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What Members Thought

Yes, the mighty Miss Malone is aptly named. She is amazing indeed, but then so is the whole Malone family. Such a good book. I recommend the audio format for those who like to listen.

A busy but believable story with lots of plot twists and action. A terrible accident on Lake Michigan causes Deza Malone's father to be badly hurt and to lose his job. He sets out for Flint, Michigan to find work there and Deza, her mother, and her brother follow suit. They hope to catch up to him, but bad luck stops them in a shanty town for a while. While there, Jimmie decides to run away to try his luck at singing for money. He doesn't write so Deza makes the journey to Detroit alone to find
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I love this book and the characters in it! Two of the many reasons why I enjoyed it so much was number one, I met Christopher Paul Curtis and he is one of the nicest men I ever met. I just loved his story about how he became an author. The second reason is it starts out in Gary which was where began my teaching career! The characters in this book are so unforgettable.
While the book is historical fiction, it definitely applies today with the current economic situation that is going on in our cou ...more
While the book is historical fiction, it definitely applies today with the current economic situation that is going on in our cou ...more

I'd forgotten many details of this book from my first read and it was probably for good reason. Don't get me wrong, Christopher Paul Curtis writes extremely important stories with humor and warmth. But it took every bit of me to get through this one. I listened to Bahni Turpin narrate the audiobook, so she basically got me through it. Deza's character didn't have much agency and I was just bored. Might be me. I don't read as much middle-grade as I should for my profession, so perhaps I'm looking
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LOVED this book!! Curtis is an excellent writer. This should be one that is read in grade school. I think kids will really love the characters and it is so nice to have a book that can teach a little about our nations history at the same time.
I don't want to spoil the book, but I will say you should put this at the top of your to read list! ...more
I don't want to spoil the book, but I will say you should put this at the top of your to read list! ...more

I think I enjoyed this one more than Bud, Not Buddy. Maybe I connected to Deza more than Bud, because I was more involved with her story. I thought the characters of Deza and Jimmie were distinct and unique and not easily forgettable. The adults mostly blurred together for me, but it was driven by the siblings anyway.

Another great character from Curtis. Historical fiction with a strong, lovable heroine, loving family, hard times, and lots of the author's signature humor. May appeal more to girls than boys. Grades 4 and up.
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Surprised by how much I liked this book - and how much my students could relate to it. Perhaps I'll blog about it sometime.
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Aug 28, 2012
Becky Barrier Nelson
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
newbery-candidate-2013
I read this in audio CD. The reader's voice was just perfect for Deza--pert and upbeat/sweet.
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Jan 02, 2012
Elisabeth
marked it as to-read





Sep 28, 2012
Elayne
marked it as to-read

Nov 27, 2012
Christi
marked it as to-read

Jan 01, 2013
Dana
marked it as listened-to

Sep 22, 2014
Linda
marked it as to-read

Jan 09, 2021
Kirsten Barber
marked it as to-read-soon