School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-8-Told in free verse and set against the roiling racial tension of 1972 Houston, this powerful story about family is an excellent example of something different being something better. Already dealing with emotional trauma from his violent, mentally ill father, 10-year-old Paulie Sanders's white world is further rocked when his father dies in a car accident. And is shot-three times. Unable to cope, Paulie's mother spirals into depression and alcoholism. Paulie's Aunt Bee, a mature, emotionally secure figure, steps in and up and offers an unconditional home for him and his sister. Confused, angry kids need a safe person and space to unravel their feelings, and Aunt Bee offers both to Paulie. He knows "love lives here/even in the secrets." He begins working through his anger, hurt, and pain by expressing himself through art. A school counselor, Aunt Bee, and a wise art teacher help Paulie process his emotions through art and counseling. They create something beautiful where only ugly reminders existed. As Paulie changes his outlook, his family also changes. Family secrets are confronted and revealed, and healing begins when they stop "holding heavy things inside." This novel touches on depression, mental illness, racial tension and violence, and interracial love with thoughtfulness and authenticity. VERDICT A strong addition to any middle grade collection in need of nuanced realistic fiction.-Lisa Crandall, formerly at the Capital Area District Library, Holt, MI © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
In 1972 Houston, Paulie and his sister have conflicted feelings about their father, who was involved in a race-related crime before he died. When their mother loses her way in grief, they move in with their aunt and find this both helps and complicates their turmoil. Told in verse, Toalson's debut is often poignant, even if the family's many long-kept secrets resolve too quickly. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
In this verse novel, readers meet 10-year-old John Paul "Paulie" Sanders Jr., a white boy who is contending with an onslaught of familial grief during an era of overwhelming racial tension in 1970s Houston.The authentic narrative finds its setting within the 1972 fight to desegregate the Houston school district. However, this is far from the novel's focus; Toalson trains her lens on the multifaceted tensions within Paulie's family during this time. The story begins with the murder of his Vietnam-vet father, rumored to be revenge for his father's drunken murder of a white man in defense of a black man. This sends Paulie's mother deeper into an ongoing struggle with alcoholism and depression, so his aunt Bee, principal of a white elementary school in the midst of desegregating, steps in to take care of Paulie, his older sister, Charlie, and their dog. With so much loss and grief swirling around them, combined with the rage of a white community perceiving itself as under siege, where will they find the inner resources to heal? Toalson looks to take advantage of the form's ability to convey weighty, sometimes-conflicting emotions, exemplified in his grandmother's statement that "Love is / a strange thing, Paulie." An ambitious, lengthy exploration of the power of family, transformative relationships, and adapting to changing circumstances, this often feels like a trilogy of conflicts jampacked into one binding. A gridlocked, busy intersection of becoming that leaves as many questions as answers. (Historical verse fiction. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
In 1972, fifth-grader Paulie must face his father's death, his mother's absence, and his own anger in Toalson's heartrending historical novel in verse. When Paulie's grief-stricken mother can't take care of him and his sister anymore, they are sent to live with Aunt Bee. Aunt Bee's home is a haven, but school in Houston is not. Paulie's school is desegregated, which causes white families to protest. And when Paulie's grief and anger get the best of him, he starts bullying a black boy named Greg. However, Greg's own history, the guidance of supportive adults, and the revelation of family secrets force Paulie to address and overcome his worst impulses. Toalson's verse captures Paulie's overwhelming sadness and the deep scars that love and hate can leave on families. The characters are morally complex and realistically flawed, but nevertheless capable of wisdom, kindness, and love. A poignant look at how families are torn apart by personal and historical tragedies, and the ways they continue to endure.--Mariko Turk Copyright 2018 Booklist
