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The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas

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The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas
Written by Kimberly Willis Holt 
Henry Holt and Company, 2021. Fiction.

Seventh grader, Rylee Wilson, has lived in the small town of Antler Texas her entire life. She knows everyone in town and everyone knows her and she wouldn't have it any other way. Her world seems almost perfect until her best friend Twig leaves for the summer, to travel abroad.  After waiting all summer for Twig's return, Rylee is surprised when Twig begins to distance herself from Rylee. As their  friendship continues to spiral downward, a new boy named Joe Toscani moves to town. The citizens of Antler  discover that Joe and his mother left New York City after Joe's father, a firefighter, died at the twin towers during the 9/11 attack. Eventually Joe and Rylee begin a friendship as they search for Zachary Beaver, an old friend of Rylee's dad.

This book is a great companion story to the novel When Zachary Beaver Came to Town. It deals in a very real way, with the aftermath of the 9/11 attack on America and gives readers a glimpse of the impact this event had on the lives of  so many people. It is also a story about friendship and how friends can help you overcome the difficult times in your life.  This story will tug at your heartstrings as you go on a delightful journey with the ambassador of nowhere Texas.

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