Power of “What If”

It’s what makes for great fiction: the power of “What if?”

When the idea for Piper Pan and Her Merry Band came to me, some of the “what if” questions I asked myself were:

What if the Neverland were dying?

What if Tinker Bell were growing old?

What if Peter Pan had left the magical island to grow up?

What if he had a granddaughter who knew nothing of her legacy?

What if Tinker Bell had to ask for help from girls?

Today’s book recommendation grew from an intriguing “what if”—a combination of events I’ve never seen before in a story. All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook, by Leslie Connor, is innovative, realistic, upbeat, hopeful, and moving.

It’s a story about an eleven-year-old boy, Perry T. Cook, born in a minimum security prison—the warden of which made decisions and accommodations to allow him to grow up on site near his inmate mother. This secret is exposed by a new DA, and Perry is forced to live on “the outside”—where he brings his unique perspective to bear in changing the fates of both prisoners and peers.

My summary doesn’t do it justice. It sounds odd and probably boring—but it’s not at all. Quite the contrary. This is a book I had trouble putting down. The author has made Perry such a wise, innocent soul, he’s quite irresistible. An underdog kind of hero, he moves mountains with the help of his friends, both “inside” and “outside.” Best of all, this story brings a humanity and grace to a setting that rarely is given those qualities.

And the Library Book Mobile gets a starring role! Who can pass that up???

Pop on down to your library and put All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook on hold! It’s a great read for mature kids and adults who are young at heart!

Happy Reading!