Book about a lot of things. Friendship and mainly growing up I think. Nice story and thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

There are difficult topics and there are ones where socially we like to pretend they don't exist. Susin Nielsen has brought a hard topic, children who are homeless, to the forefront. Set in Vancouver, the homeless capital of Canada due to it's temperate weather, No Fixed Address is a moving and tear jerking story. I'm not a crier, and I tend to dislike books that are written to intentionally make readers cry (John Green and I are not friends). The difference here is that I wasn't crying by the end because of the story per say. I had tears thinking about any child being homeless at any given moment. Especially in my own home country of Canada.

Canada is not perfect
I try to read at least 15% Canadian authors in any given year. And I was pleased to see the Nielsen is Canadian. However, Nielsen has reminded me in No Fixed Address that Canada has many flaws that need to be worked on. Just being a first world, relatively nice and supportive member of the world does not make us better or without our struggles. We still have homelessness here; and it's no more acute than in Vancouver (where both my siblings happen to live). Between it's warm weather, it's close proximity to the USA border, and housing prices that are out of reach for households that make $100,000 a year; Vancouver is a very difficult place to have a warm, safe place to sleep in. It's the perfect setting for this story and Nielsen uses areas of Vancouver that are familiar and accurately depicts the city and it's residents. In 2017 it was reported that 35% of the homeless population in Vancouver never used drugs or abused alcohol. A stark difference from the stereotypes often given to this population.

Still Playful at Times
There are super cute illustrations at the front of the chapters that give a sense that while this is a heavy topic that these are still kids who just want to play outdoors and have fun. All of our child characters are well developed and significantly different. I liked how Nielsen showed that doctors might live in a condo in Vancouver (because housing prices are crazy!) and that other families might be in a small townhouse and all live in different areas of Vancouver. Because the school that our lead boy ends up at is 'coveted' there is a wonderful diversity to it. Just like most of Canada.

Anxiety, Smells, and Coping
No Fixed Address does a beautiful (yet tragic) job of focusing on the homelessness. There's no 'extra' trauma or issues to be resolved here; because there doesn't need to be. This is something that bugs me in a lot of teen books lately; they always have a focus issue and then some trauma to go with it. Nielsen does a great job of ensuring the homelessness is the focus and is never lost in any of the other teenage issues that come up. She ensures you know that smelling badly because you have no shower (or washroom of any sort!), nowhere to take your friends to after school, and starving many days is more than enough for one kid to deal with. it
Our lead boy shows extreme anxiety alongside some typical coping mechanisms throughout the book. He hiccups when too stressed or anxious, he counts or recites lists when he needs stability in his mind (this is exactly like many children that count steps or stairs; they do this because the counts never change and it makes them feel stable), and he is ashamed to tell anyone. In some ways the shame of being homeless is the hardest for our lead boy to accept. Top that off with a Mother that steals, cheats and lies; all the while somehow pretending her son is not aware? Our lead boy starts to gain some confidence throughout the story and call his Mother out for her bad behaviour. Those were some of the best (and saddest) moments of the story as you saw a 13-year-old tell an adult how childish and awful they were being.

Support Systems
Given the Canadian setting, in a large city, and that our lead boy attends school; I felt the outcome(s) of No Fixed Address fit would what likely happen in real life. Eventually people start to ask questions, including the other children, and then adults start noticing. This is the slow progression that happens in schools and communities when the bubble the parent thinks they have put their child in starts to deflate. Our lead boy also starts to realize that maybe he doesn't have to live this way. This is, of course, a turning point in the story.
I love how Nielsen portrays the system for support as being both good; but with it's flaws. This could not be a truer representation of how it goes. Some kids get into the system and do well; others don't. And some only ever see the edges of it. I won't tell you how it plays out here; except to say that I was content with the ending and that the refugee couple who are 'involved' a few times during our lead boys struggles were my absolute favourite people in the story. Just like in real life, those with the littlest to give are always the most generous.

Overall
I hope a copy of this book makes it to every single library (school or public) in Canada. It's truly a great story. Easy to read, fast paced and so genuine. Nielsen has shed light into how trapped children can be by their parents poor decisions and how easy it is to justify those bad decisions for the kids affected. I can't help but feel despair in how to help those who find themselves out on the streets. Especially when I know my brother was paying $1400+ for a one-bedroom, 450 sq. ft. apartment in downtown Vancouver just last year. That is at least one pay cheque (or more) for the average income earner. When more than 50% of your income goes to housing (and nothing else) where do you find the money for clothes, toiletries, food and other necessities? This is certainly not a question I can answer or an issue I can solve. However, I can only hope that others will read No Fixed Address and understand that many of these people are NOT drug users and have just been unlucky or have a mental health issue that brings them down. The one of the most poignant moments in the book is when the lead boy asks his mom where her "pills" are (used for depression as far as we can tell) and she tells him it was prescriptions or food this month. What a horrible decision to have to make.
The light and hope that peeks through in Nielsen's novel is just as important as the tough subject matter. A reminder that people should ask for help. That the despair, shame and fear they feel are all valid; but regardless the best thing to do is to ask for assistance. Especially when the quality of life and even survival of a child is on the line.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

This is a great story, with tons of emotions.

