Raven in a Dove House - Couverture rigide

"This is family helping family . . . C’mon, Nell, be good to your own flesh and blood."

It’s summer vacation, and twelve-year-old Nell has gone upstate to spend a month with Aunt Ursa and cousin Foley. Daddy thinks this annual visit is good for Nell—gets her out of the city and gets some of Aunt Ursa’s home cooking in her belly. Nell thinks her dad just wants some time alone with his girlfriend. But visiting Aunt Ursa and Foley also means seeing Foley’s best friend, Slade. And that puts a smile on Nell’s face, even when she tries to stay cool.

Nell is enjoying the lazy days of summer, especially Foley’s antics and Slade’s flirty talk . . . until the boys surprise her with a frightening request. They want her to hide Foley’s Raven .25—a pistol her cousin got through a gun-running scheme—in her old dollhouse. Nell doesn’t know what to do. Suddenly, she doesn’t trust anyone, even herself. But when tragedy strikes, she knows she can’t handle it on her own.
 

"[A] poignant and ultimately uplifting coming-of-age story. . . Pinkney’s characters emerge complex and real in this tale of home-town pride and family loyalty."—Publishers Weekly

"Shifting moods, increasing tension, and a well-defined setting make this novel compelling and thought-provoking for readers. . . . A good read."—School Library Journal

"A rare look into the heart of a twelve-year-old girl as she balances the very real dangers of modern living against the unabashed joys of being in a close-knit black family. The author allows her characters to walk that dangerous edge between morality and adventure, which leads to insight."—Walter Dean Myers, Printz Award-winning author of Monster

"It’s easy to fall in love with Nell and all the Gradys. Ms. Pinkney has the touch for healing and family recognition. . . . She makes you know that after tears, there’s laughter, and everything else is bound to be all right."—Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis