucas' introspection as he contemplates his place in the world."

Kirkus review: "Strasser perfectly captures the golden haze of youth and life on the cusp of adulthood. Readers fascinated with this time period will find much to enjoy... Vietnam, Woodstock, road trips, and acid trips: a sweetly bittersweet, surprising, even melancholy bildungsroman set against a world in flux. Groovy, man."

His most recent young adult novel is Price of Duty:
2018 New York Public Library Best Book for Teens
“Compact and suspenseful, the novel raises important questions about war.” – Kirkus 
“This thought-provoking book is both welcome and imperative.” – Booklist * (starred review).
"Rather than attempting to sway the reader, it offers awareness." - VOYA 
“Tightly wound and compelling ... appropriate for an older middle school and high school audience. VERDICT: Highly recommended.” – School Library Journal 

Bio: Todd was born in New York City. When he was young his parents moved to Roslyn Heights, New York (Long Island). Todd went to the I.U. Willets Elementary school and then attended the Wheatley School for junior high and high school. His best subjects were math and science. He also liked to read, but he had trouble with spelling and grammar, and didn't do well in English. His favorite sports were tennis, skiing and fishing. Todd went to college at New York University for a few years, and then dropped out. He lived on a commune, then lived in Europe where he was a street musician.

All the while, Todd wrote songs and poems and lots of letters to his friends back home. Finally he decided to try being a writer. He returned to the United States and went to Beloit College where he studied literature and writing.

After college, Todd worked at the Middletown Times Herald-Record newspaper in Middletown, New York, and later at Compton Advertising in New York City. In 1978, Todd sold his first novel, Angel Dust Blues. He used the money to start the Dr. Wing Tip Shoo fortune cookie company. For the next 12 years, Todd sold more fortune cookies than books.

Todd now divides his time between writing books and speaking at schools and conferences. When he's at home, he likes to spend time with his children and dog, Cooper. He still likes to play tennis and ski, but his favorite new sport is surfing.

Reviews

[Carly Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Realistic, contemporary teen fiction about the problem of homelessness in modern America. Dan is a senior in high school and has a promising future ahead of him playing baseball (Rice University has offered him a scholarship). However, his parents have been on a downward slide since losing their jobs in the Great Recession. At the start of the book, the house is foreclosed and the family moves in with Dan's uncle. That situation is tense and problematic so Dan's parents next move the family to Dignityville, the town's tent city in a city park. Dan struggles with his new position (his friends' don't know how to act around him, he often goes hungry). Meanwhile, an outside agitator is trying shut the camp down and has Aubrey, the unofficial spokesman of Dignityville, beaten up.

This was a fast-paced easy read. While at times too didactic, it shows the human situation behind the current economic situation in a way that teens will relate to. I can reading wanting to find out how bad things will get for Dan. Characters in the book discuss The Grapes of Wrath and this would be a good book to pair in the classroom with Steinbeck's novel on a unit about the Great Depression. I wonder if teens will pick the book up themselves since the premise (popular high school sports star becomes homeless) is not as exciting as other high concept teen reads.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of this book--that a middle-class high school jock's family ends up homeless--really intrigued me. It's so timely, and I know the thought has crossed my mind before: what would we do if we lost our house?? We don't have a "Dignityville" around here (as unappealing as that sounds) to take us in like Todd's family did. I loved this book for so many reasons--how the main character dealt with the feelings of humility and embarrassment when word got out about his circumstances. And I loved the references to The Grapes of Wrath. I hadn't read anything by this author before, but then I saw that two of my friends just read Fallout by him and loved it. So that will be my next YA read.

[Carrie G · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. I absolutely LOVED "Give a Boy a Gun," so I keep hoping the next Todd Strasser book I read will be as good. And each one fails to live up to expectations... and "No Place" was no different. This book came highly recommended by a student, but I'm not sure why. I found the characters to be one-dimensional and stereotypical. The plot was lackluster, predictable, and unbelievable - too contrived and forced. I didn't care about the characters, couldn't "buy" the coincidences, and the ending was abrupt.

