On the Road to Mr. Mineo's - Tapa dura

"O'Connor sets the stage beautifully from the very beginning. . . touching and satisfying." --School Library Journal, starred review

"Friendship and sibling dynamics get heated at times, but O'Connor's light touch keeps the story buoyant, leading up to an ending as satisfying as a cold glass of iced tea on a hot summer afternoon." --Publishers Weekly

"[O'Connor] condenses long summer days down into their essence, quiet but humming with an undercurrent of childhood energy." --Kirkus

"Rhythmic prose." --BCCB

"With total authorial control, O'Connor brings it all together, first creating a quiet, satisfying adventure and then an apt conclusion for peaceful, laidback Meadville. Here it is the subtlety of character and setting, rather than action, that rules the roost." --Horn Book

"...a gem of a story....Barbara O'Connor's gift in storytelling is her restraint. Holding back allows the reader to fill in a bit, making the story more personal. Her talents make On the Road to Mr. Mineo'san unforgettable trip." --Book Page

"Read it aloud to a classroom. Share the book at bedtime with a special child. Wrap it for the holidays. This one's a keeper." --Christian Science Monitor

Summer days drift by slowly in Meadville, South Carolina--that is, until Sherman the one-legged pigeon flies into town and causes a ruckus. First Stella, who's been begging for a dog, spots him on top of a garage roof and decides she wants him for a pet. Then there's Ethel and Amos, an old couple who sees the pigeon in their barn keeping company with a little brown dog that barks all night. The pigeon lands smack in the middle of Mutt Raynard's head, but he's the town liar, so no one believes him. And when Stella's brother Levi and his scabby-kneed, germ-infested friends notice the pigeon, they join the chase, too. Meanwhile, across town, Mr. Mineo has one less homing pigeon than he used to...

Barbara O'Connor has delivered another ingeniously crafted story full of southern charm, kid-sized adventures, and quirky, unforgettable characters.

This title has Common Core connections.