Bright but unassuming Marilyn Jones has some grown-up decisions to make, especially after Mama goes to prison for drugs and larceny. With no one to take care of them, Marilyn and her younger, mentally challenged brother, Carol, get tossed into the foster care system. While shuffling from one home to another, Marilyn makes it her mission to find the Tan Man, a mysterious man from her babyhood she believes holds the key to her family's happiness.

But Marilyn's quest is halted when her daddy, an ex-con she has never met, is chosen by the courts as the new guardian. Caleb Jones wants something more than a father-daughter relationship. He sends Carol far away, where the boy won't be a hindrance to his plans. Marilyn devises a plan of her to locate her little brother, kidnap him, and run away.

Independence, however, often comes at a high price.

As Marilyn weathers the unexpected and often brutal storms of her childhood and adolescence, hope becomes her ally as she winds through small southern towns, wrapping herself around an assortment of hearts along the way. With a little help from a caring social worker, a carnival of misfits, her first true love, and even the elusive Tan Man himself, Marilyn will discover that "family" isn't always what we imagine it to be.
Such a great read. Will recommend to others.

Did y'all hear me shouting when I finished Feral Maril & Her Little Brother at 1:05 am? I woke up my husband having a good cry at the end.
This story had me all up in my feelings. Leslie Tall Manning told this story with ALL the bells, whistles, and tears.
Life with a drug-addicted mother is hard, watching what she does through the eyes of a child is a terrible burden. Flashing blue and red lights, an overworked caseworker talking to you, foster parents. Those eyes of the child take in every single thing that is happening around them. It can be overwhelming.

Yep I enjoyed this book. Loved Maril and her love for her brother Carol. So sad that people will take advantage of children in the system and the poor children have no recourse. Just saying things need to change for our children.

I've enjoyed reading this book. This story was very sad and heartbreaking but came back with a happy ending.

Feral Maril and her little brother Carol by Leslie Tall Manning publication date April 25th I wasn’t sure if this book would interest me but it sparked my interest. For fans of Catherine Ryan Hyde you will like this book The book about a young girl Marilyn (aka Maril), who became the big sister to a boy named Carolyn(aka Carol) (why carol for a boy you say) well carol’s mom insisted he was a she. Marilyn was determined to care for him even with him being special needs.
It was unfortunate that their mother gets into trouble, being addicted to drugs and constantly struggling to stay in the straight and arrow but she quickly falls back into her old ways the siblings are taken into foster care and separated. Despite the opportunities and challenges she faces as a result of this, Maril never loses site of her determination to be reunited with Carol.

This is a heartwarming story about a highly resilient teenage, who refuses to give up on her little brother and is determined to not lose touch in order to becoming his full time caregiver.
This book had me turning page after page to read the happy ending to a sad situation. Prime example when life give you lemons make lemonade. Maybe not exactly but you get the gist.

This book examines issues of family dynamics, child abuse, drug abuse, strong determination, family and the foster care system. I give it
Five stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Ohhh and If you like Catherine Ryan Hyde books you will enjoy this one.
Super quick read for me.

It's been a long time since I cheered on the main character in a book in such a strong way. I couldn't put this book down. I first wanted to read it because of the title FERAL MARIL & HER LITTLE BROTHER CAROL. That is such a catchy title and different than I the books I had chosen in the past.

Then the author, Leslie Tall Manning, gave the me the 16-year-old character named Marilyn, and the story is told through her point of view. I wanted to wrap my arms around Marilyn and tell her that life is going to be okay. She reminded me of so many of my past students that didn't have an easy upbringing. Marilyn is fierce and loves with her whole heart. She especially loves her little brother, Carol, who has autism. I have a special place in my heart for kids with autism, and I loved his character. Manning does a great job of portraying him throughout the story. She also shows how sibling love can be intense and take up your whole heart.

This book will have you feeling all of the feels. It made me laugh, cry, get mad, and be happy, sometimes all in one chapter. It sheds light on the foster care system in our country, which sometimes works well and sometimes it doesn't.

I gave this book five stars because I didn't want the book to end. I hope that there will be a sequel one day.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for my free copy. This is my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy of Feral Maril and Her Little Brother Carol. I loved this book! What a story of GRIT. Marilyn has to care for her baby brother from birth because of her drug addicted mother. Despite her best efforts, Marilyn is forced into the system of foster care. Feral Maril and Her Little Brother Carol is the story of all young Marilyn goes through to care for herself and brother.

This was a delightful book about Marilyn (aka Maril), who is the devoted and determined carer for her special needs brother, named Carolyn (aka Carol) by their drug addicted single parent.

When their mother gets into trouble, the siblings are taken into foster care and separated. Despite the opportunities and challenges she faces as a result of this, Maril never loses site of her determination to be reunited with Carol.

This is a touching story about a highly intelligent teenage protagonist, and a coming of age story done beautifully. It is best gone into without too much information, but there will be few readers who remain unmoved by Maril's love and care for her brother.

The book examines issues of family dynamics, found family and the foster care system. Well worth a read.