The Year of the Sawdust Man
by A. LaFaye
Eleven-year-old Nissa's life has never been perfect. Living in the small town of Harper, Louisiana, with a mama like hers, circa 1933, has led to lots of mean rumors. But now Mama is gone, and all the townsfolk talk about is who she might have run off with. Nissa's memories of the Sundays her mama would come home smelling of sawdust lead her to suspect the rumors could be true. Did her mama go away with the Sawdust Man? And if so, does it mean she's never coming back? A. LaFaye's powerful first novel beautifully explicates the world of a child in distress and how she copes with something beyond her understanding.
Paperback
English
Brand New
Publisher Description
Eleven-year-old Nissa's life has never been perfect. Living with her free-spirited mama in the small town of Harper, Louisiana, circa 1933, has led to lots of gossipy small talk and mean rumors. But now Mama is gone, leaving Nissa with her gentle father, and all the townsfolk can talk about is who she might have run off with.Nissa's memories of the Sundays her mama would come home smelling of sawdust lead her to suspect that some of the rumors are true. Did her mama run away with the Sawdust Man? And is she ever coming back?Compassionate and poetic, The Year of the Sawdust Man is an insightful novel about grief and growth, "plumbing the depths of a painful situation to surface triumphantly with compassion and humor" (Publishers Weekly).
Author Biography
A. LaFaye (the "A" is for Alexandria) is the author of "Worth", for which she received the Scott O'Dell Award, as well as?"The Year of the Sawdust Man, Nissa's Place, The Strength of Saints, Edith Shay, Strawberry Hill, " and "Dad, in Spirit." She teaches at California State University at San Bernardino during the school year and at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, in the summer. She lives in Cabot, Arkansas.
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