The first in the Tillerman series, Homecoming follows the four Tillerman children after they are abandoned by their mentally ill mother in a car park. When she doesn’t come back they set out to find other relatives several states away. Thirteen-year-old Dicey, the eldest, is determined to keep them together and get them to safety. All the characters are well-drawn and easy to care about. Their struggles are plausible. While clearly set in an earlier time (it was first published in 1981), it remains a great read with relatable characters. The children’s love and care for each other enables a sometimes-grim book to remain enjoyable.