weekend read: One for the Murphys

I seem to be surrounded by foster care right now. I have students that live with foster parents. I have a friend at church who is fostering a baby and, has on multiple instances, tried to convince Chris and I we’d be good at it too. I have a friend whose Facebook updates are constantly telling about the process she and her husband are going through so they can foster.

Everywhere I turn, I hear about foster care.

It’s probably a sign, but for now I’m just going to put it on the back burner. Even though One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt is making that harder than it sounds.

I love that Mullaly Hunt is a former teacher. She writes from an eighth grade girl’s point of view so well, I’d bet money that she was a middle school teacher.

The main character, Carley, has had a pretty rough life. And when an incident with her step father finally sends her and her mother to the hospital, Carley is placed in the foster care system. She heads to a type of family that she never knew existed: there’s love and laughter, there’s disagreements without violence, there’s no drinking, there’s family loyalty and people that care about each other.

Carley reacts like many kids I’ve had in class react: she rebels and tries to sabotage her new home because where she’s living is so foreign. But she’s really just a scared little girl that needs someone to love her.

She comes to that conclusion just as her mom wakes up from her coma and turns everything upside down again.

One for the Murphys is a quick read that paints a really accurate picture of the struggles an eighth grade girl goes through. From stressing about making friends to keeping secrets to protect herself, Carley resonates with me and I’m sure my students will love her also.

DISCLOSURE: AFFILIATE LINKS USED.