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Three Pennies by Melanie Crowder



Three Pennies is a middle grade fiction novel by Melanie Crowder. Marin has been in foster care since she was four. But even now, at the age of eleven, she still can't believe her mother left her and isn't coming back. Determined to find answers, Marin researches ways to find the woman who gave her up years ago. But then, Marin is placed in a foster home that seems as though it could become a permanent home. Will she be okay with life working out differently than she originally planned?

Sex: None. Lucy, Marin's new foster mother, does mention that she was romantically involved with another woman. 

Language: None.

Drug/Alcohol Use: None.

Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There is child abandonment in this novel and that may be a trigger for some kids. There's a frightening scene with a natural disaster. A death that occurred before the events of this novel is discussed.

Final Note: I absolutely adored this book! I would even go so far as to predict it as a possible Newbery winner next year. Melanie Crowder gives a touching look at the foster care system from three different perspectives. I think it's a novel many middle grade students will enjoy. Also, there isn't any mature content, so I think it's appropriate for some younger students who read on a higher level.

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