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      The Pinballs

      by Betsy Byars / Betsy Cromer Byars
      Published
      Mar 1977
      Main Genre
      General Fiction General Fiction
      Rating
      Pages
      144
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      About This Book

      From Newbery-winning author Betsy Byars comes a story full of "poignancy, perception, and humor" (The Chicago Tribune), about three foster kids who learn what it takes to make a family. 

      You can't always decide where life will take you—especially when you're a kid.

      Carlie knows she's got no say in what happens to her. Stuck in a foster home with two other kids, Harvey and Thomas J, she's just a pinball being bounced from bumper to bumper. As soon as you get settled, somebody puts another coin in the machine and off you go again.

      But against her will and her better judgment, Carlie and the boys become friends. And all three of them start to see that they can take control of their own lives.

      Genres & Themes

      Genres

      General Fiction

      Age Level

      Kids (12 & Under) Kids: Middle Grade

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      Paperback

      Paperback edition cover
      Paperback
      Jan 1977 Scholastic ISBN 0590057596
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      Paperback
      Sep 1979 Scholastic ISBN 0590337858
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      Trade Paperback
      Oct 1986 Scholastic ISBN 0590407287
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      Sep 1992 Anchorage Press (UK) ISBN 0876023014
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      May 1996 HarperCollins ISBN 0064471500
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      Jan 2004 HarperTrophy ISBN 0064401987
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      Jul 2019 HarperCollins ISBN 0062881787
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      Hardcover

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      First Edition Jan 1977 HarperCollins ISBN 0060209178
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      Jan 1977 HarperCollins ISBN 0060209186
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      Apr 1979 MacMillan (UK) ISBN 0333260074
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      Jan 1992 William Heinemann (UK) ISBN 0435123823
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      Sep 1992 Turtleback Books ISBN 0881032387
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      Sep 1992 Perfection Learning ISBN 0812431316
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      eBook

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      Jan 2012 Harper ISBN 0062239449
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      Jul 2012 HarperCollins ISBN B008B0STPO
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      Audio

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      Audio Cassette
      Nov 1988 Listening Library ISBN 080728503X
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      Audio Cassette
      Mar 1995 Recorded Books ISBN 0788704346
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      Feb 2009 Recorded Books ISBN B001U8T3KY
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      Jun 2012 Recorded Books ISBN 1402504640
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      Large Print

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      Hardcover
      Jan 1988 Cornerstone Books ISBN 1557360286
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