Maid for It (Hardcover)
$17.99
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Staff Reviews
After her mother is in a car accident, Franny decides to keep her mother’s house cleaning jobs, blackmailing her one-time bully to help out. Her fear is that her mom might lose the gigs, especially because she’s been struggling with addiction issues for so long and might well relapse. I really enjoyed this book, said to be inspired by Stephanie Land’s Maid. The book’s ten-and-up recommendation is for some of the tough subjects covered.
— Daniel GoldinDescription
From the acclaimed author of Roll with It comes a relatable and deeply moving middle grade novel about a girl who, in a desperate bid to keep her family afloat, takes over her mom’s cleaning jobs after an injury prevents her from working.
Now that Franny and her newly sober mom have moved to a cozy apartment above a laundromat, Franny’s looking forward to a life where her biggest excitement is getting top grades in math class. But when Franny’s mom gets injured in a car accident, their fragile life begins to crumble. There’s no way her mom can keep her job cleaning houses, which means she can’t pay the bills. Franny can’t forget what happened the last time her mom was hurt: the pills that were supposed to help became an addiction, until rehab brought them to Mimi’s laundromat and the support group she hosts.
Franny will not let addiction win again, even if she has to blackmail a school rival to help her clean houses. She’ll make the money and keep her mom sober—there’s no other choice. But what happens if this is one problem she can’t solve on her own?
About the Author
Jamie Sumner is the author of Roll with It, Time to Roll, Tune It Out, One Kid’s Trash, The Summer of June, Maid for It, and Deep Water. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other publications. She loves stories that celebrate the grit and beauty in all kids. She is also the mother of a son with cerebral palsy and has written extensively about parenting a child with special needs. She and her family live in Nashville, Tennessee. Visit her at Jamie-Sumner.com.
Praise For…
"This honest story invites readers into a realistic situation that many young people experience. It offers an accessible, welcoming, and introspective account of the struggles faced by those who worry about a loved one’s addiction. The well-developed relationships are a highlight. . . A heart-wrenching read about a girl forced to grow up too quickly."
— Kirkus Reviews
"This honest story invites readers into a realistic situation that many young people experience. It offers an accessible, welcoming, and introspective account of the struggles faced by those who worry about a loved one’s addiction. The well-developed relationships are a highlight. . . A heart-wrenching read about a girl forced to grow up too quickly."
— Kirkus Reviews
"With sure-handed plotting and distinctive characters, this immediate-feeling novel from Sumner captures the lingering impact of substance reliance on one family. . . a novel about moving forward with awareness and hope."
— Publishers Weekly
"With sure-handed plotting and distinctive characters, this immediate-feeling novel from Sumner captures the lingering impact of substance reliance on one family. . . a novel about moving forward with awareness and hope."
— Publishers Weekly
