Sleeping in My Jeans

Product Description

Sixteen-year-old Mattie Rollins has it all figured out. She’ll ace her advanced high school courses, earn a college scholarship, and create a new life for herself and her family. There’s no time for distractions—no friends, no fun, and especially no boys.
But Mattie’s brilliant plan crumbles after first becoming homeless, forcing her family to live in the confines of their beat-up station wagon, Ruby, and then the mysterious disappearance of her mother. With life against her at every turn and fewer options every day, Mattie and her kid sister must learn how to live—not just survive—in their uncertain circumstances while racing to discover the truth behind their mother’s disappearance. Mattie will have to find the strength to keep searching for her mother and to keep her dreams alive before they both slip away forever.

Review

Ms. Leonard has provided us with page after page of unforgettable characters and a sobering, heartfelt look at the sometimes sudden onset of childhood homelessness and the hidden dangers of human trafficking. Mattie is fiercely resilient, Meg is charming, and though the mother is flawed―as most mothers are―one thing we never doubt is the love she has for her children. The ending is uplifting and gives us a huge dose of hope―hope that Mattie and her family will somehow beat the odds. — Brenda Woods

With unforgettable characters and fraught conflicts, Connie King Leonard gives urgent voice to those who fall through the ever-widening gaps in our social safety net. Her tale of two sisters fending for themselves in the face of domestic violence and homelessness will break your heart but also fill you with a sturdy hope born of resilience. Sleeping in My Jeans is a tender, compassionate portrayal of a family in crisis. — Scott Nadelson

I finished this book in an afternoon! There was no leaving Mattie Rollins in the midst of her quest for safety and no reading the novel without falling in love with her. Sleeping In My Jeans captures the innocent, insightful lyricism of adolescence. Through Mattie’s voice, Leonard is able to tell a story that neither sensationalizes nor minimizes the challenges faced by homeless families. Definitely one of the best novels about teenage homelessness, Sleeping in My Jeans would make a wonderful addition to any middle school library or high school reading list. — Karelia Stetz-Waters

Mattie, 16; her 6-year-old sister, Meg; and her single mother have been kicked out of her mother’s boyfriend’s apartment and are now living in their car. Mattie’s main goal has always been to get straight As in school so she might be able to get a free ride to college, but now she is focused on staying safe and taking care of Meg. She keeps her situation secret, with no explanations when she leaves early every day and goes to the library with Meg while her mother works. One day, however, her mother drops them off at school and never returns to pick them up. Mattie has to think fast to find shelter and look for her mother, following every grim lead she can think of while keeping her fears from Meg. Leonard packs a lot into her debut novel: homelessness, food insecurity, the vicious cycle of poverty, and human trafficking. Although Mattie’s sleuthing is a little too neat, her first-person, present-tense narrative is compelling and vivid, and her compassionate characterization is remarkable. ― Donna Scanlon — Donna Scanlon

What makes an honors student panhandle on the corner? What causes a college bound teen to be caught up in the arms of a sex trafficker? Author Connie King does a masterful job of showing just how quickly the gap between the haves and the have-nots spreads when life takes a turn for the worst. Sleeping in My Jeans is a story that details the impossible options we might have if we lost our home, our stability and our trust in the people around us. If you’ve ever wondered why people live on the street, Connie King Leonard can show you how easy it is to