May B.

Ebook (EPUB)
On sale Jan 10, 2012 | 240 Pages | 9781582464374
Age 9-12 years | Grades 4-7
Reading Level: Lexile 680L | Fountas & Pinnell V
"If May is a brave, stubborn fighter, the short, free-verse lines are one-two punches in this Laura Ingalls Wilder-inspired ode to the human spirit." — Kirkus Reviews, Starred

I've known it since last night:
It's been too long to expect them to return. 
Something's happened.


May is helping out on a neighbor's Kansas prairie homestead—just until Christmas, says Pa. She wants to contribute, but it's hard to be separated from her family by 15 long, unfamiliar miles. Then the unthinkable happens: May is abandoned. Trapped in a tiny snow-covered sod house, isolated from family and neighbors, May must prepare for the oncoming winter. While fighting to survive, May's memories of her struggles with reading at school come back to haunt her. But she's determined to find her way home again. Caroline Starr Rose's fast-paced novel, written in beautiful and riveting verse, gives readers a strong new heroine to love.
  • WINNER | 2013
    ALA Notable Children's Book
  • WINNER | 2012
    Kid's Indie Next List "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers"
  • HONOR
    Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fischer Book Award
  • FINALIST
    New York State Charlotte Award
  • FINALIST
    Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award
  • FINALIST
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
  • NOMINEE
    Nebraska Golden Sower Master List
  • NOMINEE | 2015
    Missouri Mark Twain Award
  • NOMINEE | 2014
    New York State Charlotte Award
  • NOMINEE | 2014
    Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fischer Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2014
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
  • NOMINEE | 2013
    Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award
Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, October 15, 2011:
"If May is a brave, stubborn fighter, the short, free-verse lines are one-two punches in this Laura Ingalls Wilder–inspired ode to the human spirit."

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, December 5, 2011:
"Writing with compassion and a wealth of evocative details, Rose offers a memorable heroine and a testament to the will to survive."
© Crystal Sanderson Photo
Caroline Starr Rose spent her childhood in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and New Mexico, camping at the Red Sea in one and eating red chile in the other. As a girl she danced ballet, raced through books, composed poetry on an ancient typewriter, and put on magic shows in a homemade cape. She's taught both social studies and English in New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, and Louisiana. In her classroom, she worked to instill in her students a passion for books, an enthusiasm to experiment with words, and a curiosity about the past. She is the author of the critically acclaimed novels in verse May B. and Blue Birds. Caroline lives in New Mexico with her husband and two sons. View titles by Caroline Starr Rose

About

"If May is a brave, stubborn fighter, the short, free-verse lines are one-two punches in this Laura Ingalls Wilder-inspired ode to the human spirit." — Kirkus Reviews, Starred

I've known it since last night:
It's been too long to expect them to return. 
Something's happened.


May is helping out on a neighbor's Kansas prairie homestead—just until Christmas, says Pa. She wants to contribute, but it's hard to be separated from her family by 15 long, unfamiliar miles. Then the unthinkable happens: May is abandoned. Trapped in a tiny snow-covered sod house, isolated from family and neighbors, May must prepare for the oncoming winter. While fighting to survive, May's memories of her struggles with reading at school come back to haunt her. But she's determined to find her way home again. Caroline Starr Rose's fast-paced novel, written in beautiful and riveting verse, gives readers a strong new heroine to love.

Awards

  • WINNER | 2013
    ALA Notable Children's Book
  • WINNER | 2012
    Kid's Indie Next List "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers"
  • HONOR
    Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fischer Book Award
  • FINALIST
    New York State Charlotte Award
  • FINALIST
    Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award
  • FINALIST
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
  • NOMINEE
    Nebraska Golden Sower Master List
  • NOMINEE | 2015
    Missouri Mark Twain Award
  • NOMINEE | 2014
    New York State Charlotte Award
  • NOMINEE | 2014
    Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fischer Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2014
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
  • NOMINEE | 2013
    Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award

Reviews

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, October 15, 2011:
"If May is a brave, stubborn fighter, the short, free-verse lines are one-two punches in this Laura Ingalls Wilder–inspired ode to the human spirit."

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, December 5, 2011:
"Writing with compassion and a wealth of evocative details, Rose offers a memorable heroine and a testament to the will to survive."

Author

© Crystal Sanderson Photo
Caroline Starr Rose spent her childhood in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and New Mexico, camping at the Red Sea in one and eating red chile in the other. As a girl she danced ballet, raced through books, composed poetry on an ancient typewriter, and put on magic shows in a homemade cape. She's taught both social studies and English in New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, and Louisiana. In her classroom, she worked to instill in her students a passion for books, an enthusiasm to experiment with words, and a curiosity about the past. She is the author of the critically acclaimed novels in verse May B. and Blue Birds. Caroline lives in New Mexico with her husband and two sons. View titles by Caroline Starr Rose