This is a coming-of-age story about a girl growing up in an unusual living situation in Philadelphia. It uses the setting of a prison to tackle issues including grief, friendship, and mental illness.

I had tears so many times today as I read. The writing is divine. It moves my heart so much to read Jerry Spinelli's book

Not for me but most likely will be a success for YA readers.

If you aren't already a fan of Jerry Spinelli then this book will make you one!

Cammie O'Reilly is a 12 year-old girl growing up without a mother. She lives in an apartment above the town jail where her father is the warden. Female inmates, known as trustees, have taken care of Cammie over the years but during the summer of '59 she wants more than just a trustee. Cammie wants a mother. She makes it her mission to make Eloda her mother. Cammie does everything she can think of to get Eloda's attention and make her care about her.

What we don't learn until the end of the story is that Eloda has made it her mission to help Cammie become happy. To smile. To come to terms with her mother's death. Eloda gave up her own freedom to do so.

Cammie is the Warden’s Daughter. She lives in the local prison with her father and seems to enjoy a lot of freedom throughout the prison itself. Cammie is cared for by a series of trustees since her mother was killed by a milk truck saving baby Cammie. The summer she turns twelve, Cammie decides she needs a mother. She doesn’t really remember her mother and misses the things she thinks a mother would bring to her life. She decides the inmates are the best pool to get a mother from. Her choices seem to be BooBoo, a larger than life inmate who latches onto Cammie, or Eloda Pupka, the current trustee taking care of her. Cammie interacts with BooBoo in the “yard” and really likes her, but decides she is not mother material. Eloda wins by default, but Eloda seems to have no interest in Cammie. She does her job and not much else despite Cammie’s multiple attempts to put her in “mother” situations.

It is also the year before junior high and Cammie and her friends are enjoying their last summer as kids before they become teenagers. Best friend Reggie is obsessed with fashion and makeup and American Bandstand. She even gets to dance on Bandstand and becomes an instant sensation. There is a boy who likes Cammie, but Cammie doesn’t treat him well. In fact, Cammie treats most people terribly. She is mean to her father and her friends and everyone else. Cammie tells us she is not a happy person, but for the most part she seems like a normal grumpy teen.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Cammie is pretty unlikeable throughout most of the book, but that didn’t bother me as much as some of the other things that happen. BooBoo is a stereotypical “happy Black” character who loves the “master’s” daughter. It was kind of uncomfortable to read those section because of how much of a stereotype the relationship was. There is no depth to BooBoo until she commits suicide, which throws Cammie into a black funk. Eloda is distant and cold throughout the entire book, she shows no interest in being Cammie’s mother and why Cammie decides on her is a mystery. Then conveniently in the last chapters it is revealed that Eloda really did care and was just pretending to get Cammie to realize what her real mother’s death had meant to her. This is all revealed through diary entries and is a HORRIBLE plot device. I didn’t believe a word of it. Bad Story Telling! I expected better than the cop out ending from Spinelli. Cammie’s journey of accepting her loss was an important one and was diminished by the ending.

I received this book from Netgalley.

I was excited to read something new by Jerry Spinelli, but I found this book unbelievable and unrealistic. The protagonist was too introspective, the plotline too scattered, and the motivations of each character seemed convoluted. To be fair, most characters in real life are not cut and dry, so neither should they be in fiction, but there needs to be clarity and understanding between reader and characters. That just didn't happen for me.

Anytime you see a new book by a Newbery winner or honor winner you go in with high expectations. There must be a lot of pressure. I had this reaction when opening this book - it must be good because it's by Jerry Spinelli. Don't get me wrong - it was good. But not great...

Cammie is living in the late 50s. Her father is the prison warden and she is the warden's daughter. But she is not a happy girl. Her mother died when she was a baby and what she really wants is someone to be her mother. Her dad is distant and busy. She decides to turn to her trustee, a prisoner who has been hired to take care of things in their house. But, Eloda, is distant as well. Cammie struggles through the summer with identity, friendships with girls her own age and with one of the women in the prison, and with her anger and grief. Ultimately, Cammie learns valuable lessons about herself.

My issues are mainly with the pacing and then the ending. The book was pretty decent in the first half - Cammie was a good narrator and the writing was decent. But, it wasn't until about halfway through - when Cammie told us it was going to get good - that things started moving. The ending of events in the main narrative was enough... Ugh, then we had Eloda's diary which really didn't add much more to the story. Finally, we had Cammie in 2017 and again I didn't find it necessary. A decent book but it had some flaws.

I loved this book. I bought it for the library immediately and now there is a long list of holds on it.

It took me about a month to read this book. It was interesting, but I think it just wasn't what I was in the mood for, so I've just been chipping away at it. That said, I hit the 75% point yesterday and had a hard time putting it down after that.

