Looking for X by Deborah Ellis

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ellis, Deborah. 1999. Looking for X.. Toronto, Ontario: Groundwork Books, Douglas and McIntyre. ISBN 0-88899-378-1

PLOT SUMMARY
In this book, a young girl of eleven helps her mom care for her 5-year-old brothers with autism. She plans on becoming a world explorer with her favorite possession being an atlas. Khyber choose her name from the Khyber Pass, a place she wants to visit one day. The name her mother gave her is considered unspeakable. Khyber loves her family. She is responsible and mature in her ability to care for her brothers. When the decision to place her brothers in a home with professionals is made, Khyber is upset and resentful.

Advancement of two grades in school has left her without friends her own age. A homeless woman called X is on her list of friends. X is a homeless woman that doesn't talk much and carries an empty suitcase. X thinks the secret police are looking for her and has few people she can trust. X trusts Khyber and will eat the peanut butter sandwiches that Kyhber brings her.
A gang of skinheads in the park beats Khyber and X. When the school is vandalized, Khyber’s problems with her teacher make her a suspect. Khyber doesn’t want to tell her mother that she was in a fight so she spends the night on the street among the homeless searching for X so she can clear her name. Kyhber is fortunate to find new friends that help her get home.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Looking for X, gives readers an idea of what it be like to be homeless. Ellis writes in a 'matter of fact tone' that is realistic to the character of the book. The characters in the book are interesting and believable. Readers will like Khyber and identify with her even if they haven’t experienced the life of living on public assistance and caring for siblings with autism. The mother is loving and is determined to raise her daughter with values. The mothers love for Khyber and her brothers are the foundation for Khyber’s strength and determination. I would recommend reading Looking for X and other books by Deborah Ellis.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
School Library JournalGrade 6-8-Eleven-year-old Khyber lives with her mother and autistic twin brothers in a low-income area in Toronto. In addition to her problems at school (she skipped two grades and doesn't fit in), she deals with her mother's decision to send her brothers to a group home, some menacing skinheads, a false accusation of vandalism that gets her expelled, and a search for her homeless friend, "X." Khyber loves her family and gladly goes beyond what one would expect of a child in order to help her mother and "X." Her friends are an odd assortment of characters, all adults. There are just too many quirks and issues to make this book believable. Some aspects of the plot are far-fetched and everything falls into place just a little too neatly at the end. On the other hand, all of the characters seem real and natural. Khyber is a likable protagonist and readers will appreciate how she copes with her issues. If they can accept some of the improbable circumstances, they will enjoy the story.Leslie Ann Lacika, Dingman-Delaware Middle School, Dingman's Ferry, PA Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Booklist"I call myself Khyber after the Khyber Pass in Afghanistan," says the feisty 11-year-old protagonist of Ellis' fine first novel. Khyber fantasizes about visiting the Pass and other exotic places to escape the harsh realities of her life, including her odd-girl-out status at school. Living on public assistance with her single mom and five-year-old autistic twin brothers, Khyber retreats emotionally from others, trusting only a few adults, including a mysterious, homeless woman whom Khyber names X. Later, skinheads rough up Khyber and X, and at the same time, some school windows are broken. When Khyber is blamed for the vandalism, she must find X to corroborate the attack and provide an alibi. It would be easy for the book to drown in bleakness, but Khyber's strong spirit and believable personality will draw readers in and make them wonder about the characters' future adventures. Anne O'MalleyCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

CONNECTIONS
*Ellis, Deborah. Breadwinner Groundwood Books ISBN 0888994168
*Ellis, Deborah. The Heaven Shop. Oxford University Press ISBN 0192754351