Address Unknown
By Charles B. Warren
A Brief Synopsis of Address Unknown:
When Marshall's single mother loses her job, the family has to live in a car. In this sensitive and thought-provoking novel for youthful readers, seventh-grader Marshall wrestles with the usual ups and downs of friendship, family life, and school--along with an unexpected problem: homelessness.
As he struggles to resolve this crisis, Marshall is challenged to discover new truths about himself, his friends, his school, and his community.
Why I wrote Address Unknown:
It came to my attention through reading several articles that there are a number of homeless students in our schools. "Our" schools means in the schools in all parts of the United States. These students are often bullied and misunderstood by adult school staff and other students.
For example, a student might not have been able to take a bath for several days or get their clothes washed. Hygiene products might not be available. Perhaps getting homework done was just impossible. Students who are not clean or don't have nice looking clothes are often made fun of or ignored.
This story is an effort to help others understand the difficulties homelessness can cause and to understand that becoming homeless can happen to just about anyone--it's not due to laziness, but usually to circumstances beyond the control of the adults involved such as a debilitating illness or a tragic accident.
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I wrote this book for middle school readers however, it is enjoyed by adults of all ages!
Hopefully, this story will also help those who are going through the homeless experience to know they are not alone.
The questions at the back of the book are to begin conversations in a classroom or other group or for one to think about on their own.
Perhaps you can increase your understanding of homelessness and figure out some way you can be of help.