[Shane M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine being an all star pitcher for you're high school team, with a scholarship to college and projected to go #1 overall in the MLB draft. Sounds pretty good right? But for Dan Hartman, it isn't as good as many may think. The genre of this book is realistic fiction because the book is fiction, but this could happen in real life. I thought personally that this was a good book and something fun to read.

The setting of the book is originally in the suburbs of a city, but soon becomes Dan's Uncle Ron's house. You see, Dan's parents weren't paying their bills, so the house was taken over by the bank. Uncle Ron's house just wasn't the right place after a week of living there, so they moved to Dignityville, a town for the homeless on the outskirts of the city. Dignityville is already hated by many because since their are so many homeless their, the people property values were dropping. Dan's girlfriends father wanted Dignityville to be over with, he trashed it several times and had several meeting with Paul, Dan's father. A few days later, a good friends of Dan's, Meg, has just been put through a lot. Aubrey, her brother, has been beat up and put into a coma. Many protests happen, but soon Dignityville is destroyed and the family is forced to move to a new house, paid for by the government. Then Dan continues on with his career, Aubrey wakes up, etc. The conflict is person vs society because Dan has to face different problems involving Dignityville everyday.

The first person point of view is affects the story because it helps you feel what Dan must be feeling, throughout his experience.
A major event that changed Dan is when he moved to Dignityville. He had to get money off Talia (his girl) and go to school from the bus. The theme of this book is to make the most out of everything because Dan doesn't let being homeless stop him from reaching his dream. He practices everyday and sprints every day. This proves that that is the theme.

I liked the way the author really never let it be over, there was always action here and there. I was surprised when the author finished off the story by giving Dan the apartment to stay in. I really thought that Dignityville would be permanent. The characters actions were believe able because if someone was really passionate about something, they would do what ever it takes to reach it, or at least that's what I believe.

I would rate this book 5 stars because it really was a good book. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes sports and a good story. This was a very good book, it's like one of those things you can't forget after you read it.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book for students who are on a Todd Strasser kick; I think that Boot Camp, Fallout, and The Wave better serve the kind of reader I see who tends to gravitate towards Strasser's books ... students who value story over quality of writing and who are looking for something a little edgy but not too offensive to their sensisibilities or problematic.

I appreciate how this story features a middle class boy with star athlete potential and college educated parents who ends up homeless. I also think readers will find the relationship between him and his silver-spoon girlfriend very relatable ... the tension between them is thick, and we as an audience just want to shake Dan and say, "BREAK UP WITH HER ALREADY, SHE IS TOTALLY NOT WORTH YOUR TIME." Dan feels a lot of shame in being homeless, and over the course of the book he comes to accept that his homelessness is not something to be overly ashamed about. Good topic for teens!

The decision to structure the book loosely around an unjustified attack on a fellow homeless person who was a leader in the homeless community and the "whodunit" aspects of the story didn't really appeal to me. I found some of the setup confusing and abrupt, and I wonder if students would find the setting confusing and abrupt too.

[Olivia P · Rating 4 out of 5]

No Place by Todd Strasser is a book about a high school senior Dan Halprin. Dan he has it all, he is the most popular kid in school, he was a baseball star for his school, he was with the popular crowd, and he was dating the best girl in school. He thought it couldn’t get any better than it was. Until it only got worse. Both his parents had recently been unemployed from their jobs and they had been looking for new ones but nothing got better. Then the unthinkable happened, they had lost their house. They were then forced to move in with their relatives but after a few days no one could stand it there. There was only one option left, the absolute worst option ever, to move to Dignity Ville the town's homeless city. It’s their last hope to help them get back on their feet but someone wants it gone and will stop at nothing in their way.
I loved this book it really will open your eyes about homelessness and make you aware and thankful of how much we have. I could not put this book down at all. I would recommend this book to everyone and anyone especially my friends.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the outside, high school baseball player Dan seems to have it all: popularity, a girlfriend that melts his heart, a scholarship to Rice, good grades, caring parents. But underneath? Dan’s parents were just evicted from their home: Dan is now homeless.

