The Dollar Kids - by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

About the Book

Twelve-year-old Lowen Grover's family moves to a former mill town, lured by the chance to reset their lives by buying a dilapidated house and starting a new business.

Book Synopsis

"A skillfully written and heartfelt novel about a family making a new home, recovering from grief, and the town full of people who join them on their journey." -- School Library Journal (starred review)

Twelve-year-old Lowen Grover, a budding comic-book artist, is still reeling from the shooting death of his friend Abe when he stumbles across an article about a former mill town giving away homes for just one dollar. It not only seems like the perfect escape from the city and all of the awful memories associated with it, but an opportunity for his mum to run her very own business. But is the Dollar Program too good to be true? The homes are in horrible shape, and the locals are less than welcoming. Will the Grovers find they've traded one set of problems for another? From the author of Small as an Elephant and Paper Things comes a heart-tugging novel about guilt and grief, family and friendship, and, above all, community.

Review Quotes

Without resorting to stereotypes, Jacobson creates a rich cast of characters who are realistic and complex. The prose flows naturally and the pacing is swift...A skillfully written and heartfelt novel about a family making a new home, recovering from grief, and the town full of people who join them on their journey.
--School Library Journal (starred review)

Jacobson memorably sketches Lowen's family dynamics, particularly his complicated relationship with his older brother, and his journey offers a compelling portrait of community and rebirth. Andrews's comics panels, which appear at several key intervals in the text, offer further insight into Lowen's struggles, particularly his grief over Abe's death.
--Publishers Weekly

Jacobson insightfully examines the dynamics of small-town life and strategies for revitalization as well as the landscape of Lowen's complex grief and survivor's guilt...A rich, thoughtful exploration of individual and community resilience.
--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Jennifer Richard Jacobson is the author of several books for children and young adults, including the middle-grade novels Small as an Elephant and Paper Things, and the Andy Shane early chapter books, illustrated by Abby Carter. She lives in Maine.

Ryan Andrews is a comics artist and illustrator living in Fukuoka, Japan. Two of his web comics have been nominated for Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards.