This is a John Newberry Medal book.

A thirteen-year-old Dicey Tillerman and her three siblings find themselves in a challenging situation. After being abandoned in a parking lot by their alcoholic mother, they embark on a journey to find their grandmother's old farm in Maryland.

Dicey takes on a huge responsibility, acting as a parent for her younger siblings. The children finally reach the farm and are in a safe environment. However, Dicey is having difficulty letting go of her role as a mother.

With their grandmother, new friends, and new experiences of love, Dicey and her siblings find a new beginning. They develop trust and Dicey's relationship with her grandmother grows. But she still struggles to learn to be a child again and overcome the pain of her past.

At the end of the book, Dicey has to deal with a difficult situation.

To enhance students' understanding of the book, they could keep a diary of how Dicey is feeling throughout the story. This would help them empathize with the character.

Also, students could fill out a reader's response at the end of each chapter. The reader's response could involve asking a question about something in the text from each chapter. This would encourage critical thinking and deeper analysis of the story.

Heart-wrenching and beautiful.

An elementary school teacher read Homecoming aloud to my class, and it's a book that has stayed with me for thirty years.

For some reason, I never read any other books by Cynthia Voigt.

Now, picking up the story of Dicey, her siblings, and their grandmother, I'm struck by how deeply I wanted the characters to find happiness.

As you read, you just wish you could help Dicey open herself up to the people who want to befriend her.

Every time she resists, you wish you could explain to her what she's missing.

It's ultimately satisfying to see her growth, while knowing that the road ahead of her will remain difficult.

This story is not just about Dicey's journey but also about the power of love and family.

The characters are so well-developed that you feel like you know them personally.

It makes you think about your own life and the relationships you have.

Overall, Homecoming is a remarkable book that I would highly recommend to anyone.

When I delved into Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt, I was immediately captivated by the characters.

I found myself longing for more of their stories, and幸运的是, the sequel, Dicey's Song, delivered precisely that.

The family dynamics in this book are truly remarkable. The interactions between the family members are so genuine and brimming with love.

It's a seemingly simple story on the surface, but as you progress through the pages, you witness the profound character growth that takes place.

Each character evolves in their own unique way, facing challenges and learning valuable lessons along the way.

The author's ability to bring these characters to life and make them relatable is truly a testament to her talent.

Dicey's Song is not just a continuation of the story; it's a beautiful exploration of family, love, and personal growth.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a heartwarming and engaging read.

It’s a truly sad read, yet it is undeniably worth it.

This remarkable book has been a constant and faithful friend for nearly all the 10 years that have passed since I first had the privilege of reading it.

Over the course of these years, it has accompanied me through various stages of my life, offering solace, inspiration, and a deeper understanding of the human condition.

The story within its pages has the power to touch the heart and evoke a wide range of emotions, from sorrow to hope.

It is a book that I keep coming back to, finding new meanings and interpretations with each reading.

It has become an integral part of my literary collection and a source of comfort in times of need.

Despite its sadness, it leaves a lasting impression and a sense of appreciation for the beauty and complexity of life.

Truly, this book is a treasure that I will cherish for many more years to come.

So good.

There are scenes in this story that are devastatingly sad, making your heart break into pieces. You can almost feel the pain and sorrow that the characters are going through.

However, despite all the hardships and tragedies, the strength and warmth of this family is truly uplifting from beginning to end. Their love for each other shines through even in the darkest of times.

The way they support and care for one another is truly inspiring. It shows that no matter what life throws at us, as long as we have the love and support of our family, we can get through anything.

This story is a beautiful reminder of the importance of family and the power of love. It makes you believe that there is always hope, even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Overall, it is a must-read for anyone who loves a good story that will touch their heart and leave them feeling uplifted.

Dicey reminds me a great deal of AB. They both seem to have similar notions regarding family and land and such. I'm not entirely sure, but I imagine that AB must have been a similarly, singularly determined 13-year-old.

And then there's the Eastern Shore. What exactly did the wire around the tree signify?

It's almost like a ghost story, but not quite. There's something about it that keeps pulling me in, making me want to know more.

Maybe it's the mystery of it all, or perhaps it's the connection I feel to these characters and their experiences.

Either way, it's a story that lingers in my mind, leaving me with a sense of curiosity and wonder.

This was one of my favorite books as a 'tween.

When I happened to come across it in a little free library, I immediately scooped it up with great excitement.

It is truly a beautiful YA novel that has the power to capture the hearts and imaginations of young readers.

The story is filled with engaging characters, a captivating plot, and vivid descriptions that bring the world of the book to life.

