A Corner of the Universe (Scholastic Gold) [Paperback]

The summer Hattie turns 12, her predictable small-town life is turned on end when her uncle Adam returns home for the first time in over 10 years. Hattie has never met him, never known about him. He's been institutionalized; his condition involves schizophrenia and autism.

Hattie, a shy girl who prefers the company of adults, takes immediately to her excitable uncle, even when the rest of the family -- her parents and grandparents -- have trouble dealing with his intense way of seeing the world. And Adam, too, sees that Hattie is special, that her quiet, shy ways are not a disability.

Praise forA Corner of the Universe:

* Martin excels at evoking simply the intricacies of friendship . . . told in the present tense in Hattie's personable voice, the story takes on serious concerns but has equally strong standing as the kind of novel kids mean when they ask for 'a book about friends.' --Horn Book Magazine, starred review

* This is a fully realized roller coaster of emotions, and readers take the ride right along with Hattie. --Booklist, starred review

* With characteristic tenderness and wisdom, the author portrays the complex relationship between the sympathetic heroine and her uncle . . . . Hearts will go out to both Hattie and Adam as they step outside the confines of their familiar world to meet some painful challenges. --Publishers Weekly, starred review

* Martin delivers wonderfully real characters and an engrossing plot through the viewpoint of a girl who tries so earnestly to connect with those around her. This is an important story, as evocative on the subject of mental illness as Ruth White'sMemories of Summer(Farrar, 2000). --School Library Journal, starred review

* Martin's voice for Hattie is likable, clear, and consistent; her prose doesn't falter. A solid, affecting read.