This is an amazing issue novel that touches on a “ripped-from-the-headlines” topic. Not only are the inequities of income discussed at length, a popular kid is forced to deal with the issues and how his friends react to the changes happening to him. It is a lot for any reader to take in and I’m not sure how many folks will be able to follow the book to its end. Unless a wise teacher grabs onto this book and opts to work it into a government-social science lesson. Lots to discuss here – and the story will be far more valuable if it is discussed!

[Carolyn]

Dan Halprin is a senior high student whose life is turned upside down when his family becomes homeless and moves into the tent city of Dignityville. The plot really makes one stop and think about what it means to be homeless. Throughout the story, the reader can experience Dan's emotions as he deals with the embarrassment and humiliation of being homeless. It depicts the stress put on the relationships with extended family and personal friends. Through it all, Dan tries to do what is right and hang on to his dignity.

It is unfortunate that the pages are peppered with mild profanity. Use of the Lord's name is minimal, but still present. WTF is used two times. While it is not spelled out, the students know what it means.

[Adele A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started AND finished this novel today.

Just to put this into context. I worked a full day, went to the gym, had a quick shopping trip, took my youth out bowling; and I read this book today.

Dan's family lost their home. They are forced to move into Dignityville, a tent settlement for the other homeless in the city.

A thinly veiled Occupy settlement, Strasser could have gone very preachy with this novel, but he manages to find the right balance. Dan is an insightful character who is not without his own flaws and merits, and he surrounds himself with a variety of characters. Everyone is multi-dimensioned.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thought-provoking, realistic story about a popular high school boy whose family becomes homeless when both parents lose their jobs. Although the dialogue sometimes gets a little didactic and "preachy" when the characters discuss the political and social issues around poverty and homelessness, overall I found the plot and characters very believeable. This YA book is totally appropriate for upper middle school students (7th and 8th grade) as well as high school, and should appeal to both boys and girls. It would be a great choice for a book club - lots to discuss!

[Bella Weyburn]

This book was definitely not like something I have read before. It gave an insight into a real world in which I am not familiar with, the world of homelessness. It was a very interesting to read the story of someone who had everything and is left with almost nothing trying to rebuild a life for him and his parents at the age of 18. The book explains all the difficulties of being a teenager, while also struggling with severe difficulties at home. I really enjoyed the message that it gave, and it was definitely interesting throughout the entire story.

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book that humanizes homeless people, painting them as nuanced characters in relatable situations. It explains financial inequality in a way that kids can understand, and with a lot of empathy. The only criticism I have is that there are a few archaic references that younger readers might not get, some that I barely even had a frame of reference for. I read this with a 10 year old and it was a little above his reading level but he really enjoyed it.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book for teens. It is a required reading for Freshman this year - and most like it.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Good, compelling storyline. A bit too in-your-face preachy with the politics (and I'm firmly on the same side) for my tastes. Will go over well with my HS readers.

[Anthony Lawlor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book kept me interested the entire time I was reading and kept me wanting more.

[Jacob Boyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of the book gets you very interested in the story that it tells but towards the end, it seemed to be dragged out way too long with a sloppy ending.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will recommend to my 8th graders.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Todd Strasser is known for writing many young adult and junior novels that deal with a variety of tough subjects, from nuclear war to school violence. NO PLACE focuses upon homelessness with the story of a middle class teenager whose family faces foreclosure of their home. Dan goes from living a comfortable life with hopes of a baseball scholarship to moving into a tent in “Dignityville,” a homeless encampment.

NO PLACE is an important book that encourages young people to look beyond what may be their own sheltered existences, into a world in which an increasing number of their classmates may exist. Unlike many YA authors, who only look at situations in the here and now, Strasser takes an activist perspective and has his characters repeatedly tie Dan’s situation into larger societal and economic issues. Chances are, you won’t pick up too many junior novels that talk about recession and layoffs. The controversial nature of the issue is personified in Dan’s blustery uncle, who characterizes every family in Dignityville as bums who don’t want to work, and who fights for the camp to be disbanded. Dan struggles with his own stereotypes about the disadvantaged, and must deal with his upper-class girlfriend, who is terribly ashamed of her boyfriend’s living situation.

