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Description
Thirteen-year-old M.C. hopes his mother will be offered a recording contract so his family can leave their home before a sliding slag heap destroys it.
Quick Summary
If you're looking for a book with a main character who genuinely cares about his family and will make you root for him from page one, this is it. M.C. Higgins is a thirteen-year-old living on a mountain in Arkansas, trying to save his family home from being destroyed by a massive slag heap that's slowly sliding toward them and the tension of that ticking clock runs through the whole story. What makes this one memorable is how real M.C. feels: he's stubborn, inventive, and a little full of himself sometimes, but you can tell he loves his family fiercely. The book won the Newbery Honor, and Virginia Hamilton's writing has this warm, rhythmic quality that makes the rural setting and the Higgins family's music culture come alive. Kids who enjoy stories about families working together against tough odds, or anyone who's ever felt like they needed to step up and be the hero, will find a lot to connect with here. There's some genuinely suspenseful moments as the danger gets closer, but it's also full of small, funny moments and the joy of the Higgins singing together. Fans of books like "The Watsons Go to Birmingham" or any story where a kid faces a huge problem with courage will likely love this one.