"THE BABYGRAND, THE MOON IN JULY, AND ME"

by Joyce Annette Barnes ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1994

A novelization of a TV play (The Baby Grand): a crisis in a struggling African-American family during five days in July, 1969, framed by the launch and landing of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Annie, 10, fascinated by space flight, dreams of becoming an astronaut herself; older brother Matty is so driven by his hope of becoming a jazz musician that, without consulting his parents, he orders a grand piano on credit, precipitating such a conflict with his pragmatic father that he must leave home. Annie successfully masterminds a scheme to reconcile her fractured family, though she is aware that things will never be quite the same again. Using the lunar mission as a metaphor for children leaving the family orbit, Barnes has constructed a taut, hopeful story that also points out how difficult it has been for hard-pressed black parents to support their children's dreams.

Pub Date: April 1, 1994

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 128

Publisher: Dial

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1994

Categories: CHILDREN'S