An illuminating and moving story of family and community facing homelessness. We alternate between two protagonists between June and Tyrell, two teenagers residing in Huey House. June, her younger sister Maybelle and her mother move into Huey House, a family homeless shelter after being evicted from their home. June is trying to come to terms with their situation and steps up in caring for her younger sister Maybelle as her mother falls into depression and becomes uncommunicative. Tyrell and his mother have been living in Huey House for three years. He has accepted and is content with life in Huey House due to his relationship with the Huey community. After a rocky meet between Tyrell and June, their bond flourish into a friendship. Their lives are threatened after a housing policy change is implemented aiming to reduce homelessness by moving families out within 90 days upon families arrival to the shelter. Tyrell, June and the community will have to work together to stand up against the government to rescind this unjust policy before the family of Huey House will be forced to move out before they are ready to.

Per the author Karina Yan Glaser's notes, this story materialized from her personal experience working at a homeless shelter and her advocacy in homeless issues and policies. There is rarely much representation in children's/middle grade books on homelessness in children's perspectives. Most importantly, homelessness issues are represented as the voiceless statistics. Glaser went against this stigma and created vibrant and colorful voices to all of the Huey residents. By providing voice and diverse characterizations, Glaser humanized these individuals. I am grateful to the author for addressing this essential issue and providing voice to the voiceless. The government and we as a society need to change our perspectives in reference to homeless statistics and concerns. We have to remember these are lives we are speaking of. This book resonated so much with me because it is evident that homelessness has always been an issue but the situation is ever growing. There are a lot of talking points from our government on how to tackle homelessness but there is always a disconnect when addressing these individuals. Glaser beautifully stitched a story as a reminder how individuals all hope, dream and pursue happiness alike to us. Stories are a powerful tool that brings forth awareness and empathy but most importantly shapes our perspectives and our way of life. As this story does touch upon some dark, serious topics, there's a hopeful tone that rings through in the entirety of this novel. This book is full of compassion and love but most importantly an eye-opening experience for all ages which is a reminder for individuals deemed to have 'fallen between the cracks' are no longer considered 'invisible' in society. Highly recommended to all. This story is filled with so much heart, warmth and moving sentiments that provided me with many moments of tears and smiles.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clarion Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Clarion Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of A Duet for Home.

This is the sixth book I have read by Karina Yan Glaser and I say keep 'em comin'! Everything she writes for middle-grade readers seems to be a gem. In this stand-alone, a sixth-grader name June has just moved into Huey House, a homeless shelter. Since her father died in an accident, her mother has stopped talking and June has had to take on the role of parent for herself and her younger sister. At Huey House, June meets a wonderful cast of characters who work together to make the world better for their city's homeless. I really enjoyed this one!

A Duet for Home is phenomenal. It provides an excellent window into the lives of those battling homelessness for those who have never experienced it; and a mirror for those who have. The characters are easy to connect with, and it's full of many positive themes about activism and community.

My kids and I listened to this on audio and loved it. Just confirmed that she is a favorite author of ours. This book was very well done to tell the story of kids living in a homeless shelter.

I really cannot say enough good things about A Duet for Home. It follows two pre-teen kids who are living in a homeless shelter called Huey House. They bond over a love for music, shared contexts, and a newfound need to use their voices to stand up for their community. It’s a tale about the power of friendship and human connection, resiliency and determination for sure. But the thing that stuck with me over everything else, I think, is the powerful, vivid reminder that our youth are capable of, well, everything. When they feel seen, heard, supported, they can stand up and make change. They can heal divides. They are forced to be reckoned with that deserve love and opportunity not only on the micro level in their families and communities but on the more macro level by our society.

A Duet for Home is remarkable and I’m so grateful I got a chance to read it! Thank you to Clarion Books for the e-arc. I hope this ends up in school libraries everywhere!

“A Duet for Home” takes a look at homelessness in a way that will help middle grade readers understand and be more empathetic to those around them. June has just moved into Huey House, a homeless shelter, with her mom and little sister. Her dad’s death has taken a toll on her moms mental health and they couldn’t pay their rent anymore. At first,June isn’t sure what to expect at Huey House. Then she meets Tyrell and Jeremiah who have lived there for 3 1/2 years. Despite a slight mishap the first day, June, Tyrell, & Jeremiah quickly bacons best friends. When they discover the new mayor and city manager have a plan to move all families out of the homeless shelter within 90 days, they have to find a way to stop the plan. Not only are most of the families not ready, but they are being moved into unsafe housing far away from their jobs. As the kids try to fight back, they learn a lot about themselves and each other. Their friendships become stronger and the families at the shelter all work together to help stop the mayor’s plan.

