Books › The Pinballs
The Pinballs
First published 1992 · 221 pages
A big-hearted, unsentimental look at three bruised kids learning they aren't just bouncing randomly through life.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting on a sunlit porch with a bruised but resilient friend. It moves at a brisk, engaging pace, carried by prose that is remarkably direct and laced with a wry, defensive humor that perfectly captures the voice of a tough kid trying not to care. The mood is bittersweet but ultimately deeply hopeful, wrapping the reader in a grounded, warm atmosphere where emotional walls slowly crumble. It explores the heavy weight of neglect and the profound relief of found family without ever tipping into cloying sentimentality. This is a story for anyone who loves character-driven middle-grade fiction where prickly, vulnerable protagonists learn to stop letting fate bounce them around and finally take the flippers into their own hands.
- Mood
- bittersweet
- hopeful
- grounded
- warm
- Tone
- wry
- empathetic
- unsentimental
- humorous
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- found family · resilience · overcoming trauma · self-worth · illusion of control
- The writing
- Direct, accessible, and laced with sharp, character-driven humor that softens the heavy subject matter.
- The arc
- From defensive isolation and feeling at the mercy of fate to vulnerable connection and taking charge of one's own life.
- Who it's for
- Readers who appreciate realistic, character-driven stories about tough kids finding their soft spots and building their own families.
Content notes
- child neglect
- parental abandonment
- physical abuse
- alcoholism
About the book
Three lonely foster children learn to care about themselves and about each other.
"Cornerstone books."
Description from Open Library.
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