No Place
Young Readers

No Place

By
Kay Haugaard
“Haugaard understands family tensions.” —LIBRARY TALK
Select Format

A moving story of building hope, inspired by the true story of Estrella Children’s Park in central Los Angeles, where kids created the destination they dreamed of.

Having no place to play in their run-down inner city neighborhood, twelve-year-old Arturo and the other kids in his sixth-grade class decide to turn a vacant lot into a playground. At first Arturo thinks his idea might be foolish. Not only do his brother and the other gang members in Los Vatos Locos make fun of him, but even school officials are skeptical of the plant. With their somewhat loopy teacher’s help, however, the kids begin to build community support for the park.

No Place offers inspiration for children—along with good advice about how to take an idea and make it a reality.

ISBN
9781571316752
Publish Date
Pages
208
Dimensions
5.25 × 8 × 0.56 in
Weight
8.7 oz
Cover Art

Praise and Prizes

  • “This straightforward, realistic novel centers on a sixth-grader, Arturo Morales, who is at a turning point in his life. Will he go the path of his older brother Francisco, a new member of Los Vatos Locos? Will he become like his father, hard-working, but cynical and downtrodden? Or, will Arturo find a new way for himself?”

    San Jose Mercury News

  • “Contemporary fiction at its best. Kay Haugaard understands family tensions and gang dynamics and portrays her characters in believable situations.”

    Library Talk

  • “This may encourage young readers to believe in the possibility of change, even if only on a small scale, in their own communities.”

    Booklist

  • “Unique … A great tool for educators to use to demonstrate the steps that hope-filled and committed people take to make a difference.”

    KLIATT

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