I was surprised to find some content in this book dealing with vegetarianism and animal ethics, although unfortunately Strasser isn’t as well-versed in these topics as he is on homelessness and economic struggle. While Dan’s family is still living in their original home, we are introduced to the family members’ differing diets:

Mom got up and prepared a bowl of soup for me, adding boiled beef because she knew I needed extra protein in my diet. Both of my parents were vegetarians, but they were cool with me being a carnivore.

Ok, I’ll admit to *facepalming* after this line. Athletes don’t require meat in their diets, and Dan’s parents should be aware of this, if they are well-informed about their own diet at all. And sorry, Dan, no matter what you wish to imagine, you’ll never be part of Order Carnivora.

I’ll put an aside that Mom is a far more tolerant vegetarian than me when it comes to cooking meat for other people. She cooks a variety of meat, including lamb(?!) for her son and her brother’s family. She can’t control what others buy or eat, but if I were her, I would tell the teenage son that he’s old enough to cook for himself and he can purchase and prepare meat for himself if he wishes to eat it.

A more disappointing line comes when we meet the younger sister of a local homeless rights activist, Aubrey:

When she was eight, she had to be a vegan because he was going through his vegan period, and when she was eleven he made her feel so guilty about her favorite leather cowboy boots that she's stopped wearing them, and everything else that came from animals.

Ok, I’ll stop and say that I’ll never blame poverty-stricken and homeless people from eating what they can to survive. Unlike those of us who are fortunate enough to be able to shop in grocery stores and eat in restaurants, the indigent have no choice. So I’m not hating on Aubrey if he can no longer be vegan because he is homeless. What does disappoint me is the author’s characterization of veganism as a phase. Is human rights advocacy a phase? Does someone go through a “period” of caring about homeless people? Then why is caring about animals? Come on, Strasser, you’re smarter than that.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually 3.5 stars

No Place was an interesting and thought-provoking book that dealt with the topic of homelessness in what I thought to be a good way.

Like the blurb says, the main character, Dan, seems to have it all. Except money's running out. And so, time is running out. Dan's family moves in with his Uncle Ron, but that doesn't seem to be working so great. His friends don't exactly seem to understand his situation, which is becoming more humiliating by the day.

Meg, a resident of the town's homeless sector named "Dignityville," seems to be the only one who can sympathize. She and Dan build some sort of friendship, and when things go from bad to worse at Uncle Ron's, Dan and Meg become neighbors.

Things aren't all great at Dignityville, however. Some of the town's wealthier citizens want it shut down, because it's ruining their property values. Dan's father starts to feel rather hopeless. And then the mystery begins. Something happens to Meg's brother Aubrey (which, random side note, I always considered a girl's name...) and Dan wants to get to the bottom of things. What's going on with Dignityville? And what will happen to all the people living there if disaster strikes?

Sounds pretty interesting, right? I thought so too. And...it was. To an extent.

The novel is told in first person. For the first half, it's past tense. The second half is present tense. It's almost like the first half is told from where the character is standing now to catch you up, then the rest is what's going on now. That was kind of an interesting format. I didn't mind the tense switch, but the whole feeling-like-I'm-being-caught-up-to-speed thing wasn't great. And I felt like I didn't connect with the characters quite as well as I should have. That and the plot didn't move very fast. It just didn't feel like much was really happening.

That said, I did sympathize with the characters. Just because I didn't get to know them as well as I would've liked doesn't mean I didn't like them. Because I did. Except for Talia. I really, really didn't like Talia. I'm not sure if that was the author's intent or not. So the characters were okay. Not awesome, but not bad.

As I previously mentioned, the plot was meh. It made sense, at least? I did appreciate how the end wasn't wrapped up perfectly and tied up with a bow. Things were resolved, but left open. If that makes sense.

My favorite part of the book was what it made you think about. The inside of the jacket says it's a novel "ripped from the headlines" and it's true. Homelessness is a real issue today. It definitely gave me a nice perspective.

So, good job! Just...next time I need a little better character and plot.

[Will Bluel · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, it seems like Dan has everything. He’s a high school baseball star, and with the most popular girl in school as his girlfriend, all eyes are on him. But things start to go south when his mother quits her job as an attorney and becomes a vegetarian gardener, trying to find her “inner peace” and whatnot. It doesn’t help matters that his dad works for a volunteer organization, bringing in absolutely no income. Soon, because of a crashing economy, Dan and his family end up staying with his uncle, and after a while, find themselves being one of the many families forced to move to the town’s Tent City, Dignityville.

