Genie and Ernie, two brothers from Brooklyn, NY, go to visit their grandparents in rural Virginia for a month, while their parents have some time together to reconcile their relationship. For both of these city boys, the learning curve is high. Their grandmother isn’t going to let them sit around and do nothing; there are chores to be done.
Their grandfather is blind and highly functional, but mysteriously never goes out of the house. There is the inside out room, his secret room, a sanctuary full of plants and birds. Genie decides he needs to know what is inside the room. This leads to some clandestine evening activities.
A strange yellow house in the woods, a steep hill that leads down to a neighbor, and the man who sells teeth at the local flea market all add some fun and colorful events throughout the main storyline. When Ernie’s birthday comes, courage is called upon from all.
This is a wonderfully written book about brothers, city children, and learning about family, honesty, and rural life.
Happy reading!
Kay Gibson, Oak Meadow K-8 Director
P.S. Want even more book recommendations? We love A Mighty Girl's collection of books celebrating Black Mighty Girls and Women from the past and today. Explore the collection >