Little, Brown, 2018. ISBN 9780349009049
(Age: Senior secondary) Highly recommended. Two Sisters is a
compelling read which fascinated me from the moment I read the first
paragraph. Not only is Asne Seierstad's book an enticing piece of
literature but it's partnered with realism and a form of education
based around the territory of the Islamic State, extremism and the
fear of radicalisation in the human population. Choosing this book,
my initial thoughts were that it'd only be an interpretation, a
fictional story of the journey to join Islamic State. This was until
I found out that Asne Seierstad is not only an author but a
freelance journalist with over two decades of war correspondence
under her belt who partnered up with the support of the Juma family
which this story is based on and I realised my assumptions of this
book, its narrative and the author couldn't have been more wrong.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Two Sisters simply because I
was able to understand and become informed of a family whose life
has been changed since these two sisters, two daughters, friends and
family members chose to leave their life in Norway on the 17th of
October 2013, to join the Islamic State in war stricken Syria to
help Muslim people who have become under attack and in need of
critical aid. Reading this book, something clicked in my brain, if
you have the ability to help someone, then why wouldn't you help?
Maybe the fear of being hurt yourself is what sets human beings back
but the strength and utmost bravery these two girls have is
admirable and understanding this from a report of sorts is what kept
me reading. Asne Seierstad has created an intense, enticing and
furthermore investigative book, one that has sparked questions and
conversation within myself but internationally to all people who
read this piece.
I highly recommend Two Sisters by Asne Seierstad and am
looking forward to reading more of Asne's work in the future.
Rylee Bogisch (Student)
Simon Thorn and the Shark's Cave by Aimee Carter
Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408858059
(Age: 9-14) Recommended. Simon Thorn is an Animalgam which is a
secret race who can each shift into animal form. There are 5
Animalgam kingdoms, birds, insects, reptiles, mammals and the
underwater world.
Simon has a secret, he can shift into animals from any kingdom. He
has to keep this rare gift a secret, for the leaders of the five
kingdoms would destroy him. This is the third book in the series but
the first I have read, so it was a little confusing at times. The
author does her best to succinctly fill in past information from
previous novels but I recommend that the books are read in order to
gain a better understanding of the plot.
Each book is dedicated to a different world and this novel is set
underwater as the title suggests. Simon, his twin brother and other
shape shifters are grudgingly allowed to visit the underwater
kingdom.
Simon's evil grandfather, Orion is planning on taking over all the
kingdoms and needs the scattered pieces of a terrible weapon to
achieve his aim. One of the pieces is hidden in the underwater
world. Simon needs to find the piece before his grandfather but this
is difficult to do in the militant, guarded sea kingdom. Aimee
Carter has portrayed the underwater kingdom as being very regimented
with the creatures behaving like soldiers in the army and schools of
fish are compared to parading military.
These fantasy stories take the reader into different focus worlds,
where Simon has to face danger and solve difficult problems. He is a
young hero who has to overcome extreme odds, similar to Percy
Jackson in his mythical world.
Aimee Carter has written young adult novels before embarking on this
5 five book series. I would recommend these books to students aged
from 9 to 14 years.
Jane Moore
A stone for Sascha by Aaron Becker
Candlewick Press, 2018. ISBN 9780763665968
(Age: 6+) Themes: Grief. Death. Dogs. Imagination. History.
Caldecott Award winning author illustrator, Aaron Becker has
produced a magical story of the cycle of life. With the most amazing
digitally painted illustrations, detailed and encompassing, Becker
does not need words to show us a saddened young girl burying her pet
dog. Going on the family camping holiday is simply not the same
without him and she holds back when other children play happily in
the water. But she finds a smooth stone and hurling it up into the
sky, the stone reveals the history of the world through its journey
from being a piece of extruded rock, to a large monolith hauled onto
the hill top by a group of men, to the hand sized stone she now
finds in the water.
Over millennia we see the stone first thrust out of the earth, then
being used, first as a large standing stone, next as a smaller piece
in an Egyptian temple, then smaller still, a building block in a
statue of Buddha, then as the keystone in a bridge in China and
smaller still it is sculpted and sent to the Americas, where what is
left now lies near to the water's edge, a much smaller version of
itself.
