From Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli (Maniac Magee, Stargirl) comes the knockout story of a girl who must come to terms with her mother s death from inside the walls of a prison. Cammie O Reilly is the warden s daughter, living in an apartment above the entrance to the Hancock County Prison. But she s also living in a prison of grief and anger about the mother who died saving her from harm when she was just a baby. And prison has made her mad. This girl s nickname is Cannonball. In the summer of 1959, as twelve turns to thirteen, everything is in flux. Cammie s best friend is discovering lipstick and American Bandstand. A child killer is caught and brought to her prison. And the only mother figures in her life include a flamboyant shoplifter named Boo Boo and a sullen reformed arsonist of a housekeeper. All will play a role in Cammie s coming-of-age. But one in particular will make a staggering sacrifice to ensure that Cammie breaks free from her past. Master storyteller Jerry Spinelli spins a tale of loss and redemption like no other. The Warden s Daughter shows that kindness and compassion can often be found where we least expect it.


About the Author:

JERRY SPINELLI is the author of many books for young readers, including Stargirl; Love, Stargirl; Milkweed; Crash; Wringer; Maniac Magee, winner of the Newbery Medal; and Knots in My Yo-Yo String, his autobiography. A graduate of Gettysburg College, he lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, poet and author Eileen Spinelli.