Heaven

by Angela Johnson
PRMS paperback 138 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction, coming-of-age, relationships

Marley lives with her parents and brother Butchy in Heaven, OH. Her best friend, Shoogy, comes from a perfect family but cuts herself. Bobby asks Marley to watch his baby, Feather. Marley has spent her life wiring money to her uncle Jack and receiving letters from him. Then a letter comes on behalf of Monna Floyd and everything Marley thought she knew comes into question.

I read this because it came back to the media center damaged. I wanted to know if it was worth replacing. Johnson is a wonderful author and this won a Coretta Scott King award . . . but I don't think it will "sell" well to my readers. Published in 1998, it's a bit on the old side, too. It's beautiful, but I probably won't replace it.