No Fixed Address
by Susin Nielsen (Author)
For fans of Wendelin van Draanen and Cynthia Lord, a touching and funny middle-grade story about family, friendship, and growing up when you're one step away from homelessness.
Twelve-and-three-quarter-year-old Felix Knutsson has a knack for trivia. His favorite game show is Who What Where When; he even named his gerbil after the host. Felix's mom, Astrid, is loving but can't seem to hold on to a job. So when they get evicted from their latest shabby apartment, they have to move into a van. Astrid swears him to secrecy; he can't tell anyone about their living arrangement, not even Dylan and Winnie, his best friends at his new school. If he does, she warns him, he'll be taken away from her and put in foster care.
As their circumstances go from bad to worse, Felix gets a chance to audition for a junior edition of Who What Where When, and he's determined to earn a spot on the show. Winning the cash prize could make everything okay again. But things don't turn out the way he expects. . . .
Susin Nielsen deftly combines humor, heartbreak, and hope in this moving story about people who slip through the cracks in society, and about the power of friendship and community to make all the difference.
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School Library Journal
Gr 5-8—Felix Knutsson lived in four different homes before calling a van his home. There is a logical reason for every single move—logical to his mother Astrid, at least. Also, he doesn't like to be called homeless—he would rather use "between places"—but in his home city of Vancouver, vans do not qualify as homes to the mainstream population. Astrid manages to hide their situation from the authorities and even talks her way into securing Felix a spot at a competitive French Immersion program in a new school despite the lack of a fixed address. As the months go on and the weather changes, their situation becomes less and less bearable and leads Felix to a breaking point. The anguish that Felix faces as he strives to follow his mother's demand that he hide their predicament is palpable, and readers will empathize with Felix's situation. Prominent throughout this story is Felix's love for trivia and his quest to land a spot on a new junior edition of a game show, which he believes will end his housing troubles. Readers will be cheering for Felix as he learns to finally let others help him. VERDICT A well-written work of realism that will be a mirror to some and a window for others. A first purchase.—Kate Olson, Bangor School District, WI
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
"An outstanding addition to the inadequate-parent genre."—Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews "Clear-eyed and heartfelt."—Booklist "A charming wonder of a book."—Starred Review, Quill & Quire "A timely, funny and compassionate book with an endearing protagonist." —The Independent "Nielsen uses great writing, terrific characters, humor, and heartbreak to keep readers turning pages. This book deserves readership well beyond her intended middle-grade audience." —San Francisco Book Review "Poignant and powerful without ever feeling overwrought, the topic of homelessness is treated in a way that invites thought reflection. . . . Humour and heart abound in this extraordinary offering." —Canadian Children's Book News
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV013000 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | General
Homeless persons
Mothers and sons
Canada
Faith
Homeless families
Television game shows