The endpapers show a map of the world and trace the journey of the
stone through its various incarnations from large to small, through
Ethiopia and Mesopotamia, India, Burma, China then across the
Pacific Ocean to Honolulu to its final resting place where the girl
finds it on the western seaboard of North America. The maps show an
overview of the world's history sure to intrigue and delight younger
readers who will search out more information about the empires that
have risen only to fall and be replaced by another.
This is a surprise of a book, worth delving into, capturing readers'
imaginations as they put their own words to the pictures, build
their own timelines around the stone, and ponder the circle of life
as the stone keeps going on in one shape or other. There are so many
layers to this book, that it is hard to dwell on any one. But I love
the different forms of travel shown through the illustrations, and
the differing work done by the individuals shown, as well as their
costumes, and the few animals that pop up in the pages, quietly
watching the activities of the people and the stone, while the story
comes full circle, the stone finally at rest on the dog's grave.
Fran Knight
The buildings that made London by David Long
Ill. by Josie Shenoy. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408883648
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Themes: London. Cities. History. I thoroughly
enjoyed poring over each of the double page spreads in this book,
recalling the British history taught to me as a school student in
the 1950's and 60's, admiring the illustrations of a large number of
British institutions, seen as a tourist in recent years, and for
many of today's Australian younger students, this will be a new and
delightful experience.
Amongst the many pages, I loved the Houses of Parliament, St Paul's
Cathedral, Somerset House, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge and the
Tower of London, all known and visited, all part of the rich
heritage explicitly taught to Australian students in the past.
Today's students would certainly know of some of the places and many
would be interested in places like Westminster Abbey and places seen
on television, or through the Royal Weddings of late, and I hope
that many would pick up this most attractive book to read and enjoy
and add to their knowledge of major cities around the world.
Each double page has a detailed drawing of the place, taken from
archival documents, and the text around the pages delineates some of
the history of that building and its place in the London of today.
It is all fascinating to me and its presentation by a teacher as
part of a unit on cities would woo an audience, but to pick it up to
ponder over the heritage of one of the world's most beautiful cities
would be enough for many readers.
The double page spread about the Victoria and Albert Museum, for
example, has a drawing which covers both pages, illustrated around
the edges with some of the exhibits housed within. The people in the
front represent those who have visited the museum over the decades,
and reading the text at the top of the pages, reveals some of the
history of the building as well as some of the most wellknown
pieces to be found inside. I was surprised to find that it was built
in 1890 to replace an ugly building already there and that the guide
was published in French during World War Two to assist the French
refugees residing in London at the time.
This like other pages is detailed and evocative, but the highlight
of the book are the central pages devoted to Buckingham Palace. Here
the publication has flaps which show the palace as it was and how it
is today. Eager readers will devour each piece of information and
take in the fabulously detailed illustrations.
Fran Knight
Stone Girl by Eleni Hale
Penguin, 2018. ISBN 9780143785613
(Age: Young Adult) Themes: Homelessness, Institutional Care,
substance dependence, abusive relationships, death. When Sophie's
mum got drunk or took drugs 12 year old Sophie cleaned up the mess
and kept them fed. She learned never to trust authority figures who
wanted to interfere. Sophie liked to do well at school and have
friends with 'normal' families so when her mum's new boyfriend came
over to party Sophie went out to her friend's place. When she got
back her mum was alone and dead. Sophie not only blamed herself for
the death but was so scared of authority that she stayed three days
with the body until the police broke down the door. The story opens
at the police station waiting for a social worker to come to take
Sophie into emergency housing. Sophie's father who lives in Greece
can't be contacted so she becomes a ward of the State. Naomi, her
caseworker is kind and compassionate, Sophie wants to go home with
her and feel safe but instead she is left to negotiate a share house
along with her grief, guilt and questions about her mother. She is
hopeful that her father will come and rescue her but when they get
in touch he won't accept responsibility. When she goes back to
school she is treated as a freak, the newspapers have
sensationalised the finding of the three day old dead body with
Sophie by her side so she stops going to school.
The rest of the confronting story is the spiralling downhill
trajectory of Sophie's life over the next few years in multiple
state care facilities each with new and unpredictable inmates.
