This book has been graded for interest at 9-12 years.

There are 240 pages in this book. This book was published 1999 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers .

Virginia Hamilton's many awards include the Newbery Medal and National Book Award for M. C. Higgins the Great ; the Coretta Scott King Medal for The People Could Fly ; and the Hans Christian Andersen Award for the body of her work.