Harriett Luger

Suzie’s father has been unemployed with no more benefits; her mother has new job but it’s not enough to make the rent. Following the family’s eviction from the apartment, they try to tide themselves over until Mrs. Cooke’s next check. They stay at a seedy motel, eat at cheap restaurants and one night is spent sleeping in an abandoned office building. In the meantime, Suzie loses her best friend Meredith, and finds herself reluctantly allied with nerdy Dawn who knows from experience about being homeless. By book’s end, Mr. Cooke finds a job as an apartment manager thanks to a tip by Dawn’s mother. Things are looking up but Suzie has been humbled by life’s hard knocks. A glimpse at what could happen to make you homeless. Sometimes scenes are a little too pat.… (meer)