Karina Yan Glaser is an amazing author that shines a light on many problems, such as homelessness, in a real way that kids can understand. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Middle school student June Yang’s life suddenly changes when her family is evicted from their New York apartment after her dad dies in an accident. With a mom who spends her days in bed and a younger sister who needs her, June feels the weight of responsibilities pressing in. When June’s family is given a room at a homeless shelter, June feels hopeless. What will happen to them? Find out in this heartwarming story of friendship, caring, and courage.

I am such a sucker for these kinds of books, especially when children are facing a tough road (through no fault of their own) and there are adults who are extra good, extra kind, and bend the rules a little (in a good way). This book totally pulled on my heartstrings: we have a tragically dead parent, a grieving absent parent, a not-so-good-in-a-bureaucratic-way adult, then all those sweet, kind adults, and a main character who is spunky and smart and just everything I'd want an older sister to be.

I will read anything Karina Yan Glaser writes and I will constantly press her books into my students hands. This one is no different! We love the Vanderbeekers series in my school library and I am thrilled to be able to add this one to the collection as well. She writes in such a way as to really relate to her middle grade readers, and allows kids to really read & experience situations that might be different from their own. This book is a great example of this--homelessness, grief, friendship--Yan Glaser is able to take tough subjects and bring them down to a level that kids and adults can understand and learn from. I loved this poignant tale of two kids living in a homeless shelter and trying to find their way. Sensitive and heartbreaking, yet hopeful at the same time.

Quick Summary: Thought-provoking and heartwarming

My Review: A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser was truly a deep and thought provoking story. It stirred my heart, even making me tearful several times. It spoke of family, tragedy, heartbreak, mental health, friendship, loss, justice, and more. In the end, it was a story about finding home and discovering the rhythm of life.

My Final Say: This book has easily earned a place on my favorites shelf. It is worthy of being revisited again and again.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: YA

Much appreciation is expressed to the author, to the publisher, and to NetGalley who provided access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have expressed are my own and have not been influenced by the aforementioned in any way.

* A Goodreads review has been posted.

I have absolutely love Karina Yan Glaser's work, she’s become a favorite author of mine. Reading A Duet for Home gave me so much more appreciation for her writing I’m just so glad I came across her writing all these years ago with ‘The Vanderbeekers’.
A Duet for home touches on topics of homelessness in the youth community, a topic not often heard about, but so important. Reading it brought me to tears more than once, and gave me a new sense of gratefulness for my own life. Because I can only imagine all the many stories like that of June and Tyrell’s all across the world, and it’s heartbreaking.
It also brought me to tears after remembering a story from my own life. When I was in grade school, I had a friend, who had just moved to town, whom I loved to play with and talk to, and I remember her mentioning she didn’t live with her parents, but I was so young I didn’t understand. Until one day, she stopped coming to school, and I realized years later that she likely was moved into a different shelter home.. I think about her often, and always hope she’s happy, healthy, and safe.
A beautiful story, so inspirational, so heart warming, and eye opening.
A novel I recommend to all readers, of all ages. This one is one you’ll remember always.

A Duet for Home was an emotional and beautifully written book with very important themes and messages. It addressed the issue of homelessness from the point of view of sixth-graders. The writing was very well done and so was the plot. Overall this was a great book and I would definitely recommend it!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the free e-arc!

This book about a Chinese girl, her mom, and her sister living in a homeless shelter in New York City allows 4th-6th grade student so see some of the issues facing homeless families as well as opening their eyes to how families become homeless. Glaser tells the story of June and the boys that she befriends at the shelter in a way that conveys the harshness of the world that they are navigating but also with a gentleness that will help young readers process the situation without feeling overwhelmed. There are some situations that won't seem plausible to adults but for the intended audience the situations bring the right balance of hope to a story that could have been much bleaker. This book should shine a light on homelessness and hopefully give readers a better understanding of an issue that has no easy solutions.

