Wing Nut by MJ Auch

12-year-old Grady Flood has moved around constantly with his mother since his father died 7 years before. They never have enough money, but Grady's mom, beautiful red-headed Lila, always thinks things will work out for the best. At the beginning of the book, they are living on a commune, but decide to leave when Lila finally realizes she's being taken advantage of by the other residents. They head out in their old car that's held together by duct tape. Of course the car breaks down, and they walk for miles until they reach a run-down diner where the kindly owners tell them about a mechanic who might be able to fix their car, and a job Lila may be able to get as a cook for an old man who lives alone. The old man is a crotchety guy who just wants to be left alone, but he starts teaching Grady about the purple martins he takes care of. I really liked this book - it was touching and believable. The relationships between the characters in the book are rocky, but in the end, they manage to work things out. Reveiw by Stacy Church