Starred Reviews for Waiting for Normal: “A heroine with spunk and spirit offers an inspiring lesson in perseverance and hope. First-rate.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on Waiting for Normal
“A story centered around loss, heartbreak, abandonment, and new beginnings.” - School Library Journal (starred review) on Waiting for Normal
“Characters as persuasively optimistic as Addie are rare, and readers will gravitate to her. Poignant.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Waiting for Normal
“The New England setting is attractively realized, and the underlying energy crisis treated seriously but not sensationally...the whole family is so engaging that anything less than the happy ending would be disappointing indeed. Charming and original.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on Crunch
Bookseller and Librarian Praise for All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook: “Oh, this book! This lovely, lovely book! Leslie Connor reeled me in on the first page and did not let go. I cannot wait to celebrate this beautiful and poignant novel in 2016. I am not sure how I’ll wait that long. I wish I were Perry T. Cook’s teacher-librarian. I would thank him for telling the residents’ stories, commend him for his bravery, and encourage him to tell his classmates about the power of counting all the small good things that happen to us every day. We all need someone like Perry T. Cook in our lives!” - John Schumacher (a.k.a. Mr. Schu), Teacher-Librarian, MrSchuReads.com
“I believe All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook is Leslie Connor’s finest book yet; Perry’s story is a poignant one--his triumphant journey examines the challenges of fitting in and both finding and offering forgiveness. Most importantly, this heartwarming novel will resonate with readers long after the last page because it celebrates family and shows that regardless of the setting, home is simply the place we hang our hearts.” - Dr. Rose Brock, Sam Houston State University
“This book offers a different kind of diversity story that is important for kids to find on the shelf.” - Booklist
“I don’t think there’s been a book so moving and heartwarming for this age range since WONDER.” - Shoshana, Reading Bug (San Carlos, CA)
★ “Rich characterizations give the novel its big heart: Jessica, Big Ed, and the other Blue River inmates are nuanced, vivid characters whose stories of perseverance after tragedy embody the novel’s themes of redemption, hope, and community. This beautifully written work will send readers’ spirits soaring.” - School Library Journal (starred review)
★ “With complex, memorable characters, a situation that demands sympathy, and a story that’s shown, not just told, this is fresh and affecting. Well-crafted, warm, and wonderful.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“In a novel filled with endearing characters, sad goodbyes, and new beginnings, Connor (Crunch) expresses the depth of Perry’s homesickness without romanticizing his life in a prison. The novel’s pointed criticism of prisons’ restrictions, especially regarding the separation of inmates from their families, could easily prompt discussions about reform and rehabilitation.” - Publishers Weekly
“In a novel filled with endearing characters, sad goodbyes, and new beginnings, Connor (Crunch) expresses the depth of Perry’s homesickness without romanticizing his life in a prison.” - Publishers Weekly
“Readers will long remember the folks of Blue River after its gates have closed.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books