Felix and his mom have had a rough go of it. Jobs have always been scarce and their living conditions have gotten worse and worse. Now they are living in a van that belongs(belonged) to his mom's ex-boyfriend. They park it in various places to avoid getting caught. Astrid keeps saying it's temporary but her "slumps" are happening more often and she can't keep a job. Meanwhile Felix is trying desperately to keep the truth from his new friends and teachers. When Felix gets the chance to be on a quiz show he thinks everything will be fine. But will it?
I liked this book - the reality of some mental illness, the slippery slope to homelessness. Felix's friends were great. But there were parts that made me cringe - realistic yes but necessary in a middle grade book? I am not sure quite where I fall on it - several instances where Astrid's methods of getting money were questionable and dangerous and then an incident in the public library.
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