Overworked caseworkers and Sophie's innate distrust of authority
leave her without emotional support. No one seems to care if she
goes to school or not, or what she is doing outside the facility but
she is a quick learner and soon fits in with the other "problem"
kids, stealing, risking death, contemplating suicide, entering an
abusive relationship, and we begin to understand how they can reach
a place where there are no constraints. "If no one owes us kids
anything why would we owe anything back?' p102. This is not an easy
story to read, dealing with death, poverty, substance and sexual
abuse; an insight into the lives of vulnerable children whose needs
are not met by the institutions set up to look after them. Told in
the first person the author has to negotiate the development of the
voice of the main character from deprived 12 to a street wise 16
year old and it can be difficult to relate to Sophie's voice. After
years of struggle Sophie does make the choice to turn her life
around but we are so shell shocked by the dark and dangerous places
she has been that she seems just a shadow. This book has been called
"important" and it shines a light into some hidden lives but it is a
harrowing and morally confusing story which needs some maturity from
its readers. Young adults seem to love it but some caution is needed
before putting it on the shelves.
Sue Speck
The Unicorn Quest by Kamilla Benko
Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781681192451
(Age: 8-12) Themes: Fantasy, Adventure, Unicorns, Courage. Kamilla
Benko's debut novel is an enchanting fantasy, filled with magic,
adventure and tests of courage. Set in Arden, a delightfully
captivating world where the last unicorn has disappeared, where
secrets abound and tensions run high between the four guilds of
magic who have lost trust in each other.
The Martinson family inherit mysterious Windermere Manor and move in
for the summer. Sisters Sophie and Claire love exploring the vast
rooms filled with antiques and art collected on their Great-Aunt
Diana's travels. They discover a ladder in a fireplace leading to
another world and their adventure begins. Sophie is a collector of
experiences who is recovering from a mystery illness, she loves to
explore. Her younger sister Claire an artist, is more hesitant, she
carries her pencil everywhere to capture what she sees. The portal
leads them into a fractured world, where four guilds protect their
own lands and guard them fiercely.
When Sophie disappears, Claire must overcome her fears and search
for her lost sister. With the help of Nett a Tiller and Sena a
Forger, Claire must bravely embark on a quest across treacherous
lands to find Sophie. Her sister has been accused of stealing a
magical unicorn artefact that has kept the peace amongst the Arden
guilds. Each relies on magical elements for survival, the Tillers
use the special powers of plants, whilst the Forgers rely on the
qualities of metal objects. Their journey to Fyrton is dangerous:
wraiths haunt the forests at night, the adventurers travel hidden in
a merchant Spinner's boat, they escape from captivity using aqua
masks and sneakily search the Forger's school library for clues.
Along the way, Claire grows in courage, learns to overcome her
self-doubt, learns resilience and surprises herself with the tasks
she undertakes.
'The Unicorn Quest' by Kamilla Benko is a classic fantasy quest,
with a plot that follows the traditional format. Interwoven historic
tales, hidden clues and engaging characters add interest for the
middle grade reader.
Rhyllis Bignell
Teacher's dead by Benjamin Zephaniah
Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408895016
(Age: 13+) Students in a poorly performing school are shocked and
traumatised when a teacher is stabbed by two boys and dies in front
of them.
Jackson, one of the students who witnessed the incident attempts to
understand exactly what occurred and begins to investigate. When the
bereaved Mrs. Joseph visits the school to speak to the students
regarding her late husband's passion for teaching, Jackson
approaches her and asks to meet.
A friendship develops between the pair and Jackson invites her home
to meet his mother. I found Jackson's 'mission' slightly odd,
especially when he makes himself known to Ms. Ferrier, the mother of
one of murderers and introduces her to the bereaved woman. The
awkwardness and discomfort of the various parties is presented very
well, and whilst I initially found the situation improbable, some
issues worthy of consideration are examined.
Mrs. Joseph shows incredible grace and intelligence in dealing
magnanimously with Ms. Ferrier, when outsiders think she should be
shunned and reviled. We learn that sins committed by the son do not
necessarily reflect his upbringing or the values of the parent.
Whilst Mrs. Joseph suffers greatly from the death of her loved one,
her rational way of reconciling the positions of those involved
helps alleviate the collective pain, a more desirable outcome than
the perpetuation of grief and torment.
