Almost Home

by Joan Bauer
Lexile:  590
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Sugar Mae Cole is always looking for the sweetness in her life which has been full of ups and downs. Lately, the downs seem to be winning.  She and her mother are forced out of their home and into a shelter.  It's not great, but as long as she has her 6th grade teacher, and her writing, life is bearable.  But then her mom gets the idea that they should move to Chicago and start their lives over.  Soon, Sugar finds herself alone in a new city with her mom who is no longer able to hold it together.  With the help of new friends, and one very special dog, Sugar hopes she can hang on until things get better.