Dicey's Song (The Tillerman Series #2)

Cynthia Voigt shares the second book in this series. These children, Dicey, James, Maybeth and Sammy settle into living with their Gram. Dicey still looks out over her siblings leaving her own childhood behind. Life with Gram starts to settle in as Gram gets used to having children/ family in her own life. Another journey continues as life starts to be felt in all their lives. I look forward to reading the rest of this series and know this story continues on. Thank you, Cynthia Voigt for sharing with us all

When the Newbery Award (given each year to a children's book that is deemed the best-written work of the past 365 days) is handed to a sequel, I always get a bit incredulous. Really? This book is great in and of itself without having read its predecessor? In my opinion, sequels should never receive awards. If you thought that they were so great, award the first book/movie/album in the series, cause otherwise the awardee isn't going to make much sense. Harumph! There are exceptions to every rule, though. "Dicey's Song" may be one of the few. Unlike Lloyd Alexander's, "The High King" or "The Grey King" by Susan Cooper (the Newbery has a penchant for "King"ly sequels), Cynthia Voigt's quiet masterpiece does not necessarily require that the reader know the story that preceded it. It wouldn't hurt and it would probably make for a much better read, but not reading "Homecoming" isn't going to lessen your enjoyment of Book Two in the Tillerman family series. After walking with her younger brothers and sister for months and months to their grandmother's house, Dicey Tillerman and her sibs have found a home. Granted, that home is with crochety possibly-mad Grandma Tillerman, but that's good enough for them. Grandma has made it perfectly clear that she enjoys their company, regrets some of the mistakes she made with her own children, and is willing to adopt them immediately. As the eldest, Dicey is pleased but being adopted by a beloved relative isn't enough to ease her day-to-day worries. Younger brother James is making himself appear like an average kid in school (rather than the genius he truly is) so that he'll have friends. Little Maybeth has never done well in her classes, and though she's a whiz at music comprehension, she doesn't even understand basic fractions. And youngest child Sammy hasn't been getting into fights like he used to, but at the same time he's wearing this mask of being a "perfect" child at school. Such a strain is definitely gonna take its toll on him. While Dicey is worrying about these things, it's not as if her own life is perfect either. She shuns friends and cares mostly about scraping the paint off an old sailboat belonging to her grandmother. Still, as things come to a head, Dicey's gonna learn what it means to hold onto the people you love, what it means to let go, and when to decide which action to take. Unlike "Homecoming", which was a kind of epic tale of four small children against the world, there's no real danger or adventure at the heart of "Dicey's Song". Instead, it's more of a thoughtful piece. Dicey is trying to understand what it means to be an adult. She's been acting like one, more or less, ever since her mother abandoned her children in that mall parking lot a year ago. While "Homecoming" encountered villain farmers, nice circus folk, easy-going college kids, and the task of charming an otherwise wooden grandmamma, "Dicey's Song" is about social relations. You've just survived and

I love this book! Dicey's Song is such a sad story, but its funny, too! I recommend this book for girls aged 7-100!

This book is about a girl named Dicey who also has two brothers and another sister. One day their mother left them in a parking lot and deserted them. Dicey, the oldest, cares for her siblings and they find themselves at Gram's house. Momma never talked much about her, it was an experience they'd never forget. Gram's isn't exactly the hugs and kisses kind of grandmother. Can Dicey handle school? Will she reach out to others? Hold on to her siblings? Let go of Momma? It's a memorable page turner that you can't let go of.

Dicey has always looked out for her family, and after her mother and father abandon her and her siblings, she feels a great responsibility to care for her brothers and sister while they are living with their grandmother. Each member of her family is having a hard time fitting in. Maybeth, her younger sister is having a very difficult time in school; her brother James is doing fine in school, but having a hard time fitting in, while her other brother Sammy is having a hard time behaving. Cynthia Voigt wonderfully describes Dicey's feelings and the troubles she's having trying to keep up with her family's troubles. Dicey's Song is a realistic book about a family, who cares very much, about each other and the people surrounding them, and their struggles to survive with very little money. Their love for each other is strong and they help each other as best they can. This is a touching book that will make you think about how lucky you really are. I really enjoyed this book because it was interesting and about every day life, it was sometimes funny, and sometimes sad, but I can assure you putting this book down will be one of the hardest things you ever do.

Voight is a fantastic writer. If I hadn't been taking a childrens literature class I would not have read any of her books. Started out with Homecoming, then Dicey's Song, and then Sons From Afar. My favorite so far is Dicey's Song. I am still planning on reading more about Dicey in Seventeen Against the Dealer. I know the grandmother is old and just getting older, hope they don't have her die off. I really like the relationship that the grandmother has with all of the kids, but think there is that special bond between Dicey and herself. Just an excellent book and series about the Tillermans. Dicey and the rest of the kids turn the grandmother back into the caring person that she is - very outstanding book.