The Seventh Most Important Thing

In 1963, thirteen-year-old Arthur Owens throws a brick at the local Junk Man after spotting him wearing his recently deceased father's hat. Instead of juvenile detention, Arthur receives an unusual sentence - he must work for the Junk Man collecting seven specific items from the trash. The Junk Man, James Hampton, puts Arthur to work gathering materials like foil, lightbulbs, and mirrors for a mysterious project. During his court-mandated community service, Arthur begins to learn about Hampton's vision and the true purpose behind collecting these seemingly worthless objects. As Arthur assists with Hampton's work, he discovers connections between art, faith, redemption and the power of finding beauty in unexpected places. This historical fiction novel draws inspiration from the real-life artist James Hampton and his enigmatic artwork "The Throne of the Third Heaven." The novel explores themes of grief, judgment, and the transformative nature of both art and human connection. Through Arthur's journey from anger to understanding, the story demonstrates how perspective can change when we look beyond surface appearances.

Readers emphasize the book's messages about redemption, forgiveness, and looking beyond first impressions. Many teachers report it resonates with middle school students and prompts discussions about judgment and second chances. Readers appreciated: - Historical accuracy and incorporation of real artist James Hampton - Character development of Arthur throughout his community service - The realistic portrayal of grief and anger - Integration of art and social themes Common criticisms: - Some found the pacing slow in the middle sections - A few readers wanted more detail about the art pieces - The ending felt rushed to some readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (4,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (280+ ratings) Common Sense Media: 4/5 "This book helped my students understand empathy in a way lectures never could," noted one teacher reviewer. A parent reviewer mentioned: "My reluctant reader finished it in two days and asked for more books like it."

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🎨 The character of James Hampton in the book was inspired by a real artist who created a masterpiece called "The Throne of the Third Heaven" using only found objects and aluminum foil in his garage. 📝 Author Shelley Pearsall spent over two years researching James Hampton's life and artwork before writing the book, including visiting the Smithsonian where his work is displayed. 🏆 The book won the 2016 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People award and was named to multiple state reading lists. ✨ The actual "Throne of the Third Heaven" created by the real James Hampton consists of 180 individual pieces and took him 14 years to complete in secret. 🗑️ The book's title refers to aluminum foil, which Hampton considered the seventh most important thing in the world, after items like love and faith - though the real Hampton never actually revealed his list of important things.