Although A Rose for Abby opens doors for thought and discussion, it wisely attempts no solution. The street people are honestly drawn as wellweary, bedraggled, and lined. Hockerman portrays Abby and her father (no mother is mentioned or appears) as a warm and loving family in full-color, bordered full-page, realistic drawings. Guthrie introduces the concept of homelessness without passing judgment, making this an enjoyable story as well as a social statement. Thinking for the first time about hunger and homelessness, she enlists the help of her minister father, the local grocer, the owner of a restaurant supply store, and some retired neighbors to prepare a free meal for the local street people. Abby watches from her window after school and sees a ragged old lady digging in the trash cans in their multi-ethnic, multi-racial neighborhood. Grade 1-4 In unsentimental language, dwelling little on the details of street life, Guthrie presents a primary-school heroine with conscience and drive. Her inspiration for A Rose for Abby came from a real-life soup kitchen for the homeless run by a local family in a Colorado Springs church. Donna Guthrie is a children's author and educator from Colorado Springs, Colorado.
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