Junior Library Guild Selection * Kids’ Indie Next List Pick

From Leslie Connor, award-winning author of Waiting for Normal and Crunch, comes a soaring and heartfelt story about love, forgiveness, and how innocence makes us all rise up. All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook is a powerful story, perfect for fans of Wonder and When You Reach Me.

Eleven-year-old Perry was born and raised by his mom at the Blue River Co-ed Correctional Facility in tiny Surprise, Nebraska. His mom is a resident on Cell Block C, and so far Warden Daugherty has made it possible for them to be together. That is, until a new district attorney discovers the truth—and Perry is removed from the facility and forced into a foster home.

When Perry moves to the “outside” world, he feels trapped. Desperate to be reunited with his mom, Perry goes on a quest for answers about her past crime. As he gets closer to the truth, he will discover that love makes people resilient no matter where they come from . . . but can he find a way to tell everyone what home truly means?

Social Justice for Kids: A thought-provoking look at the justice system, innocence, and family, told from the perspective of an eleven-year-old boy who calls a prison home.
A Powerful Friendship: When Perry is sent to the “outside,” his bond with his best friend Zoey becomes his lifeline as he navigates a new school and a new life.
Forced into Foster Care: After a new district attorney tears Perry away from his mother, he must adjust to living with the very family responsible for their separation.
A Quest for the Truth: Desperate to be reunited, Perry searches for answers about his mom’s past crime, discovering that hope can thrive in the most unexpected places.