Ginny Off the Map

 

My Thoughts:

This upper elemenary children's book is about two sisters who are very close in age but very different in talents, personalities and friends. When their physician father is deployed to Afghanistan at the same time the family is moving to a new town, the two sisters and their mother are each facing challenges individually. The support glue that holds them together, their dad, is too far away to help with the major meltdown that is coming to the three characters.

The main character, Ginny is a geography buff who can spout off facts and "did you knows" and tie anything to her knowledge of geography. However, only her dad seems to understand her. Her sister is a talented athlete who makes friends easily while Ginny is socially awkward. Until the three of them are really tested, Ginny feels like the black hole of her life continues to threaten to swallow her.

This is especially for those kids that feel like they are misunderstood, picked on, bullied, or laughed at. Hopefully, they will learn, alongside Ginny that following your own true North is the only way to gain confidence and self-esteem.

From the Publisher:

There are two things Ginny Pierce loves most in the world: geography facts and her father. But when her dad is deployed overseas and Ginny’s family must move to yet another town, not even her facts can keep her afloat. The geography camp she’s been anxiously awaiting gets canceled, and her new neighbors prefer her basketball-star sister. Worst of all, her dad is in a war zone and impossible to get ahold of. Ginny decides that running her own camp for the kids on her street will solve all her problems. But can she convince them (and herself) that there's more to her than just facts? 
 
With a fierce heart and steadfast determination, Ginny tackles the challenges and rewards of staying true to herself during a season of growth. This thoughtful novel explores the strength that develops through adversity; Ginny must learn to trust her inner compass as she navigates the world around her.

Product Details:

Author: Caroline Hickey

Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books (June 20, 2023)