Homecoming

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Classic novel of four brave children looking for a home.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Homecoming is the first book in a seven-part series known as the Tillerman Cycle. A National Book Award finalist first published in 1981 and reissued in hardcover in March 2012, Homecoming is the compelling story of four siblings, age 6 to 13, who are abandoned by their mother in a parking lot, and have no father to go home to (he left before the fourth kid was born). Throughout the book, they struggle for food and shelter and are often in danger as they seek out relatives miles away to take them in. Mental illness and death are discussed.

  • Readers learn about what it's like for kids to survive on the road without a parent to take care of them. They also get a glimpse of farm life and learn a bit about mental illness.
  • The kids stick together and rely on each other in the face of great hardship, loss, and deprivation. They remain hopeful that they will find a physical home, but also know that their true home is wherever they are together as a family.
  • Dicey Tillerman is fiercely loyal and endlessly resourceful as she leads her siblings to find a home. Kind college students offer food and overnight shelter and then a ride to the kids' aunt's house. Abigail Tillerman, the kids' grandmother, resists the idea of letting the kids stay at her farm, but faces her fears and comes around.
  • Four kids in a family are abandoned by their mother. They try to earn money picking tomatoes but realize they are in danger and must escape. Sammy gets into fights at school.

What's the story?

Part survival tale, part family story, this classic on-the-road novel features a family of four brave children led by 13-year-old Dicey. Abandoned by their mother in the parking lot of a Connecticut mall, the Tillerman children make a long, dangerous trip to Maryland to find a home.

 


Is it any good?

 

The plot sprawls, but that's acceptable in a road novel. The tedium, heat, danger, and unexpected pleasures of the journey are evoked in beautiful, sometimes heart-stopping images. However, some of the adult characters' dialogue doesn't sound entirely believable.

The lead character, Dicey Tillerman, absolutely carries this book. She is a magnificent girl -- fiercely loyal, endlessly resourceful, and intuitive, yet with the short temper and quick emotions of any 13-year-old. Seen through Dicey's watchful eyes, the other children are every bit as believable.


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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the various definitions of "home" and "family," as well as the importance of sticking together in tough times.

  • How does Dicey's relationship with her siblings change over the course of Homecoming?

  • If you were in Dicey's position, would you have done anything differently?


This review was written by Cindy Kane
Teen, 17 years old
April 9, 2008
 
Sad and happy. I didn't want to put it down until it was done!
After raising four children by herself, their mother just broke down. Her mind just stopped, she ran away from her problems. Then she never came back. Their mother stopped at a shopping center in Connecticut. She left the children in the car alone on a hot summer day. The children were worried and didn’t think she was coming back, but they still awaited her return. A whole day and whole night went by and still nothing. The only thing they could do is stay together. Dicey, the eldest child of the four took charge and began to be the mother of the family. They left the car in parking lot by the shopping center, and set off to meet an aunt whom they’d never met, in Bridgeport. After a while the four realized how far away it really was to aunt Cilla's house. Dicey got a lot of fighting and tantrums from her younger siblings James, 10, Maybeth, 9, and Sammy, 6. They traveled from five to ten miles per day, by walking. They only had seven dollars to begin with, so it was hard to get food and everything else in order to live, without any money. Luckily for them Dicey could to read a map, and was able to find some place safe to sleep at night, most of the time. The first place that they stayed was at a camp ground. Dicey was able to find small jobs to earn little money so they could still eat. The Tillermans never steal, but I think that trait skipped Sammy, who felt he had to steal for his family, in order to be able to eat. When they got to a town with a college there was nowhere to sleep. Dicey, James, Maybeth, and Sammy stayed under a bush in front of the college, until young student at the college sat next to her. She didn't know what to think, and when he asked to help her she was even more confused and unsure of things. She hesitated at first, but then decided her family needed a place to stay. This was the best decision thatDicey could make for her family. They were fed, washed, and slept in warm beds. They were even offered a ride to their great aunt Cilla’s house. They were very grateful, so Stewart, the one who was helping them, gave them a ride to aunt Cilia’s. By that night, they made it to their aunt's house. They waited, and waited until a small woman with big hair walked past them into the house. Confused they waited for her They asked for their aunt Cilla and the woman with big hair had told them Cilla died awhile ago. This woman’s name was Eunice and she was the children’s cousin. The Tillermans stayed with cousin Eunice for awhile. Staying there was a bad idea. James was getting good schooling, but Maybeth and Sammy were having trouble in their schooling, and Dicey wasn't enjoying doing chores for Cousin Eunice everyday. After getting a check for the car they had abandoned in Peewauket, Connecticut, Dicey got a few more jobs washing windows. After getting enough money to travel to Crisfield to see her grandma the four children were alone and traveling again. It seemed like forever to get to get to their grandma's house. Now you finish the story. Those are just bits and pieces of the story It was great!!

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Kid, 13 years old
January 27, 2011
 
i love this book

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Teen, 14 years old
March 16, 2011
 
The story seemed to go on and on, though in the end I decided I truly do like it. Though some may say its very boring, even though I had to read it for school, I have gotten "Dicey's Song", the next book in the saga, to read for own pleasure. Its really not bad, especially for something they made us read for school! However, some things that the characters do aren't so believable, and that may be thought to be cheesy. But it is truly inspiring what Dicey and her siblings are able to do. The ending is quite sweet.

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Teen, 16 years old
January 6, 2011
 
A must read.
Love it.

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Adult
March 1, 2011
 
BAD!
This is the worst book ever DO NOT READ IT. Had to read it as a novel study torcher reading it!

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Teen, 15 years old
November 11, 2009
 
perfect for anyone over the age of 10
i read this when i was 12 and i was able to understand everything fine...i probably could' have even if i read it at nine...but seeing as i was 12 i was closer to Dicey's age so i was able to relate to her more there fore helping me understand the text a little bit better.

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Teen, 18 years old
April 9, 2008
 
I loved it!
Hi, i read this book with a group of people. We all loved it and i want to read on but since were in a group i cant. Although i didnt finish reading it im about thalf-way through, i still cant wait to find out what happens. i loveeee this book. its awesome! you definitly have to not just read, but buy this book!

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
this is one of the best books i've read in quite a while

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Kid, 10 years old
October 22, 2011
 
no mother
this is what it is for childs with no mothers so DO NOT ABANDON THEM!!!!!!!!!!@&$^&@$%

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Kid, 13 years old
August 12, 2010
 
This is a great book for all ages. It might be a little hard for a 10 year old to read but a great read aloud book for all ages

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This review was written by Cindy Kane
Author:Cynthia Voigt
Book type:Fiction
Genre:Contemporary Fiction
Publisher:Atheneum
Publication date:January 1, 1981
Number of pages:388
Hardcover price:$18.99
Paperback price:$5.99
Publisher's recommended age(s):9 - 12

This review was written by Cindy Kane
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

 

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