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  • Published: 3 January 2017
  • ISBN: 9780553497311
  • Imprint: RHUS Children's Books
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 288
  • RRP: $17.99

The Seventh Most Important Thing




Now in paperback, Shelley Pearsall's moving story of a grieving boy's crime and his hard-won redemption.

This “luminescent” (Kirkus Reviews) story of anger and art, loss and redemption will appeal to fans of Lisa Graff’s Lost in the Sun and Vince Vawter’s Paperboy.

NOMINATED FOR 16 STATE AWARDS!
AN ALA NOTABLE BOOK
AN ILA TEACHERS CHOICE
A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
 
Arthur T. Owens grabbed a brick and hurled it at the trash picker. Arthur had his reasons, and the brick hit the Junk Man in the arm, not the head. But none of that matters to the judge—he is ready to send Arthur to juvie forever. Amazingly, it’s the Junk Man himself who offers an alternative: 120 hours of community service . . . working for him.
 
Arthur is given a rickety shopping cart and a list of the Seven Most Important Things: glass bottles, foil, cardboard, pieces of wood, lightbulbs, coffee cans, and mirrors. He can’t believe it—is he really supposed to rummage through people’s trash? But it isn’t long before Arthur realizes there’s more to the Junk Man than meets the eye, and the “trash” he’s collecting is being transformed into something more precious than anyone could imagine. . . .
 
Inspired by the work of folk artist James Hampton, Shelley Pearsall has crafted an affecting and redemptive novel about discovering what shines within us all, even when life seems full of darkness.
 
“A moving exploration of how there is often so much more than meets the eye.” —Booklist, starred review
 
“There are so many things to love about this book. Remarkable.” —The Christian Science Monitor

  • Published: 3 January 2017
  • ISBN: 9780553497311
  • Imprint: RHUS Children's Books
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 288
  • RRP: $17.99

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Praise for The Seventh Most Important Thing

★ "Luminescent."--Kirkus Reviews, Starred

★ "A moving exploration of how there is often so much more than meets the eye."--Booklist, Starred

★ "Pearsall has struck just the right tone by imbuing her well-rounded, interesting characters with authentic voices and pacing the action perfectly." -- School Library Journal, Starred

"There are so many things to love about this book. Remarkable."--Christian Science Montior

"Pearsall shows us that hope isn't somewhere "out there"--it's quite literally in our own two hands." --Jen Bryant, author of A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin.

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