As I read through its pages, I was transported to a different place and time, experiencing the joys and sorrows of the characters along the way.

This book holds a special place in my heart, and I am so glad to have found it again in that little free library.

It is a reminder of the magic that books can bring and the importance of sharing them with others.

A lovely book that I started before realizing that it was the second in a cycle.

I see this series as part of the tradition of orphaned or otherwise challenged siblings who cling to each other and take on often fearsome obstacles. There are many such works, like "The Wolves of Willoughby Chase" by Joan Aiken, "The Boxcar Children" series by Gertrude Chandler Warner, and "The Railway Children" by Edith Nesbit. And there are others that are even more commercial.

In the first book, the four fatherless siblings - Dicey, James, Maybeth, and Sammy - having been more or less abandoned by their mother, make their way to Crisfield, Maryland on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay to their maternal grandmother, Abigail Tillerman. (The setting is not so far from where I live in Aberdeen on the Western Shore). They began their trek in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and so that first book covers a lot of geography.

In "Dicey's Song", the children settle in and they and their grandmother begin the difficult dance of getting used to one another. Family history does not come pouring out but rather emerges in a tantalizing way, and not always in sequence. Stress, emotional fragility, learning disabilities, and more shape this narrative of home-making and self-discovery. At 13, Dicey is the oldest and Sammy, at 7, is the youngest.

Maybeth is musically gifted, but all the children sing, so there are wonderful snippets of traditional ballades that find their way into the story.

The ending is both predictable and right, and doors are flung open to new chapters in the saga of the Tillermans. It leaves the readers eager to know what will happen next in the lives of these charming and resilient characters.

This is the second installment in what has come to be known as the Tillerman Series.

I would suggest not reading these books as a series, but rather as different perspectives on the same setting.

Once again, I was most drawn to the grandmother, although I liked the overall concept of children being capable and competent. Given the chance, kids can come up with truly amazing solutions. They shouldn't have to worry about whether they will eat or where they will sleep, but should be allowed and encouraged to participate in their own upbringing and be included as valued partners.

It was the aspect of keeping doors open that intrigued me in this book, as it did in Homecoming. Gram made choices that drove her children away, and they never returned. One son died in Vietnam. Another was in California, and she had never responded to his wedding invitation, believing the door was closed. Her last contact with her daughter was to hold her hand as she passed away in a state mental institution. But the act of going and holding her child's hand was significant and kept the door open, even if no one would ever walk through it.

I truly made an earnest attempt to develop an affinity for this book.

I compelled myself to laboriously plod through each uninteresting page.

However, after getting through 50 of them, I simply cut my losses and fled.

I am aware that this book managed to win a Newberry award. But perhaps it was during the 80s when there wasn't an abundance of high-quality children's literature available for nomination.

Maybe the standards were different back then, or there were simply fewer outstanding works to choose from.

Nonetheless, for me, this book failed to capture my attention and hold my interest.

It felt flat and unengaging, lacking the sparkle and charm that I expect from a great children's book.

Despite its accolade, it just didn't resonate with me on a personal level.

This is a truly great sequel that manages to outshine the first book in many aspects.

The story continues to unfold in a captivating manner, drawing readers in from the very beginning. The characters have grown and developed, adding more depth and complexity to the narrative.

The author has done an excellent job of building on the foundation laid in the first book while also introducing new elements and surprises. The plot is filled with twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat, eager to discover what will happen next.

The writing style is engaging and easy to follow, making it accessible to a wide range of readers. Overall, this sequel is a must-read for fans of the first book and anyone who enjoys a well-written and exciting story. It is a testament to the author's talent and creativity, and I highly recommend it.

Although this book is one of the longer Newbery books, consisting of 359 pages, it is also one of the more enjoyable reads. A significant portion of the work revolves around Dicey's mother's breakdown. In today's society, it would be identified as depression, and she could potentially receive treatment. It is truly sad that someone would lose the will to live, especially when they have children to care for. I have a strong desire to know the details of that story and how the children managed to walk all the way to Maryland. I later discovered that this is actually the second book in the Tillerman series, which consists of 7 books. Perhaps the first book, Homecoming, tells that particular story.

Read Alikes: If you found this book appealing, I would highly recommend reading A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck. It presents a similar narrative of children being raised by grandparents when the parent is unable to do so. Both grandmothers utilize the skills they possess to support the family during extremely difficult times. Additionally, both grandparents may seem grumpy on the surface, but they are actually filled with kindness and love. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech and Missing May are also worthy reads as they deal with the theme of the death of a parent.