And Then, Boom!
And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps is a novel in verse published by Penguin on May 7, 2024. This 256-page book follows Joe Oak, a boy navigating the challenges of a poverty-stricken life. With an unreliable mother and a beloved grandmother, Joe finds himself homeless and struggling to maintain hope. He expresses his feelings through journals and drawings, drawing inspiration from comic book superheroes who face overwhelming odds yet manage to persevere.
Readers will discover Joe’s journey as he grapples with the realities of poverty and homelessness, seeking solace in his creativity while facing the harshness of his situation. The story explores themes of self-esteem and self-reliance, highlighting Joe’s resilience as he encounters various obstacles, including the threat of foster care and the struggle to find food. As Joe’s circumstances become increasingly dire, he unexpectedly finds companionship in a stray dog and her puppies, leading to a turning point in his life just as a tornado approaches. This edition offers a poignant exploration of social themes through the lens of a young boy’s experiences.
Official synopsis Publisher
A gripping new novel in verse by the author of the Printz Honor-winning Starfish, featuring a poverty-stricken boy who bravely rides out all the storms life keeps throwing at him
Joe Oak is used to living on unsteady ground. His mom can’t be depended on as she never stays around long once she gets “the itch,” and now he and his beloved grandmother find themselves without a home. Fortunately, Joe has an outlet in his journals and drawings and takes comfort from the lessons of comic books—superheroes have a lot of “and then, boom” moments, where everything threatens to go bust but somehow they land on their feet. And that seems to happen a lot to Joe too, as in this crisis his friend Nick helps them find a home in his trailer park. But things fall apart again when Joe is suddenly left to fend for himself. He doesn’t tell anyone he’s on his own, as he fears foster care and has hope his mom will come back. But time is running out—bills are piling up, the electricity’s been shut off, and the school year’s about to end, meaning no more free meals. The struggle to feed himself gets intense, and Joe finds himself dumpster diving for meals. He’s never felt so alone—until an emaciated little dog and her two tiny pups cross his path. And fate has even more in store for Joe, because an actual tornado is about to hit home—and just when it seems all is lost, his life turns in a direction that he never could have predicted.
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