Homecoming

by Cynthia Voigt

Book Overview

In Voigt's first novel--and the introduction to her Tillerman saga--the four Tillerman children, abandoned by their emotionally ill mother, travel on foot from New England to their paternal grandmother's Maryland farm in search of a place to call home. An ALA Best of the Best for Young Adults.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0689863616
• ISBN13: 9780689863615
• Release Date: July 2003
• Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
• Length: 402 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.1" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 13 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 8 to 12

Customer Reviews

A Slow Burn - and Worth It

Homecoming, the first book in the Tillerman Family saga, introduces Dicey and her siblings - James, Maybeth, and Sammy. The children have just been abandoned by their mother, who suffers from mental illness and the effects of a long battle with poverty. 13-year-old Dicey has been left in charge of her younger brothers and sister, and all she knows is that until her mother disappeared they'd all been headed to her Aunt Cilla's house in Bridgeport. So Dicey decides they'll continue that journey, on foot and alone. The children set out with very little in the way of earthly possessions - only what they can fit in one paper bag, plus a few dollars to feed themselves. Homecoming takes us on their journey to find a place they can call home, and the tough fight for survival they have along the way. This book is a slow burn - plenty of time is allowed for character development as we follow the kids through their travels. There is action and adventure, drama, moral dilemmas, and intellectual discussions about family, love, and life. Dicey faces their challenges with a clear mind and sharp wit, while relying a bit on her younger brother James for his intelligence and quick thinking. The siblings rely on each other, but still bicker in the way siblings always do - it's a very authentic relationship between the four of them. They face plenty of danger, and they learn from each encounter. They also find a few friends along the way, and each time they are in awe that there can be such good people hidden among all of the bad that seems to surround them. The story pulled at my heartstrings, and I was pulling for the children to find their safe haven from the start. Each is strong and talented in their own way, and I adored them all.

Looking to find a home...

Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt 13 year old Dicey Tillerman was abandoned by her mother and left to care for her 10, 8, and 6 year old siblings. With nowhere to go and no money, they set off to find an adult distant cousin, hoping to be taken in. This story was captivating in the strength Dicey shows and the journey they travel through to stay together. Cynthia Voigt, this is a wonderful story and I am ready to read the next book of the series!!! Thank you for sharing your writing talent with us all!!!

Sibling Unity

I am a fan of the Tillerman series. In this first book of the series, Voigt introduces us to Dicey, a strong-willed young lady who has to bring her siblings from Peewauket to Connecticut to search for their mother- via leg mobile. Having little more than 11 dollars, they begin their journey without any idea of what lies ahead. Voigt offers beautiful storytelling here.She succesfully depicted the love and unity between Dicey and her siblings. Voigt's style is extremely appealing, simple with touches of humour and drama. In short "Homecoming" is a tale wonderfully told, making it a rare gem. Thumbs up for Voigt!!

I've read it three times and enjoy it more each time!

I first read Homecoming in 3rd grade as my first "fat book" (it has 372 pages). I loved it, even though it took me about three months to finish. Since then I've read it two other times. Homecoming lets your imagination soar, thinking of odd and fascinating ways to earn money and survive in this world. In Homecoming after their mother deserts them at a shopping mall, Dicey (age 13) and her younger siblings (ages 6,9,10) must survive a trip to their Aunt Cilla's house. WALKING! Money is a BIG problem, at the beginning of their trip all they had was a measly $11. And they spent $4 the first night! All four struggle to withstand the threat of starvation. And at points in the story, they walk for so long and so hard; you'd wonder why they just don't collapse. Also is the terror of being caught and put in a foster home. Man! How can you expect a 13-year-old to hold all that responsibility! Luckily a couple of people they meet are kind, but certainly not everyone! I would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who has a good imagination or loves adventures!

Couldn't stop Listening!

I listened, rather than read, this book. This is not something I do often with fiction, but I enjoyed it enormously. My 12 year old daughter read Dicey's Song in class in the Fall, and I had not read that along with her so I was thrilled when a friend loaned me the tapes she had borrowed from the library! What a story! Written in a style that evokes the physical locations the children visit. Makes me wonder what adults must be thinking -- where was the help these children needed. In the end, of course, Dicey's (the oldest's child's) instincts are correct and they end up where, I believe, they belonged all along. They would certainly not have arrived there with adult intervention -- only love guided them to their final destination. Love of family, love on one another. Love triumphs over all in the end.

This was a very good and interesting novel!

This book was a great survival book. It was full of so much suspense that you could never guess what would happen next. I loved this book and I will never forget the plot of this story