Roam

This is the book every high school student should read. The author did a great job of creating a real world story about characters you would actually meet in high school. Abby Lunde isn't your typical high school student and has been dealt a rough hand in life. It doesn't get more real than this. The story is well written and completely enjoyable following Abby through her senior year of high school.

Most of us have never experienced being homeless. And if we're very lucky, we never will. Not so for seventeen-year-old Abby.
Being in high school is hard. It's even harder when you're keeping a secret that could ruin your social standing. In Abby's case, that secret is that she and her family are homeless. It wasn't always this way. Once upon a time, not so long ago, they had everything. A nice house, good jobs, friends, all that a teenage girl could want.
But one mistake led to another, and one stroke of bad luck piled on top of another. And just like that, Abby finds herself living in the family's van. Eating at soup kitchens, cleaning up in public bathrooms, trying to stay warm while sleeping in parking lots...it's a lot for anyone to handle. Abby's determined, however, to overcome this gigantic obstacle. With the help of some new friends, will she be able to do it?
I loved this story from beginning to end. It's a reminder of how quickly things can change, of how everything can be gone in the blink of an eye. And it's also a reminder that we never truly know what someone is going through.

What a Beautiful, heart wrenching, life affirming story! The characters are realistic, have depth and develop perfectly during this book.i love that this story focuses on the epidemic of homeless families, scrounging to get back on their feet who,d going through the motions of everyday life. Additionally, this is a story of survival, forgiveness and the willingness of some good people to help others. This is an important book that I think teens and YA fans need to read to help us build the supports needed to understand and help our increasing numbers of homeless families hidden in plain sight. Thank you to the author for this story.

In Roam we have Abby Lunde, a 17 year old girl who becomes homeless with her little sister, mother and step-father. They had a normal life in their previous town but Abby’s mother made a mistake which leaves their lives crashing around them. Abby is ostracised and her mother loses her job. Her step-father is let go and they lose their home.
After relocating to a new school Abby does her best to fit in and not let anyone know that she and her family are living in the car.
The divide between rich and poor is especially obvious at her school and Abby tries desperately to keep with her pretence and the few new friends she manages to make.
It was interesting to see the various schemes that are in place for those who find themselves in that situation such as the 2 week housing, the various lunch programs and soup kitchens.
This was a family who were trying to get back on their feet and took advantage of the opportunities on offer without misusing them. It was very easy to be sympathetic to the Lundes.
I especially enjoyed watching Abby’s confidence in herself grow as she looked after her sister, made her way cautiously in her school and make amends with her mother.
Her new relationships were lovingly crafted and felt real rather than forced which was nice too. There is an openly gay character who, while not being the central figure, is enough of a star without succumbing to stereotypes which was also nice to see.

A haunting story that kept me turning pages way later into the night than I wanted. The puffy eyes are totally worth it, however. Armstrong hit hard with her debut, and I can't wait for her next work!

This is a fantastic piece of realistic fiction for people who want to know what it's like to live in someone else's shoes. The characters are created in a variety of ways and remind me a lot of Joan Bauer type novels. The storyline is strong and readers will not be disappointed. I'm already talking this title up to my 7th grade students. This would also be a good text to use with Memory Moments (Notice & Notice Fiction Signpost) and flashback!