Roam
Aug 2025 · Central Avenue Publishing
5.0star
2 reviewsreport
Ebook
264
Pages
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About this ebook
2020 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers—YALSA/ALA
"An empathetic tale that treats homelessness with respect and makes it visible."—Kirkus Reviews
Seventeen-year-old Abby Lunde and her family are living on the streets. They had a normal life back in Omaha but, thanks to her mother's awful mistake, they had to leave behind what little they had for a new start in Rochester. Abby tries to be an average teenager—fitting in at school, dreaming of a boyfriend, college and a career in music. But Minnesota winters are unforgiving, and so are many teenagers.
Her stepdad promises to put a roof over their heads, but times are tough for everyone and Abby is doing everything she can to keep her shameful secret from her new friends. The divide between rich and poor in high school is painfully obvious, and the stress of never knowing where they're sleeping or where they'll find their next meal is taking its toll on the whole family.
As secrets are exposed and the hope for a home fades, Abby knows she must trust those around her to help. But will her new friends let her down like the ones back home, or will they rise to the challenge to help them find a normal life?
"We, her readers, are drawn in from the first page. This lovely book has tremendous heart."—Brandon Hobson, author of Where the Dead Sit Talking
"An empathetic tale that treats homelessness with respect and makes it visible."—Kirkus Reviews
Seventeen-year-old Abby Lunde and her family are living on the streets. They had a normal life back in Omaha but, thanks to her mother's awful mistake, they had to leave behind what little they had for a new start in Rochester. Abby tries to be an average teenager—fitting in at school, dreaming of a boyfriend, college and a career in music. But Minnesota winters are unforgiving, and so are many teenagers.
Her stepdad promises to put a roof over their heads, but times are tough for everyone and Abby is doing everything she can to keep her shameful secret from her new friends. The divide between rich and poor in high school is painfully obvious, and the stress of never knowing where they're sleeping or where they'll find their next meal is taking its toll on the whole family.
As secrets are exposed and the hope for a home fades, Abby knows she must trust those around her to help. But will her new friends let her down like the ones back home, or will they rise to the challenge to help them find a normal life?
"We, her readers, are drawn in from the first page. This lovely book has tremendous heart."—Brandon Hobson, author of Where the Dead Sit Talking
Ratings and reviews
5.0
2 reviews
About the author
C. H. Armstrong is an Oklahoma-native transplanted in Minnesota. Raised in a large family, she grew up on the stories of the sacrifices her grandmother made as a widow with fourteen children in Oklahoma during the 1930s. An assignment to cover the twenty-year anniversary of a local soup kitchen piqued her interest in the homeless community and inspired Roam. Be sure to also read Armstrong's first novel, The Edge of Nowhere. Find out more about her at her website at www.charmstrongbooks.com, through social media on Twitter @C_H_Armstrong, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/charmstrong
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