By Katie Van Heidrich
4RBooks: 5/6, grades 5-8
Amazon rating: 4.4/5, grades 4-8
Good Reads: 4.10/5
Common Sense Media: 4/5, ages 10+
291 pages
Synopsis:
Katie has lived much of her life “in-between;” In between parents, in between schools, in between homes. She longs for stability: one home, one school, one room to herself, one good friend…
Katie and her family went away for a funeral only to come home and find that they were being kicked out of their apartment. The only place her mother could find was an Extended Stay Hotel. The four of them (mom, Katie, Josh, and Haley) will be staying in one room together and no one knows how long it will take for their mom to get a new job and be able to afford a new place. Her father has a house with his new wife and empty rooms, but family complications keep them from living there.
Katie keeps a journal detailing her life during the six weeks of living in this hotel. She writes her thoughts in verse, and shares everything; her thoughts on her mother and father, her thoughts on school and her friends and boyfriend, memories, good and bad, and thoughts about why things happen the way they do. Much can happen in six weeks, enough to change lives forever. Based on true life events of the author.
Parental Guidance: medium-low
*singles uses of the words hell, damn, and pissed
*Katie’s mother smokes, especially when stressed
*a detailed description of a car accident in which one person was injured
*Katie reads mature books for her age
*Katie and her brother and sister often go hungry because their mom
doesn’t have enough money to buy more food
*Katie’s family has had to move often because of her mom having trouble
finding steady work
*Katie’s dad works at a country club that has just recently admitted black
members
Recommendation:
The In-Between is basically a diary told in verse. It is based on the author’s life and there are photos in the back to authenticate the events. Since it is her own words, the thoughts and word usage are appropriate for a 13-year-old girl.
This is not an action propelled story so it will most appeal to readers who enjoy character studies and true-life situations. It’s another children’s story that I think adults will enjoy as much as the children do. This would be a great addition to any classroom or school library and would be a good book for a class or small group read (being careful of the word usage mentioned above). Lots of opportunities for discussions of events and feelings on almost every page. I could imagine counselors and therapists being able to use this book with children who are going through difficult family scenarios or have become homeless for one reason or another.
Christian parents will find many chances to discuss faith in God as Katie believes but has questions. In particular, the events provide moments for discussions about God’s place in our personal troubles and how individual choices lead to difficult situations and outcomes.
There are many good comments and quotes, this was my favorite.
“I once heard
that if everyone put their problems in a big pile,
everyone would rush to take back their own
once they saw what everyone else
was dealing with.”
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