Cammie is a an angry, sad little girl, and as you read, it's hard to believe she has any friends. However, as an adult your heart is breaking for this kid. She lost her mother when she was an infant and as she gets ready to enter junior high this loss is really haunting her. The book takes us through the summer before her seventh grade year, and all the drama that she experiences (and creates). The end of the book takes us into her high school years.

I know this is meant to be middle grade, and for the most part it fits that category. I hope kids will develop a little empathy by reading this book, as well as be entertained by all of Cammie's hijinks. There are a few things I was a little taken aback by like the description of the murder victim...that whole subplot seemed a bit unnecessary, but for the most part it's probably good for fifth grade and up.

“The Warden’s Daughter” is one of the best historical literary young-adult novels I have ever read. I couldn’t put it down.

There are some flaws in the novel, with a child protagonist who is extremely limited in her view of others in the world. However, these flaws are intentional and acknowledged by the adult narrator saying they come from memory and may not even be in the correct order. I love that the big stories of the day were related only as to how they affected Cammie. Isn’t that how most of our childhood memories are? Actual awareness about the meaning of that summer came with age.

The entire idea of a child living inside of a prison is fascinating. During the time period it wasn’t all that uncommon. What is uncommon is her progressive father. Once again, something only seen in hindsight.

The story is a slow-burn that is worth the time and commitment. I think upper middle-graders through adults will enjoy “The Warden’s Daughter” if they have any interest in history or unique childhood situations. Highly recommended!

I was eager to read the latest Jerry Spinelli novel. He didn't disappoint, I didn't want to put it down. This book would appeal to girls who are enjoy reading historical fiction. The only reason I say girls and not boys, is that it is difficult to get boys to read books with female protagonists. If you are lucky enough to convince a boy to read this latest Spinelli book, they may be suprised to find out that they like to read to books about girls. No one does it better than Spinelli.

A must read and a must buy for both public and school libraries.

Cammie lives in an apartment in a prison in 1959 because her father is the warden there. Her mother died in a car accident when Cammie was a baby-- her mother's last act was pushing the stroller Cammie was in away from the car that hit her. A series of "hands" have helped raise Cammie, and the latest, Eloda, is someone to whom she has warmed. Approaching her teen years, Cammie longs for a mother figure in her life, since she sees her father as distant and marginally involved. There are other things going on-- during the summer break, Cammie has a group of friends who want to come to her home because it is located at the prison, and her friend Reggie gets to dance on American Bandstand. There are friendships with the inmates, especially the bubbly BooBoo, who regales Cammie with her life before she became imprisoned. When BooBoo hangs herself in the shower, all of Cammie's emotions come to the front, and she has a break down through which Eloda helps her. When school starts, however, she is on her own to navigate the treacherous waters of adolescence, since Eloda has served her time.
Strengths: This was much better than Hokey Pokey, and had a lot of good period details. Readers who liked Connor's All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook might find this an interesting book to read to compare and contrast with that title. There is definitely a need for more books set during this time period. My favorite part was the American Bandstand appearance, as well as the descriptions of Reggie's outfits.
Weaknesses: This was very slow and rather sad. The device of telling it from Cammie's perspective when she was older took away some of the immediacy. I was all set to buy this even though it would probably circulate slowly, but the suicide of BooBoo made this too sad.
What I really think: Not a bad historical novel, but I agree with the School Library Journal review that it will appeal more to adults than children. Purchase if there is a large Spinelli fan base or a need for novels set during this time period.
http://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-wardens-daughter.html

Cammie didn't mind most of the things that made her less than ordinary. He father was the warden at the prison in town and everyone knew who he was... and who his daughter was. She didn't mind that so much. Cammie spent time hanging out with the female prisoners sometimes... she thought herself therapeutic for the women. She enjoyed that distinction. However, Cammie felt that it was unfair that she was motherless... and set her mind to changing that situation (because her mother died when she was young). As warden, her father often set a responsible prisoner, a trustee, in charge over the apartment where they lived, to do housework and to keep an eye on Cammie. This summer, the trustee's name was Eloda Pupko, and Cammie decided to make Eloda her new mother. It doesn't go exactly like she had planned.

This is a wonderful story about longing, about making/keeping friends, growing up, and the antics of a 6th grader. It is well-written, who would expect anything less of a Jerry Spinelli novel, the characters are endearing, and the ending might make you cry. I certainly teared up a little. Well done!! I definitely recommend this book! It would make a great discussion book for a upper elementary reading circle. The themes are deep, but approachable.

There I was, reading peacefully along, knowing pretty much where this book was going and then -bam- I was crying. I didn't realize that I had connected that deeply with Cammie. That's the strong point of this book. Cammie is so very real. Her friends, the prisoners, they all feel like someone you could actually meet. It does have weak points. It's historical fiction, which is always a harder sell with a young audience. Additionally, it's narrated by an adult Cammie remembering her childhood, meaning that we aren't always in the moment. Still, it's fantastically written and well worth the effort if you can have a little patience.

