Monday, November 28, 2011

Cooper, Ilene. Angel in My Pocket .


Cooper, Ilene.     Angel in My Pocket .     
Feiwel&Friends/Macmillan Child Pub Gr   2011  278p  16.99   978-0-312-37014-5 
ms    Realistic Fiction       E-BN  

Four students, one at a time, temporarily possess a token with an angel on it.  Each
has better things happen in their life while they possess the token.  All four
stories are interwoven. Bette finds an angel coin in a charity collection
box.  After she pockets the coin, things begin to change.  A new tenant moves in
downstairs, Bette is more able to deal with the loss in her life and she starts
to move on.  Joe takes the coin off Bette’s desk and he, too, begins to change.  His mom, who
has been ill, finds a new doctor who seems to really be able to help her.  Also
Joe begins to remove himself from the bully image he had been portraying.  
    When Joe gives the coin to Minkus, who had been his chief source of
shakedown money, Minkus gives it to his sister who has severe asthma.  When she
cuts down on her medicine, which makes her face puffy, and lands back in the
hospital, she meets the same doctor who offers her hope with a new medicine.
  Woven throughout the story are preparations for a student production of  the
musical Big River.  This is a special school for the arts.  Each child has a
role to play in the final production which highlights and honors their talents.
  This is a very endearing story.  It is gentle and offers hope to children.  Theal, Joan

 

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