Georgia Rules

Description

A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year Perfect for fans of One for the Murphys and The Penderwicks, this poignant and moving middle grade novel tells the story of a girl who moves to a new town and meets an unforgettable family-one that will change her and her mother's lives forever. Magnolia Grace never wanted to leave Georgia. She never wanted to move with her mama to the farm her daddy owned before he died. But now here she is, in a tiny Vermont town where everybody sings the praises of the father Maggie never knew. Then Maggie meets the Parker family-two moms, six kids, plus a pony. The Parkers are loud and wild, ask lots of questions, and don't follow any of the rules Maggie grew up with in Georgia. Suddenly Maggie has questions too-questions about her father, and why Mama kept him away for so long. In her search for answers, Maggie will learn that families are like patchwork quilts, sewn together by love, and all the more beautiful for their different colors.

Nanci Turner Steveson grew up in Connecticut, England, and Texas, always with a book in one hand, the reins of a pony in the other. She works as a riding instructor and as a stage manager with the Off Square Theatre Company. She is also the founder of The Literacy for Hope Project, dedicated to getting books into the hands of the homeless. Nanci lives in Jackson Hole, WY, with her Arabian horse and rescue dog. SWING SIDEWAYS was her first book. This is her third.

"This book soars as it details the fractious and frustrating relationship between Maggie and her mother, and the way it makes Vermont, and its beauty throughout the seasons, a character of its own...there is also determination and revelation, giving this more heft than usual for a middle-grade novel." -- Booklist (starred review) "[A] singular, intricately woven story of people's complicated, rule-surpassing existences. This book gives young readers a useful perspective on the negotiation of power in their own lives, and it sheds a soft light on the imperfections of adults, creating space for honest and open dialogue." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "A tender coming-of-age story about forgiveness and growing up." -- School Library Journal A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year -- ;