Anna Was Here
Written by Jane Kurtz
Ten year old Anna Nickel is mad at her father for moving from Colorado back to Oakwood, Kansas to be a minister in a church that is having problems. There are lots of relatives here that Anna hasn’t ever had the chance to get to know before and she isn’t really anxious to meet them now.
Anna is also not happy about living in tornado alley. She is a very cautious young lady who always likes to be prepared. She has a safety club and keeps a notebook about things to do when a hurricane strikes or a rattlesnake bites you.
In this humorous coming of age story, a family that takes God’s teachings to heart must struggle with a new house, new town, new school and all the challenges that come with it. On top of all that, her mother goes away to take care of Anna’s grandparents. Leaving her alone for a while with her preacher dad and some relatives she has never met.
This story is great fun and exciting, too. Third grade students will love the short chapters and wide margins on the pages, as will fourth and fifth grade readers. It will be a great read aloud story or can be a wonderful book club book. Readers of Katherine Paterson’s books will love this one, too.
Literacy classes can find many skills to study and reinforce throughout these pages that are all seasoned with laughter.
Title: Anna Was Here- Author: Jane Kurtz
- Publisher: HarperCollins, 2013
- Reviewer: Elizabeth Swartz
- Format: Hardcover, 288 pages
- ISBN: 978-0-06-056493-3
- Genre: Realistic fiction