Felix is homeless, though he tries to hide it. He and his mother live in a van. He tries to keep that a secret from his friends, but it keeps coming back to haunt him that he has no address. His biggest fear was that he would be taken from his mother, so he had to keep it a secret.

Felix has a modern, complicated family. His parents were never together. His “father” was his mom’s gay friend who was a sperm donor. His grandparents have passed away, and his mom’s brother died of an overdose when she was a teenager. This all makes for a unique situation for Felix. Though he has had many hardships in his young life, Felix works hard toward his goal of being on a trivia game show.

I liked his narration style. Felix did a great job of explaining things about his family in an entertaining way. For example, he listed the different kinds of lies his mother tells, and he made acronyms for different things.

This is a great middle grade story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Books for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Susin Nielsen knows how to write books that tackle tough topics, and this latest middle grade read is no exception. Felix is living with his mom in a "borrowed" Westfalia van, though he thinks of himself as in between homes rather than homeless. His mom struggles to keep a job, but is convinced that their big break is just around the corner. When Felix is selected to participate in national trivia quiz show, he sees the prize money as his chance to get them into a stable place. But first he has to win the competition, convince his friends not to tell anyone about his situation, and avoid the past, and some of those things are just not possible.

What I liked best about this book is the community that Felix had to support him. Friends and unlikely allies frequently provided hope when times were bleak. I also really enjoyed Felix as a character, and the way he handled the obstacles that came his way. The realities that he faced (how to do laundry, where to use the bathroom, how to support a parent who struggles with mental health) would be eye-opening to many kids who haven't been faced with such challenges. I think there is potential for great discussion about this book, but it doesn't feel as if the lessons are forced. I have added it to my library's collection, and would recommend it to to others.

Susan Nielsen creates beautiful characters: individuals you believe in and care about. Felix and his mother, Astrid, are homeless. We learn this from the get go. The rest is the revealing of what happened to get them to this place and what might happen next.

I got my digital copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Here's the synopses from GoodReads:

Felix Knuttson, twelve, is an endearing kid with an incredible brain for trivia. His mom Astrid is loving but unreliable; she can't hold onto a job, or a home. When they lose their apartment in Vancouver, they move into a camper van, just for August, till Astrid finds a job. September comes, they're still in the van; Felix must keep "home" a secret and give a fake address in order to enroll in school. Luckily, he finds true friends. As the weeks pass and life becomes grim, he struggles not to let anyone know how precarious his situation is. When he gets to compete on a national quiz show, Felix is determined to win -- the cash prize will bring them a home. Their luck is about to change! But what happens is not at all what Felix expected.

I've never been homeless, but I have met people who, through no fault of their own, have ended up there. Here in Vancouver, B.C., where the story is situated, there is a dearth of low income housing. It's becoming a profound problem.

Who's fault is it here that Felix and his mom are homeless? His biological father has no money and was never expected to contribute financially anyway. Some might blame Astrid who seems to have serious interpersonal problems that get in the way of her holding down a job. We readers soon learn that she has slumps and anger issues, and as funds get tighter, stops taking her medication because she can't afford it. She sounds a lot like my bipolar sister without the manic bits. What's for certain is that she loves Felix and he loves her.

There is a lot going on in this book.
Poverty, homelessness, single parent family, absent father, and mental health are explored. There is a bit of bullying going on as well.

On the other hand, we see so much of the best in people. Felix's two best friends, Winnie and Dylan, oddballs themselves, are as stalwart as they come. At one point Felix tries to shoplift and gets caught. The immigrant owners of the shop discover that he is hungry and end up feeding him. His teachers are kind and authentic. Even the police officer who Felix is telling his story to does her best to reassure him and ensure that everything works out for the best for him and his mom.

I have so many favourite parts in this book, but one of them is near the end of the book when the three friends are arguing over who's belief is most credible. Felix concludes to himself, “I get why Winnie believes in God. I get why Dylan believes in Bernard. I get why I wanted to believe in Mel. It can give a person comfort, feeling that something mysterious and otherworldly is looking out for you.
But now I’m learning to have faith in something new. Something my mom stopped having faith in a long time ago.
Other people.”

Part of what makes this book so pleasurable to read is that it's set in my home town. When Felix talks about the places where he and his mother park their van, Spanish Banks in particular, I know them well and even imagine exactly where they might be.

I enjoyed every bit of this satisfying story. I'm not particularly fond of reading on my device, yet had a hard time putting the book down and was compelled to keep coming back to finish it. I was so deeply engaged that my eyes leaked copiously for the last twenty five pages or so. Go buy this book, yours might too.

I became interested in this book because of a shout put by Arthur Slade. He spoke so highly about it, I knew I had to give it a read. Being completely honest I had not encountered any of Susin Neilsen's works before giving this one a read, even in my years as a bookseller. As an introduction to her works this book was an incredible read. Once I started reading I could hardly put it down. This book is moving. It does an amazing job of capturing living with someone with mental health issues, and either being close to or living on the street.

