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A review by rachelmariereads
Where I'd Like to Be by Frances O'Roark Dowell
5.0
I first read this book when I was in middle school, and even though I forgot the title somewhere along the way, I always remembered the plot and how much it meant to me. With the help of my childhood best friend I finally found Where I’d Like to Be again, and rereading it has felt like coming home.
We follow 11 year-old Maddie at East Tennessee Childrens’ Home. Maddie’s life has not always been easy, but it’s also never been particularly exciting. Since coming to the Childrens’ Home she spends her days at public school, and her afternoons hanging out with 6 year-old Ricky Ray, dreaming of the houses they’ll have one day.
But that all changes when Murphy comes to stay at the Home. She comes in a whirlwind and tells stories of exotic travels and being able to fly. Suddenly Maddie’s small world explodes and she finds herself at the center of a group of misfit friends.
This book is very much just a slice of life, a realistic look at what it must be like to grow up in a group home, and how kids cope with dysfunctional families. Where I’d Like to Be doesn’t shy away from the real issues of abuse and neglect that cause kids to end up in the Childrens’ Home. It also doesn’t shy away from issues of class, race, as well as your everyday preteen struggles of identity and friendship.
The writing in here is beautiful and poignant. There are so many quotes that speak to my soul. It takes a really special narrative voice to be profound and yet easily accessible to a middle-grade reader. This was a gorgeous and hard hitting read. Where I’d Like to Be showcases the realities and imperfections of life, and the little moments that make it wonderful despite that.
This book stuck with me for over a decade after I read it. The title got lost over time, but I could always picture the cover, and remember the plot, finally finding it again has been so special for me. Rereading it, I realized how much of the story had a deep impact on who I grew up to be. This is such a beautiful story, and one that I think readers of all ages would enjoy.
We follow 11 year-old Maddie at East Tennessee Childrens’ Home. Maddie’s life has not always been easy, but it’s also never been particularly exciting. Since coming to the Childrens’ Home she spends her days at public school, and her afternoons hanging out with 6 year-old Ricky Ray, dreaming of the houses they’ll have one day.
But that all changes when Murphy comes to stay at the Home. She comes in a whirlwind and tells stories of exotic travels and being able to fly. Suddenly Maddie’s small world explodes and she finds herself at the center of a group of misfit friends.
This book is very much just a slice of life, a realistic look at what it must be like to grow up in a group home, and how kids cope with dysfunctional families. Where I’d Like to Be doesn’t shy away from the real issues of abuse and neglect that cause kids to end up in the Childrens’ Home. It also doesn’t shy away from issues of class, race, as well as your everyday preteen struggles of identity and friendship.
The writing in here is beautiful and poignant. There are so many quotes that speak to my soul. It takes a really special narrative voice to be profound and yet easily accessible to a middle-grade reader. This was a gorgeous and hard hitting read. Where I’d Like to Be showcases the realities and imperfections of life, and the little moments that make it wonderful despite that.
This book stuck with me for over a decade after I read it. The title got lost over time, but I could always picture the cover, and remember the plot, finally finding it again has been so special for me. Rereading it, I realized how much of the story had a deep impact on who I grew up to be. This is such a beautiful story, and one that I think readers of all ages would enjoy.