ALMOST HOME by Jessica Blank
Category: Contemporary
Age Recommendation: Grade 9+
Release Date: October 23, 2007
Publisher: Hyperion
Reviewed by: Jaglvr
Rating: 5 Stars

Jessica Blank writes a gritty, raw novel of life on the street for a mismatched group of young kids. Often times graphic and bleak, she crafts a story that reads like a documentary of life on streets in LA. Seven different lives are interwoven with each other, showing that you can touch more lives than you realize.

Eeyore, aka Elly, is the youngest of the bunch. After an embarrassing encounter at school, street smart Tracy takes her under her wing, and Elly runs away from home. Eeyore is not only running from the humiliation from school, but from a horrible home secret that no one would believe.

Rusty is in love with his male teacher, Jim. They were found out and Jim told Rusty to go to Hollywood and he would meet him there once he ties up all the loose ends at home. But it’s been over a month and Jim isn’t returning his calls and he’s running out of money and options fast.

Critter is a drug dealer that has taken Eeyore under his wing. She adores him and follows him around like a baby bird. Critter tries to protect her from the seedier side of life on the street – drugs and pimps.

Tracy is the weak thread that intertwines through all their lives has an unknown quality that captivates everyone. With stringy hair, bad teeth, and empty eyes, Tracy has seen far too much for her young age.

Along with these 4 and 3 others, the rough harsh life of runaways and throwaways is written in a bleak style. Told through the eyes of each of the characters, the reader is left with a new awareness of the realities that can cause young adults to run from home. Many are hoping for a better life from the one they knew, only to find that there are different problems that they will face, such as homelessness, hunger, and poverty.