Author: Mary E. Lambert
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Reviewer: Kelly
Summary: Annabelle has a secret that she is trying to keep from everyone. Her mother is a hoarder and her house is a mess. Her father decides to leave the house a week early for a trip that he already has planned because he cannot take it anymore; Annabelle, her brother and sister are left at home with their mom. The mess, the arguments and work are all too much. The kids are all dealing with this dysfunctional family and trying to balance their school and home lives in the best way that they can. The youngest, Annabelle’s sister, has no other choice than to involve their grandmother and call her into town to help with the situation. After the dreaded arrival of their grandmother, Annabelle realizes that their issues are a lot deeper and extensive than she had ever thought. Annabelle is trying to stick to her rule of not allowing any friends within 5 miles of her house but this rule/secret are becoming increasingly more difficult and heavy for her to handle. She has her first crush on a boy that she really cares about but is so embarrassed of not being able to tell anyone who she really is. Should she open up to her friends, should she reach out to her dad and tell him to come home? Will this be the final straw that gets her mom to change her ways or will it be the argument that tears their family apart?
Review: This story of a young, middle school girl was so great! I truly enjoyed reading about Annabelle and learning more about her feelings and her strengths. She has dealt with her mother’s issues for years and has had a pretty easy time coping with them. It’s not until these outside factors like a new boy, her father leaving, her grandmother coming to the rescue, that she realizes that maybe she has been coping all of this time but the others around her have not. Annabelle tries so hard to continue to only care for herself but is fighting with her heart to help the ones around her who might also need her support, specifically her younger sister. Throughout the book we see Annabelle become less stubborn and having to really check herself and her actions when she gets caught in a few pretty tough positions. This is a great read for any young girl or boy and will show them that people are sometimes dealing with some pretty heavy things. Not all families are perfect and we do not ever know anyone’s true struggle or story unless they confide it in us. The power of family and appreciation of differences shines through in this book.
No comments:
Post a Comment