Dignityville is set up in a local park, by the homeless, for the homeless. It is the ideal refuge for those who can no longer afford a house, but not everyone is for it. When people seek shelter in Dignityville, they are avoiding the costs and taxes of abiding in a home, which hurts the city’s real-estate and economy, causing more people to lose their jobs and multiply the problem. When the figurehead of Dignityville and the camp itself are attacked, there is a colossal reaction, and everyone is eager to find out who committed these terrible crimes.

“No Place” by Todd Strasser is a story of corruption, poverty, and ethics. Read on, as Dan tries to rescue his family, struggling to balance school life, baseball life, and family life. I would recommend this book to those who are seeking a realistic fiction novel that will show what it is like to be put in someone else’s shoes.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is about a boy that is a senior in high school that is now homeless. The main characters is Dan Halprin his mom and dad, Meg, Talia,and Aubrey. Dan is the boy that has became homeless and he is trying to help this girl Meg ever since her brother has gotten beat up. My favorite character is Dan because everything revolves around him and he is in the middle of everything to try and fix things going wrong in the place where he is living.
I do not relate to any of the characters in this book but. I have not ever done any of the thing that the characters in this book have done. The book helped me see that even if you are homeless you still have to deal with everyday problems and with other people’s problems to. Also it helped me see how people can help if they are homeless. The book also showed me that you can still have a job and still be homeless which is very sad.
I liked the book because it have given me a different look at what some people might be going through. My favorite part of the book was when Aubry woke up from his coma and made everyone in Dignityville.the author did very well on how the characters felt. Also he did a good job getting the suspense on what was going to happen next.
I would recommend this book to people who want to know how people feel going homeless. If you would like drama then this book is for you. The experience of reading this book is to see that even if your family is fine doesn't mean that everyone else's are fine. This book also helped me see that people can be homeless and still be happy.

[Katelyn]

"No Place" is about a family that becomes homeless after both parents lose their jobs. The son, Dan, didn’t want to move to Dignityville. The lunch ladies start to give Dan a little extra food at lunch, for free. Dan is a baseball star and has a chance to get a scholarship to college if he keeps his grades up. Some people want the tent city, Dignityville, gone. One day came when gang beads were found at a scene where someone that lives in Dignityville was attacked. This is no longer a place people can stay, they have to find another place to live.
I liked how the book told a story about how difficult it can be to be homeless. It showed that when something bad happens you always have someone who cares. Also, it had quotes from another book to compare what happened. I didn’t like how the book ended because it leaves me wondering what will happen next in their lives. Being homeless could have a good or bad ending.
I would recommend this book. It shows a mystery that could be based off of real life. Also, you don’t have to like baseball to read this book. After reading this book you may look at your life in a whole new way. This book shows that when a family becomes homeless they are not alone. You learn that hard times can bring people together.

[Andi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This felt like a bit of a throwback to me — like one of those "problem" novels that I remember being assigned in school, kind of the book version of an after-school special. There were times where I could almost imagine the author sitting there with an academic article listing the problems homeless kids face and checking them off as he methodically depicted them in the story.

This isn't to say it was bad; it was a fairly engaging story, and the mystery of who's trying to sabotage things adds a bit of suspense. Dan is somewhat of a cipher, as far as main characters go, but there are several interesting supporting characters — although I wish everyone would have been a little more fleshed out. My biggest complaint overall, in fact, is that the story as a whole felt pretty superficial; things happen, and then other things happen, and then it's over. Digging more into the characters would have helped this. As it stands though, for a way to introduce teens to poverty and homelessness as social issues, you could do worse.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I just can’t help thinking about how The Grapes of Wrath is based on events that happened nearly a hundred years ago. How is it possible that so many of the problems people faced back then are still the problems we face today?”