There are some clever features in this novel. Whilst readers may
create their own mental image, perhaps influenced by stereotypical
assumptions, Jackson's voice could be that of any boy. The same may
be said for the other major characters as little reference is made
to racial identity.
The issue of bullying and gang violence is an important feature of
this story and the utter mindlessness of group victimisation is
portrayed brilliantly. The attitudes and utterances of those who
attack weaker victims was depicted so realistically that I actually
felt some sense of despair. This was partly because I was
acknowledging the realistic portrayal of moronic philosophy but also
because it was clear that the author was recounting personal
experience on some level.
Rob Welsh
Where is Little Fish? by Lucy Cousins
Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406374186
(Age: 1-3) This is a Little Fish Book, featuring the same fish from
Count with Little Fish and Hooray for Fish. It is tactile and
visually appealing, using the same illustrative style as Lucy
Cousins' other books, such as Maisy. Everything is patterned with
spots and stripes of varying vibrant design. Both the colours and
the tone of the book are bold and cheerful. Playful illustrations
encourage discussion about shape, colour, pattern, and things you
find in the sea (crab, pearl, coral etc.). Little Fish is playing
hide and seek with friends. Is Little Fish behind the yellow coral?
No, it's stripy fish! In the end we find Little Fish and Mummy Fish
too. Kiss, kiss, kiss! There are flaps on each page to keep toddlers
engaged and interacting with the board book and they will have fun
finding Little Fish at the end of the book. This is a happy
under-the-sea world to share with little ones, especially those who
love the other Little Fish books.
Nicole Smith-Forrest
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Orion Children's Books, 2018. ISBN 9781510104396
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his
toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation
that's been unleashed on his family and community in the wake of
what they see as an unjust and brutal killing.
Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very
different time but similar circumstances. Emmett helps Jerome
process what has happened, on a journey towards recognizing how
historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life.
Jerome also meets Sarah, the daughter of the police officer, who
grapples with her father's actions.
Wow! Wow! Wow! This is possibly the best book I have read this year.
Rhodes has done a fantastic job of evoking emotions of hate,
compassion, love and empathy all rolled into one. She has tackled
the issues of race discrimination in the USA towards
African-American youth, particularly boys in an unusual way -
changing the perspectives the book is written from. Throughout the
book it interchanges between Jerome telling his story while he was
alive and also his viewpoint when he is a ghost. With such strong
themes including racism and violence, I would recommend this book
for children aged 12 and up. This would make a fantastic read aloud
and create a mountain of discussion. A must have for the collection!
Kathryn Schumacher
I have lost my way by Gayle Forman
Simon and Schuster, 2018. ISBN 9781471173721
(Ages: 14+) Recommended. Themes: Friendship, love, acceptance, loss.
Around the time that Freya loses her voice while recording her debut
album, Harun is making plans to run away from everyone he has ever
loved, and Nathaniel is arriving in New York City with a backpack, a
desperate plan, and nothing left to lose. When a fateful accident
draws these three strangers together, their secrets start to unravel
as they begin to understand that the way out of their own loss might
just lie in helping the others out of theirs. I have lost my way by Gayle Forman is a book about
friendship, love and finding yourself when you feel like all is
lost. The story is told over one life changing day and is told from
alternating perspectives. One of the main themes in this book is
loss. The three main characters, Freya, Harun and Nathaniel, have
all lost something important to them. Freya has lost her voice
during the recording of her debut album, which she has spent the
last few years of her life working towards. Harun has lost the love
of his life, the only person that truly understood him. Nathaniel
has lost everything and now, he has nothing left to lose.
At the start of the book, not much is known about each of the
characters, but as the story progresses, we learn more about their
lives and what lead them to become who they are today through
flashbacks. I absolutely loved how mysterious they all were and the
fact that they all had different backgrounds, religions and sexual
orientations just made them seem all the more real. The diversity in
this book was amazing and it was represented really well.
A definite downside of this book is that it took me quite a while to
get into. In my opinion, it was difficult to figure out which
character's perspective it was being told from and the fact that it
would jump from third person to first person during the flashbacks
made it slightly confusing and hard to follow at times. It was also
very fast paced and since it was told over a single day, I found it
less believable than if it had been told over the course of a week.