Very good coming of age story, exploring grief, right and wrong, redemption. Highly recommend.

Cammie is the warden’s daughter of a prison in 1959. A motherless girl after her mother was lost tragically trying to save her as a baby, Cammie longs for a mother figure, and tries to force the role on her prisoner housekeeper Eloda.

A very sweet and interesting slice of life/coming of age story.

Jerry Spinelli craftes a story like no one else and this long-awaited book is NOT to be missed.

Knopf Books for Young Readers and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Warden's Daughter. This is my honest opinion of the book.

Cammie O'Reilly lives in an apartment above the entrance to the Hancock County Prison. As the warden's daughter, Cammie is surrounded by criminals, some of which play a part in her upbringing. Because her mom died saving her life when Cammie was just a baby, the only mother figures around her are the female inmates. In this pivotal summer between being a child and a teenager, will Cammie come to certain realizations about herself and those around her?

Although Cammie's story will resonate with many pre-teen and teenage readers, I had trouble connecting emotionally with the characters. The words were all there, but the feeling behind them was missing most of the time. The ending was almost unnecessary, as the author leaves out a major part of Cammie's life between the summer when she was 12 and her future life. Although The Warden's Daughter is a fast read, it is not one that I would strongly recommend. As a coming of age story, it is just average and it is definitely not one of my favorites by this veteran author.

Cammie O'Reilly lives in an apartment above the entrance to the Hancock County Prison with her father. Her mother died when she saved Cammie from being hit by a milk truck. Cammie has never known her mother. She wants a mother so badly that she decides she will make the trustee her mother. The trustee is a prisoner who gets to cook, clean and keep an eye on Cammie. Meanwhile Cammie, gets her father the warden to let har have the key to the exercise yard for the female prisoners who she has befriended. She becomes close to a big outspoken black woman named Boo Boo. Her best girlfriend Reggie (who is twelve years old -- same age as Reggie) is excited as she is going to be on Banstand -- on tv. Reggie appears to leave Cammie behind as Reggie gets ready for her appearance on tv. Does Reggie forget her? Cammie has a tendency to get angry very easily and will go ride her bike until it leaves her.

The author has paced this coming of age story with Cammie's whirlwind life. You see through Cammie's eyes her friends, her disappointments and happiness. There are a few surprises for both Cammie and the reader. It is a story that takes place in the 1950's where kids are able to freely be on their own without worries. It is a novel not just for middle graders but for adults too.

The story of Cammie O'Reilly's mother's death is the stuff of legend. And Cammie knows the story well even though she was just an infant when it happened. But after almost thirteen years without a mom, she's decided now is the time. She's chosen her candidates well: a trustee at the prison who takes care of the warden's apartment (and Cammie) during the day, whose crime Cammie still hasn't gotten out of her, and another prisoner in for shoplifting. But as days go by and Cammie's plan to recruit a mom seems to be failing, her resolve becomes even more steadfast.

You might think a story about a girl in search of a mom would be a sad one. You wouldn't be wrong. A lot of it is a subtle sad, the kind you get pondering over Cammie's problem and the obvious effects. Of course there's plenty of real sad as well. Cammie herself might not admit to being sad. Cammie would say she's angry.

Her anger manifests in a lot of ways, but it's clear most of that anger is honed and focused on her task. She longs for a motherly figure, attention, and, surprisingly, discipline! There's an almost heart wrenching argument that occurs at one point between Cammie and her best friend, Reggie, who, in somewhat insulting Eloda, gets Cammie to admit her goal of making Eloda her surrogate mother. But at the same time, as sad as Cammie's predicament is, it shows such a wonderful strength in her that is truly admirable!

While there were admittedly plenty of parts of The Warden's Daughter that left me misty eyed, it's really not all sad. Nor is it overwhelmingly so. It's impossible to read Cammie's story without a preponderance of hope for the girl. Cammie is strong willed and free spirited and guaranteed to win over each and every reader.

There's a great element of nostalgic fun to The Warden's Daughter too. Set in 1959, the story features a strong sense of innocence - amongst the children and, to some extent, the world via the small town of Two Mills. Cammie bikes throughout town, treats herself to her favorite meal at the local diner (she LONGS for scrapple night and day!), and has fairly free run of the prison itself, mingling with and befriending the female prisoners.

Pop culture references of the time are peppered throughout, especially in the music Cammie and her friends listen to (Reggie's dream, which is fulfilled, is to appear on Bandstand).

That said, I feel there's a dark undertone to the tale as well, though. Darker than the grief that Cammie is feeling. A sense that the innocence mentioned above is coming to an end. It's maybe a sense too of the possible future for Cammie and the potential for parallels to some of the other characters in the tale. To say more might give something away, but I can say I walked away from this one with a sense of fulfillment regarding Cammie's story.