Green Eyes and Ham

June 1, 2022

Gr 5 Up-Penney continues her heartfelt exploration of the middle grade years from her first novel, Eleven and Holding, in this new coming-of-age chronicle. Abraham "Ham" Hudson is the source of much local gossip in his small hometown of Muddy Waters, CA. As an infant he was abandoned inside a decorative Nativity scene, only to be adoptedby the beloved parson at the parsonage. For the next 13 years the church is his home and his school, but a sudden "cardiac event" makes it clear that Ham's mother can no longer devote herself to her congregation and his education. Even with the support of newly arrived Fey and longtime parental figure Deuce, Ham dreads the return to public school. The awkwardness and taunting is soon leavened by the introduction of Micah, a charming and self-assured boy who immediately ignites Ham's admiration. But the desire to pursue this wonderful new relationship and parse out his feelings for Micah leads Ham to lose the sense of himself in the process. Written in clear and graceful prose, this novel will immediately spark pangs of recognition and sympathy. Penney is adept at showing the facets of the adolescent experience like a diamond: a beautiful thing to behold, but one with sharp edges. While there are screwball hijinks like cats on the loose to lighten the mood, Penney doesn't hold back in examining the complex lessons inherent in growing up. Before the story's end, Ham is forced to confront new and mystifying truths about himself, his family and friends, and the fickle nature of life itself. VERDICT A recommended purchase for public and school libraries serving readers who crave books that have all the feels and that reflect their own lived experiences with just the right touch of whimsy.-Jose Cruz

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2022
Real friendships are built on mutual support and trust. Thirteen-year-old Abraham "Ham" Hudson's life changes dramatically when his pastor mother has a cardiac event, forcing her to work less and focus more on her health. To help her reduce her workload, which includes being his home-school teacher, Ham agrees to attend public school. Eighth grade starts out with mixed results: Ham will be attending with his new neighbor and first ever friend, Fey, a girl whose family moves frequently due to her prison guard parents' job transfers, making her the perpetual new girl. Ham also quickly discovers that his love of running makes him a good fit for the cross-country team, but it's here that he runs afoul of Bijou, a competitive girl who must prove herself the best even if it means breaking others down. Ham also encounters Micah, a mysterious boy with startling green eyes and a magnetic personality. Ham is smitten and is pulled into Micah's alluring but risky adventures--ones that lead to a near-fatal incident that helps Ham understand the true meaning of friendship. As a character, Ham is a friendly, likable, and wide-eyed narrator, which is both the strength and weakness of the story. Some readers may enjoy his good-natured innocence; others may grow frustrated at his unrelenting gullibility. The story is amusing but feels like a dessert: very sweet but ultimately just empty calories. Earnest but verging on hammy. (Fiction. 9-12)

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July 29, 2022
Grades 4-7 Left as an infant on a church doorstep and raised by the woman pastor who takes him in, Ham has been sheltered and homeschooled his whole life. But this idyllic existence comes to an abrupt halt when his adopted mother's health tanks and he finds himself thrust into a world for which he's unprepared--middle school. Ham doesn't know how to make friends or deal with bullies, and he must work through a series of interpersonal challenges. The most prominent of these involve running cross-country with his nemesis and feeling drawn to a boy who can wiggle his way out of any situation--the green-eyed Micah. Penney's characters are memorable as are the early-teen feelings and situations that they face. As Ham navigates rough waters, he gains a better understanding of himself and the path he wants to follow. A quick, satisfying piece of realistic fiction that smoothly incorporates one boy's exploration of dawning identity.

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