Fabulous novel! This novel did a great job of portraying a young girls point of view about family dynamics. I was amazed at how intuitive she was about her families relationships. The description of the characters was very well thought out and created a perfect picture. I thought it was sad when Hattie internalized a lot of her feelings and felt like she wasn't able to talk to people, that they wouldn't understand. It was amazing to see Hattie's growth and maturity with every turn of the page. She had such a big heart and best of intentions, but not quite old enough to make sound decisions. I would recommend this book to most middle school age students; and I think all adults with kids should read it.  ( )

This book is a very interesting and amazing book. In this book a girls uncle named Adam that has mentally ill problems has now come back home from his mental hospital. They are worried about him and what he might do by the end of the book which puts a very big excitment and twist to this book. ( )

Hattie's summer is turned upside down when her Uncle Adam comes to town. She is not quite sure what to think of him, but their adventures grows a bond between them both. She is thrilled that the circus came to town, and has quite the experience getting to know the crew. A surprising twist at the end of the book leaves both Hattie, and the reader in shock. ( )

Martin's coming-of-age story creates a delicate balance between humor and heartbreak. This was a really quick but extremely pleasurable read. From the moment that I began the book until I was finished, I rarely put it down. Often times funny, often times tragic, Martin is able to make you laugh on one page and cry on the next. Martin creates a realistic character in Adam, Hattie's mentally challenged uncle. The ending left me with a finished but desperately sad feeling. This book is excellent for teaching readers about tolerance and acceptance. ( )

This is a touching book by one of my favorite childhood authors. Some young girls will be able to relate to the main character, who is painfully shy, full of doubts, and more comfortable with adults than her peers. It’s a coming of age story in which growing up means relating to people one’s own age. ( )