Thirteen-year-old Travis has a secret: he can't read. But a shrewd teacher and a sassy girl are about to change everything in this witty and deeply moving novel.
Travis is missing his old home in the country, and he's missing his old hound, Rosco. Now there's just the cramped place he shares with his well-meaning but alcoholic grandpa, a new school, and the dreaded routine of passing when he's called on to read out loud. But that's before Travis meets Mr. McQueen, who doesn't take "pass" for an answer—a rare teacher whose savvy persistence has Travis slowly unlocking a book on the natural world. And it's before Travis is noticed by Velveeta, a girl whose wry banter and colorful scarves belie some hard secrets of her own. With sympathy, humor, and disarming honesty, Pat Schmatz brings to life a cast of utterly believable characters—and captures the moments of trust and connection that make all the difference.
- Did You Miss these Ebooks?
- Recently Added Ebooks
- New Kids Additions
- New Teen Additions
- Southern Fiction
- An Antiracism Booklist
- Tiger Rag's Overtime
- Well-Read Black Girl
- 2021 Southern Book Prize
- 2021 Louisiana Book Festival
- See all
- Did You Miss these Audiobooks?
- Recently Added Audiobooks
- New Kids Additions
- New Teen Additions
- AudioFile's Best of 2020
- The Great Courses
- The 2020 Listen List
- 2020 Audie Awards
- Audiobooks 4-8 Hours Long
- Audiobooks Under 4 Hours
- See all
- Southern Life & Style
- News & Current Affairs
- Business & Finance Magazines
- Home & Garden
- Life & Style
- DIY & Hobbies
- Entertainment
- Art, Music & Literature
- Food & Cooking
- Health & Fitness
- See all