Karina Yan Glaser has done it again! She has a magical way when it comes to telling interesting, fun and touching stories about family and the difficulties they can go through. In a Duet for Home, we meet June and Maybelle, sisters who find themselves in a homeless shelter with their mother. There they learn more about friendship, finding their own strength, and finding understanding in each other's struggles.

This sweet story will be perfect for those that enjoy her other books,

This is a beautiful story. Young June, her little sister and mother are evicted from their apartment in Chinatown and end up in a homeless shelter in the Bronx. June's mother has lost touch with the world after the death of her husband, June's father. The shelter, though strange and uncomfortable at first, quickly becomes more welcoming. Then new city policies, in an election year, force changes to the shelter and residents are being rushed out of their safe environment into unsuitable houses. June learns valuable lessons about life, family, and friendship in this beautiful story written for young readers. The many faceted, diverse characters are not perfect but are relatable, accepting yet flawed and human in their quest for understanding and trying to create better lives for themselves.

Sometimes, tapping in to the books written for our children help us as adults. That is how I felt reading "A Duet for Home" by Karina Yan Glaser.

"A Duet for Home" tells the story of several extraordinary children, primarily June and Tyrell. What the two have in common is their current residency at Huey House, a homeless shelter.

Tyrell has been at Huey House for several years -- and finds it to be a relief compared to night's going hungry and the uncertainty of his previous situation. June, after the death of her father and the deep depression her mother has thus faced, is new to Huey House. Becoming the caretaker for both her mother and sister, June is handling more responsibility, sadness and stress than her years should warrant.

The story unfolds to show found family, community and the important of supporting your beliefs. As an adult reading this title, I was inspired to become more pro-active within my community. Since I received this book for free to review courtesy of NetGalley and Clarion Books, I have donated the cost of the book to my local Family Service League and have signed up so that I can donate more going forward.

A Duet for Home gives readers an intimate look at homelessness — the fears, hopes, dreams friendships and hoops homeless people have to jump through. It’s an excellent read that asks you to look beyond your own situation.

Author Karina Yan Glaser drew on her own experiences as a homeless shelter volunteer when writing A Duet for Home. And she tells this story with a sensitive hand. Struggling adults are not presented as villains but as human beings with flaws and potential. They are parents who are loved but are also imperfect.

Glaser’s main characters a complex and well-developed. Their friendship and the events that come from their relationships are the high point of the novel.

Clear and inviting writing make A Duet for Home a hopeful and heartfelt look at homelessness. It’s a fantastic read I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

I've loved all of the Vanderbeekers and was so excited to read the new book by Karina Yan Glaser's newest stand alone novel. I was not disappointed. This book deftly tackles some tough topics-homelessness, death of a parent, an incarcerated parent and mental health. None of these are covered in a heavy-handed way but deals with the emotions and effects of these issues. This book also details the effects that a strong emotional support systems gives all of us when dealing with tough times. Whether you've already loved the Vanderbeekers or this is your introduction to Karina, you won't regret this read.

It was refreshing to see a middle grade novel focus on two homeless children, and the complexities of them navigating homelessness as children. I loved the characters, especially June, Tyrell, and Maybelle. I have not read other books by this author, and was so impressed with this latest book! One of the things I loved the most about this book was the emphasis on community. Huey House, the homeless shelter that the children and their families live in, is special because of the community of the residents and the people who work at Huey House. I would recommend this book to anyone!
Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC and the opportunity to share my opinions on the book!

A lovely, emotional story about family, forgiveness, friendship, found family and being bigger than our circumstances.

June is an 11-year-old Chinese-American girl. Her family went through some tough times in the past months and June, her younger sister Maybelle and their mom ended up in a homeless shelter called Huey House. Here, she meets and befriends Tyrell, who's been living in Huey House for over three years, because his mom who can't hold down a job. June also connects with other inhabitants, like Jeremiah, Abuela, Marcus, or Ms G, who help her acclimatize and even introduce her to a brilliant (if moody) viola teacher.

It was a charming and emotional story which brings up some difficult subjects, like homelessness, death of a parent, depression and toxic family relationships, in a sensitive and approachable way. I enjoyed the characters, June was caring, patient and resilient and had a beautiful relationship with her sister, Maybelle, whose obsession with animals was as impressive as it was adorable. I liked how each member of the Huey House community faced different issues and how everyone was respectful and empathetic with each other.

It was interesting and insightful look at the homeless system in America, gentle but probing, highlighting the issues but giving the reader hope at the end.