High school senior and star pitcher finds himself homeless after a years-long downward spiral of money issues. Both parents have been looking for jobs. Dad keeps taking jobs, but they “don’t work out.” Mom was a successful stockbroker and can’t find anything in her field. College educated parents who “did everything right” according to what we teach our kids and still end up on the streets. This is the story of their struggle and the community that is trying to help their homeless, but aggravating other homeowners in the method.

Story is well-written and thought provoking. Other works of literature are referenced in the story, which makes the reader want to read further. Would be a good pair for Grapes of Wrath.

[Lydia Ramsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a very good book! I would definitely recommend reading it. In the story a popular baseball player becomes homeless. Both parents lose their jobs and he ends up living in Tent City, also known as Digityville. He tried staying with his uncle for a while but his uncle ends up becoming very stressed and the tension in the house was too hard to handle, so they move to Digityville. The main character is a high schooler named Dan. Dan has had a girlfriend for a year or so but ends up liking a different girl when he meets her in Digityville, he name is Meg. Meg's older brother kind of owns Digityville, but the people that don't live in Digityville don't like that it's there. So, Dan's girlfriend's dad does something horrible but gets Dan's father involved. If I tell the rest it will spoil it, so you'll have to read the book to find out what happens.

[Karen Gedeon · Rating 5 out of 5]

No Place by Todd Strasser – Dan is the all-star senior pitcher starting his senior year. He has college lined up with a full scholarship, a good looking wealthy girlfriend and his best friends to hang with. Senior year is starting off great, until his parents tell him they lost their home. He knew his parents had been unemployed, but never thought they would have to move. After a stint living with family, his parents decide to move into the city’s homeless camp “Dignityville”. Once there, Dan’s life changes in ways he could not imagine. He makes new friends, experiences stereotypes, and finds out truths about homelessness that he never imagined. Along the way Strasser explains economics and the role employment plays in. Students in grades 6+ will enjoy the story, the mystery, the romance and realistic nature of Dan’s story.

[Morgan Winter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that this book was very well written. The very beginning of the book kept your attention and didn't drag on. The fact that the story line is about a jock who becomes homeless demonstrates how cruel reality can be. It shows that you don't actually know about what people are going through and that it's easy to put a front up or divert people from the truth. It also shows that people around you could be going through the same difficult things as you, you're just too focused on yourself to realize. Towards the end of the book, the different problems that began to happen were dragging on, making the end not as interesting. As an athlete, this book put into perspective the lives of those around me. Although we may all see tough, fast, and indestructible, we have difficulties and conflicts littering our lives as well.

[Nikki Glassley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a great book for teens who have an interest in poverty and homelessness. It has an interesting sense of place- it seems to take place now, but worse. It's said that 50% of the population is living at or below poverty level, which is not the case irl, so it's sort of a modern Great Depression. I think it would be more interesting if this weren't the case; the moralizing is a little too easy when everything is bad for basically everyone. It's harder to have honest conversations about poverty and economic disenfranchisement when the economy is going moderate to well.

Overall, I did find it pretty didactic and I don't love being preached to- but I can definitely see teens, who haven't had the same concepts beat into them yet- not just enjoying the story, but learning something and that's almost never a bad thing.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars If Todd Strasser's objective in writing "No Place" was to allow readers to gain insight on how homelessness can be non-discriminant, I think he achieved it. High school student Dan has a very normal life until both his parents lose their jobs. His social status changes at school and he battles greatly with the thought of having to move into Dignityville, the town's answer to meeting the needs of the homeless. Strasser does a wonderful job of depicting the depths of emotions one would go through in losing comfort and stability, while saying goodbye to things that you simply took for granted, like having a mattress to sleep on, your own bathroom to use, and cooking your meals in your own kitchen. I think this book would be a quick, yet powerful read for 12-14 year olds.

[Stephen Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

"No Place" by: Todd Strasser is a book that shows dramatic life changes can happen extremely fast wihout anytime to realize what is going on. He went from being a middle class family that would have to move because their family couldnt afford the payments on the house. Both Dan's parents both don't have jobs. He also has to adapt to living with homeless people and some of the people want better conditions. They are forced to move into the towns tent city. This affects me in a personal way because we take everything for granite and don't realize that it can all change in an instant and that is something that I feel that most people also dont realize this either. That is something the author was trying to point out.