Just finished this gem and loved it! I kept stealing away to silent places to read. I couldn't put it down, and I totally wanted to know what Perry had up his sleeve next. And boy, that is one big, curious sleeve!
Leslie Connor crafted a winner in All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook. Living in a room near his mother's in a correctional facility, Perry helps the "residents" wake each morning, meanders around the prison with caution and permission, and helps out when he can. He is a friend to all, and the inmates treasure it. His mother is a resident there, and the warden welcomed Perry's arrival without a worry of the unusual living experiences in a prison. Set in the fall, the story opens with Perry heading off to a new school year, camera for taking pictures to show his incarcerated mother Jessica in tow. Lucky for him, he has his best friend in class with him. Sort of. Best friend Zoey is a keeper for sure, especially for a kid who gets bullied because his mother is a prisoner. But Zoey's stepdad is the DA for the county, and when he gets wind of a kid living in a prison, he brings all of his lawyer power into play. Taking Perry out of prison living is one thing, but he delays Jessica's parole hearing indefinitely, turning all plans for Perry and Jessica to live on the "outside" upside down. With all sorts of helpers in many places, Perry interviews inmates for a school project, uncorking more surprises. As he gathers data and evidence, Perry succeeds in proving that the DA is not as supportive as he says he is. But will he get a chance to show others how off-target VanLeer is?
A great read, Leslie Connor has a new fan in me!
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