Review By: Lindsay Heil
Author: Sara Zarr
Published: 2024, Balzer + Bray
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Triggers: None
Summary: Lou and her family don’t have much, but for Lou it’s enough. Mom. Her sister, Casey. Their apartment in the city. Her best friend, Beth. It would be better if Dad could stop drinking and be there for her and Casey, and if they didn’t have to worry about money all the time. But Lou doesn’t need better—she only needs enough. What’s enough for Lou, however, is not enough for Mom. Steve, Mom’s boyfriend, isn’t a bad guy, he’s just…not what Lou is used to. And now, he and Mom are getting married, and that means moving. Packing up life as they’ve known it and storing it in Steve’s garage. Lou will be separated from everything in her small but predictable life, farther from Dad than ever. Their last night in the city, Lou receives a mysterious birthday gift: A guitar, left for her by their front door. There’s nothing saying who left it, but it must be from Dad. And as she leaves the only place she’s ever known, she starts to believe that if she can learn how to play it, maybe she can bring a piece of him, and of her old life, home.
Review: A Song Called Home tells the story of Louisa (Lou), a 5th grade girl whose parents are recently divorced. Lou is trying to navigate her new life after her mother remarries, including moving to a new home and school. She is also trying to understand how to maintain a relationship with her father, an alcoholic who can’t seem to stay on the path of sobriety. The author does an incredible job of putting the reader in Lou’s shoes. You are immediately immersed in her inner thoughts and feelings. Lou is a very emotionally intelligent character, which often causes her to get stuck in her “bubble.” She tunes out the rest of the world and goes down rabbit holes of what-if scenarios. This type of structure felt very genuine and realistic, especially for a child dealing with divorce. There are certainly so many idiosyncrasies involved with divorce, and the author did a wonderful job going beyond the surface level. I think many of my students would enjoy this book, and feel great camaraderie with Lou. Our student population includes many with separated parents, and/or those who have recently moved. For those students who aren’t experiencing these life changes, they can glean empathy by understanding the many facets behind both events. This book offers a great deal of social-emotional concepts that could be applied directly to the classroom. Neither the title or cover give readers a strong idea of the main theme of this book, so I would strongly encourage a teacher recommendation, or ensure students are also reading the story synopsis.
