No Fixed Address

by Susin Nielsen

[wcs53]

I received this book from Early Reviewers at LibraryThing.

This is another winner from Susin Nielsen. The book is about Felix Knutsson, a twelve year old who finds himself living in a van with his mom, Astrid. The van isn't really theirs and living in it was only meant to be temporary until his mom got herself back on her feet. Unfortunately, their time in the van keeps on being prolonged, as Astrid's finds it difficult to hold down a job. Felix gets into a French immersion school, where he is reunited with his old best friend, and makes friends with a girl, who sometimes comes across as a know-it-all, but has many redeeming qualities. Felix does his best to keep his homeless situation to himself.

The characters are quite endearing and well-written, and the story moves along at a decent pace, with enough plot turns on the way to the finale. It's not a predictable read, and Nielsen touches on a lot of issues, including homelessness. The book is ultimately about friendship and community, and is a very heart-warming tale. I'd recommend this for anyone looking for a story about hope, even in what my seem dire circumstances.