This is the story of Felix Knuttson, a twelve year old boy with great skill at trivia. His other skill is covering for his mother. For the longest time it has just been him and his mom. His father has returned to the art scene in Toronto after realizing that he preferred men. His mother is an artist who has had some success, and a lot of failures. She seems to be able to land jobs but had a hard time keeping them. And she has proven to have a hard time at keeping a place for them. And that is where we begin with this novel. Felix and his mother have been living in a van. They have moved it around. Felix is trying to hold it together at school and help keep his mother together. What starts as a few weeks in a van stretches, and stretches, from a summer novelty, to school returning, and fall turning to winter. Felix has a chance to compete on a national quiz show. The weekly episodes are pre-filmed, but the finale is aired live. Some secrets are just too hard to keep in.

Many years ago, I was in a place where each month I wondered if I would have a roof over my head at the end of the month. I cannot imagine being in that place and being a youth looking after a parent. But I know that it happens. This book does an incredible job of capturing that. In university and after I lived with a few friends who have struggled with mental health. Watching them spiral down and not being able to do anything is a terrible feeling. Nielsen has captured that feeling perfectly.

This novel is written for a Middle Grade or Young Adult audience, but I am sure it will transcend those genres. But by combining the underlying themes of split families, depression, mental health, and homelessness it touches on so many issues in contemporary society. This is an amazing read that will help you look at the world a little differently.

Susin Nielsen has created another wonderfully touching character that is relatable, brave, headstrong, and real. The background story is real but comfortable to explain to young readers. The only disappointment (which I never had with Susin's previous books) is with Felix's mother. Could more have been elaborated about his mother? I felt angry towards this character because she couldn't be mature about the matter, yet was I suppose to feel this way? Could I have lessened this resentment towards her had I known more about what drives her? This is an excellent novel for parents and young readers to discuss together.

THIS IS A PRE-ORDER MUST-HAVE! No Fixed Address is due for release on September 11. I can see why Susin Nielsen is referred to as "the John Green of Canada". With her authentic grasp of the teen psyche, she is able to tackle heavy topics without overwhelming the reader. I love how books like this provide an opportunity for discussions around mental health, homelessness and fitting in. I was excited to learn that earlier in her career, Nielsen was a writer for the hit tv series Degrassi Junior High (one of my favourites as a tween)! It totally makes sense! Of course I gravitate to her books... mainly because of The Reluctant Journal of Henry K Larsen and We are All Made of Molecules.
Felix and his unreliable mother are living in a camper van in the Vancouver area after being evicted from their apartment. With Astrid's flair for manipulation, Felix is able to register for seventh grade at a school by providing a false address. He attempts to safeguard his life outside of school, plagued by the fear of exposing his mother and losing her forever. Your heart will break for Felix as he struggles to maintain a "normal school life" as his street life gradually begins to overshadow him. The embarrassment, anxiety and complicated feelings about his mother consume Felix, revealing a substantive character. Kids that loved Kate Messner's Exact Location of Home will be excited about Nielsen's similar writing themes and style. I cannot WAIT to buy this one for our library. Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of #NoFixedAddress. Definitely an essential purchase for the fall.

"No Fixed Address" is an excellent story of a boy and his mom's struggle with homelessness in Vancouver. It deals with systemic issues that make it difficult for those who are under resourced or who have been going through a rough time.

Like all good stories, it gives one a window into another person's life and experiences - a chance to walk in someone else's shoes. While not a "true story," it is a true story in that it these issues pervasively affect people around us, and we may not even be truly aware of it. This is a great book for discussion, is really well written and would be a great book for upper middle grade through to adulthood.

Some parents may want to know that there are a few sexual references. Nothing explicit, mostly eluded to but for that reason I think this book leans more towards YA than Middle Grade.

A really great book that I will be recommending to others!

Thank you to #NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The book is due to be published on September 11, 2018 and I am going to make sure I have a hard copy in hand as soon after it’s released as possible.
I loved this book!!!
Well, I cried over this book and I laughed at other parts.
It is a story that is played out in one form or another far too often in our country, and in others.
Through no—or little—fault of their own, twelve year old Felix and his mom Astrid find themselves living in a ‘borrowed’ van. In Felix’s eyes, this does not make them homeless. What he misses most is a bathroom to call his own!
He still manages to reconnect with an old friend and make a new one in a later immersion French program at a local school.
He is very smart and applies to be on the junior edition of a popular quiz program. This is a goal he sticks to with an astonishing tenaciousness, despite coming across more obstacles than come be dealt with.
Always in the background is the threat of the MCFD (Ministry of Children and Family Development), Felix’s ‘monster under the bed’ that threatened to pull the little family apart—and also make it impossible for him to share his story with others.
With all of this struggle, Felix is a genuinely compassionate person, who usually looks out for others more than himself.
The book is described as for a middle school aged audience. However, the story is much broader. Like the best writing for this age group, there is plenty in the story for adults as well. Read it. You will not be sorry you did!