Overall, I have lost my way is a really nice story about
love, loss and acceptance that teenagers everywhere would enjoy,
especially if they feel like they have lost their way too.
Grace Austin (Student)
When the mountains roared by Jess Butterworth
Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9781510102118
(Ages 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Grief. Fear. Wildlife
conservation. India - Family life.
Jess Butterworth drew inspiration for When the mountains roared
from her own family stories, her grandparents' travels to India in
the 1960s and her own childhood experiences living with them at the
foot of the Himalayas. She descriptively captures the sensory
experiences, the diverse sights and sounds, cityscapes and
countryside and wildlife encounters. Her understandings of the
Indian way of life resonate here. The imprint of the leopard, from
the roaring white silhouette and the rich yellow and brown markings
of the covers that continue as bold chapter headings, set the scene
for her message of wildlife conservation.
Coping with the death of her mother, Ruby is overcome by her fears,
afraid of the dark, of travelling by car, going to sleep and not
waking up in the morning. She lives with her father and grandmother
in Western Australia in a rural hotel which has fallen into
disrepair and her father has borrowed money from loan sharks to save
the property. Desperate to escape from their problems they abandon
their home, take only a few possessions, their collie dog Polly, and
drive through the night to Perth. Along the way they collect a baby
joey which Nan hides in her luggage.
Nan's afraid of flying so they board a cruise ship bound for India.
Their tiring journey finally brings them to the bottom of the
Himachal Pradesh and a haunted mountain. Life for the family is
confronting, their new hotel needs a large amount of work, with the
owners involved in wildlife poaching. Ruby captures photos of the
beautiful world around the hotel; she is an observer, listening to
secret conversations and trailing her father's employers. There are
moments of fun and laughter, the colourful Holi festival, caring for
Joey, watching Bollywood films, making friends with Praveen and
dancing to Bollywood music with Dad and Nan.
Ruby's bravery in tracking the poachers, searching for the elusive
leopard, attests to her strength of character, overcoming her fears
and grief. With her Grandma and loyal friend Praveen they embark on
a treacherous journey into the mountains, each show courage in the
face of danger. The resolution brings both closure and hope for the
future, the author concluding with a heartfelt message about the
need to conserve and protect native wildlife and the risk of
invasive species taking over the natural environment. When the mountains roared is a beautifully crafted story,
where each of the main characters comes to terms with the loss of a
loved one, and is an emotive journey amongst the beauty and
splendour of the Himalayan foothills. Share this with a middle
primary class, explore the detailed and descriptive narrative, the
insightful poignant journey Ruby undertakes, then research the
endangered wildlife and the impact of the poaching trade.
Rhyllis Bignell
The price guide to the occult by Leslye Walton
Candlewick Press 2018. ISBN 9780763691103
(Age: 14+) Recommended for people with an interest in mental health
and magic. TW: This novel contains self-harm. This is certainly a
novel that would be difficult to walk past, The price guide to
the occult is both loud and distracting with neon yellow on
black surrounded by red-edged pages.
The novel follows a cursed family of Blackburn women, all of whom
are destined to have a three-day romance in which a child is
conceived and denied by a man descended from the original eight of
Anathema Island. Together with the curse of heartbreak, each
daughter is 'gifted' with a burden of magical talent, some stronger
than others. Fern Blackburn, the eighth daughter, received the gift
of always getting what she wanted. However, the one loophole in her
gift was never being able to have Quinn Sweeny, the love of her life
and the father of her daughter, Nor. Fern's obsession with
possessing Quinn is all encompassing, and she will stop at nothing
to secure his love - even if that means sacrificing their daughter.
Nor is only a teenager. Her only worries should be grades and boys.
But she is also a Blackburn woman... with a secret. Fear of her
mother has made her tame and afraid of her own powers, for indeed
she is the first since the matriarch, Rona, to possess more than
one. When Fern returns, Nor's fear only grows until she is unable to
keep her power in check. A storm is brewing, and only one Blackburn
woman will prevail. The price guide to the occult was engrossing. Despite the
many references to self-harm and the gruesome murders Fern commits,
it was an enlightening exploration of the relationship between a
neglectful mother and her child. Similar in ways to Practical
magic and Little shop of horrors, it was certainly an
enjoyable read. Recommended for ages fourteen and up with an
interest in mental health and magic.
