My Louisiana Sky
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4.3 • 43 Ratings
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
Tiger Ann Parker wants nothing more than to get out of the rural town of Saitter, Louisiana--far away from her mentally disabled mother, her "slow" father who can't read an electric bill, and her classmates who taunt her. So when Aunt Dorie Kay asks Tiger to sp the summer with her in Baton Rouge, Tiger can't wait to go. But before she leaves, the sudden revelation of a dark family secret prompts Tiger to make a decision that will ultimately change her life.
Set in the South in the late 1950s, this coming-of-age novel explores a twelve-year-old girl's struggle to accept her grandmother's death, her mentally deficient parents, and the changing world around her. It is a novel filled with beautiful language and unforgettable characters, and the importance of family and home.
My Louisiana Sky is a 1998 Boston Globe - Horn Book Award Honor Book for Fiction.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Making an unusually auspicious debut, Holt offers a unique coming-of-age tale. The year is 1957 and the place is Saitter, La., a small town where prejudices reach far beyond skin color. Twelve-year-old Tiger Parker, exceptionally bright and also good at baseball, is shunned by the girls in her class because her mother, Corrina, and her father, Lonnie, are "different" ("Folks around here call it retarded, but I like `slow' better"). Through Tiger's perceptive first-person narration, readers watch her grow painfully aware of her mother's limitations and become embarrassed by Corrina's childish behavior. She calms herself with the knowledge that her grandmother, who heads the household, has "enough brains for all of us." But Granny dies suddenly, and Tiger is left with an excruciating choice: Should she live with her sophisticated aunt in Baton Rouge, where she could find freedom but would break her parents' hearts, or should she forgo the opportunity and take on more responsibilities at home? While readers may not agree with Tiger's decision, they will admire her courage, loyalty and love for her parents. Holt conveys the innocence of Tiger's fun-loving mother and hardworking father without overdramatizing their intellectual deficiencies. The author presents and handles a sticky dilemma with remarkable grace. Ages 9-12.
Customer Reviews
Sweet Message
This story is told from the point of view of a girl with two mentally handicapped parents. It’s very touching, sincere and sweet. It makes the reader take time to think about the important things in life. My Louisiana Sky is probably best geared toward a middle grade audience but is great for all ages.
Awesome!!
I am reading this book in school as a class in 6th grade and I love it. It is one of the best books I have read all year, even though the school year is almost over!i would recommend this book for everyone. If you don't read this book you are missing out on a lot. You really want to get this book. It's worth the money and it is awesome!!
graet
good book