Home, and Other Big, Fat Lies explained

Author:Jill Wolfson
Isbn:0-8050-7670-0
Pub Date:October 1, 2006
Publisher:Henry Holt & Co.

Home, and Other Big, Fat Lies is a middle grade novel by American writer Jill Wolfson, published in 2006 by Henry Holt and Company. It is about a young girl in foster care.

Plot summary

Whitney has been in so many foster homes that she can give a complete rundown on the most common varieties of foster parents—from the look-on-the-bright-side types to those unfortunate examples of pure evil. But one thing she doesn’t know much about is trees. This means heading for Foster Home #12 (which is all the way at the top of the map of California, where there looks to be nothing but trees) has Whitney feeling a little nervous. She is pretty sure that the middle of nowhere is going to be just one more place where a hyper, loud-mouthed kid who is messy and small for her age won’t be welcome for long.

Reception

Reviews

Kirkus Reviews described Home, and Other Big, Fat Lies as "a sweet, spirited tale told with warmth and humor about a determined misfit who finds a home at last in a family and a community".[1]

According to the Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), Home, and Other Big, Fat Lies includes "no preaching [...], just honest to goodness situational humor perfect for starting a discussion on environmental topics."[2] Taylor Megan Potasky, an 11-year-old reviewer for Stone Soup Magazine, added, "I would highly recommend this book to anyone who knows someone who is a foster child, someone who loves nature like me or anyone who likes a story about love (in this case love for family and nature)".[3] Also discussing the book's discussion of environmental issues, Deborah Stevenson, writing for The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, added that "the book offers a fair look into a timber-dependent community's bitterness about environmental issues, but it's also evocative in conveying the richness of the ecosystems that lumbering can destroy."[4]

On behalf of School Library Journal, Kelly Czarnecki highlighted how "the protagonist's spunky voice will engage readers" and compared Home, and Other Big, Fat Lies to Patricia Reilly Giff's Pictures of Hollis Woods.[5]

Awards and honors

Home, and Other Big, Fat Lies has received multiple awards and honors:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2006-09-15 . Home, and Other Big, Fat Lies . 2024-09-22 . . September 23, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240923023533/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/bookshelf-button/2000029773/ . live .
  2. Web site: Home . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080511200627/http://www.voya.org/ . 2008-05-11 . 2020-01-16 . VOYA.
  3. Web site: Potasky . Taylor Megan . 2016-02-01 . Home, and Other Big Fat Lies . 2024-09-23 . . September 23, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240923023527/https://stonesoup.com/article/home-and-other-big-fat-lies/ . live .
  4. Stevenson . Deborah . November 2006 . Home, and Other Big, Fat Lies (review) . Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books . en . 60 . 3 . 151–152 . 10.1353/bcc.2006.0808 . 1558-6766 . September 23, 2024 . June 3, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180603044457/http://muse.jhu.edu/article/204596 . live .
  5. Web site: Czarnecki . Kelly . Home, and Other Big, Fat Lies . 2024-09-22 . . . September 23, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240923023527/https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S126C1132178 . live .
  6. Web site: International Reading Association home page . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100630231707/http://www.reading.org/General/Default.aspx . 2010-06-30 . 2010-07-02.
  7. Web site: The Green Earth Book Award . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080617092329/http://www.newtonmarascofoundation.org/programs/a_ge_pw.cfm . 2008-06-17 . 2024-09-22 . Newton Marasco Foundation.
  8. Web site: Santa Monica Public Library - Branch Locations . 2009-03-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090309080935/http://smpl.org/greenprize.htm . 2009-03-09 . dead .
  9. Web site: PSLA, the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association . 2009-03-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090302065050/http://www.psla.org/association/committee/mediaselectionandreview/pyrcamenu.php4 . 2009-03-02 . dead .
  10. Web site: YART. March 1, 2009. September 23, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240923023632/https://txla.org/tla-groups/tla-round-tables/young-adult-round-table/about/. live.
  11. Web site: KNEA Reading Circle Catalog . 2009-03-01 . 2009-03-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090327203626/http://www.knea.org/resources/rc-catalog/archive.html . dead .
  12. Web site: Kids. 8 June 2016. March 1, 2009. March 2, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090302082030/http://kids.nypl.org/reading/recommended.cfm. live.

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