The Pinballs

Even though this was written with children in mind, I found myself getting emotional reading this story about three children in foster care. One child had been raised by elderly twins and doesn't even know his real birth date or age. The second child had both of his legs broken when his dad in a drunken rage "accidentally" ran over them. The third child, the one with the most personality, was abandoned by her parents and comes across as very jaded about the whole system. She is the one who came up with the nickname "pinballs" because they were bounced around the system exactly like pinballs, with no control over their destinies. It takes some time and some hard lessons learned before each child realizes they are not pinballs.

I do not full remember this book but I do remember it had a profound impact on me. I read it is a child/pre-teen/young teen (don’t remember exactly but before high school) and it was one of three books from that time that I decided to keep forever. I was a prolific reader at the time but passed on most books, yet this one remains in my collection in tatters. It was understandable and relatable despite being so far removed from “the average” experience. It started my life-long desire to adopt or even foster, despite that I have never managed to fulfil it.

Three children arrive at a foster home on the same day, angry, disappointed, and scared. How they learn to cope with their family issues and each other isn't portrayed in a contrived manner, but more realistic...with a touch of hope. Satisfying read, wish it were longer.

Carlie knows she's got no say in what happens to her. Stuck in a foster home with two other kids, Harvey and Thomas J, she's just a pinball being bounced from bumper to bumper. As soon as you get settled, somebody puts another coin in the machine and off you go again. But against her will and her better judgement, Carlie and the boys become friends. And all three of them start to see that they can take control of their own lives.

Three children--two boys and a girl--end up in foster care at the Masons home. The girl is the most outspoken of the three. She describes them as pinballs--being directed by forces outside their control. Over time, she comes to realize how much she cares for these people who have now become her family and decides that pinballs is not an apt description for them.

I do wonder if the fact that three kids have such bad things happen to them that they have to go live with someone else might not be too disturbing for the young readers for whom this is written. I had picked it up thinking that I might pass it on to my nephew, but decided not too because of the subject matter.

Always heard about this book growing up. Finally got to read it this past week and it's a decent (and sad) little story. Each of the three foster kids all had their own tragedies they had to deal with. Harvey's mother made me sad and the Benson twins were a bit freakish and Carlie annoyed me at first but then improved - which I'm sure was the author's intention. I thought it would end with them getting adopted by the Masons or at least one kid returning to their home, but nope. Will definately be reading this one to my son!

Some nice insights (it is Byars after all) but awfully facile (turns out it was an After School Special).