Kayla Gaskell, 22
Spot goes to the swimming pool by Eric Hill
Puffin Books, 2018. ISBN 9780241327074
(Age 1-4) Highly recommended. Board book. Themes: Swimming. Fear. A
delightful way to introduce the idea of swimming at a swimming pool
to very young children, this board book is sure to be a hit with its
intended audience. Spot is a bit nervous about the water, thinking
that it could be cold but Mum encourages him to try it out and with
her help and encouragement is soon letting go of the side of the
pool and splashing around in his safe rubber ring.
The bright colours bring to life the poolside, water and swimming
accessories. The wonderful expressions on the faces of Spot, his
mother and friend Steve are delightful and leave the reader
appreciating the joys of a mother who is patient and loving and
helpful friends. The pages are sturdy and should stand up for heavy
use by little hands, as this is sure to become a firm favourite.
Spot has been a favourite of children for many years and Spot
goes to the swimming pool will be a lovely way to introduce a
new generation to this lovely little dog and then perhaps follow up
with some of the many books that Eric Hill has written about him.
Pat Pledger
Best buds under frogs by Leslie Patricelli
Candlewick Press, 2018. ISBN 9780763651046
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Themes: Friendship. School. Moving from the
city to Pine Lake where she must catch a bus to school, Lily is
apprehensive, and barfing on the first day does not endear her to
the group of friends who had assembled around her. But Darby takes
her on, and soon the two are best of friends, with sleepovers and
catching the bus together.
So begins this amusing story of fitting in, of starting a new school
in year four, of finding someone who will be your best friend. Darby
and Lily set up a club, the Rizzlerunk Club, named after the sea
captain who ran aground in the lake, his head mysteriously becoming
attached to a giant octopus and climbing into the old boat shed on
the shore near Darby's home. Fun and mayhem follows the girls, as
they contend with the remarks from the others in their class and are
somewhat baffled when they take on the club the two have created for
themselves.
Darby's stories are all about ghosts and ghouls and Lily is even
more apprehensive the first time she goes to her house and meets her
family, a large group of people who all look like Darby, even down
to the glasses they all wear. They are all pleased that Lily is
Darby's new friend, who they think is much better that Darby's
former fiend, Jill, who has moved away. But alarm bells ring when
she unexpectedly moves back to the lake, bringing with her her own
sense of the funny and dramatic which embroiled Darby in many
mishaps in the previous year.
Patricelli's first novel for mid-primary people is most successful,
pitched at their concerns, fitting in, finding friends and coping
with family issues. She has included funny little illustrations,
many of which can be found through the text.
Fran Knight
The disturbed girl's dictionary by Nonieqa Ramos
Lerner Publishing Group, 2018. ISBN 9781512439762
(Age: 14+) Recommended.
Macy Cashmere is a teenager living in the ghetto trying to survive
life the best she can. Her father is in prison, her mother
entertains a constant stream of male 'guests' and her little brother
has been taken away by Child Protection Services. She battles
constant hunger, poverty and the need for her family to be together
again like it was before her father went to prison.
At school she has only two friends (Alma and George) who she is
fiercely protective of and is constantly in trouble for not
conforming and thus considered a 'disturbed' student. Despite this,
school is really her constant in life. Her way of keeping track of
her life is by her entries in her dictionary which is not really a
diary as we know it but more of a memory keeper.
Macy's only true constant in her life and the one she holds onto
dearly is her friendship with Alma. Alma is a shining star, kind to
her peers, a good student and a loving sister to her young siblings.
When Alma starts to drift away, Macy tries to find out why she isn't
talking to her and what has happened in Alma's life to make her drift
away from the friendship.
This story is raw, full of language and themes not suited to a
younger audience. It is exactly how you would imagine life in the
ghetto to be and the daily struggles of those who live there and
those who try to help those who live there. Don't expect happy
endings but rather an insight into who Macy is, why she does what she
does and how she copes with the actions of those who mean something
to her.
Themes in this book are: poverty, neglect, hardship, friendship and
sexual promiscuity. I would recommend this book to students 14+.
Gerri Mills
