Description Twelve-year-old Fern feels invisible to her family, where grumpy 18-year-old Sarah is working at the family restaurant, 14-year-old Holden is struggling with school bullies and his emerging homosexuality, and adorable, 3-year-old Charlie is always the center of attention, so when tragedy strikes, the fragile bond holding the family together is stretched almost to the breaking point.
Reviews Customer Booksource Emma Williams, Collection Development Specialist at Booksource Star Star Star Star Star 3/25/2013 3:14:24 PMMiddle-schooler Fern often feels overlooked in her large family. This is not surprising, considering her family. Her older sister, Sarah, who is taking a year off from college, is always missing from where she should be—like manning the front counter at the family’s restaurant. Her older brother, Holden, is struggling to admit to his family that he’s gay. The restaurant consumes every moment for her father…and he seems happy about it! Fern’s mom constantly escapes the commotion by meditating in the restaurant’s office. Then there is Charlie—sticky, stinky, laugh-y, loving Charlie—the annoying three-year-old who always seems to be in Fern’s way. When tragedy strikes the family, Fern’s initial feelings of being ignored are trumped by feelings of intense hurt and guilt. She knows she is to blame, and recovery from this loss seems impossible. As Fern tries to keep going, readers will witness a seemingly impossible situation unfold in a way that captures life truthfully and beautifully. Classroom Idea: This well-crafted title will do well for a guided reading group. Students will be able to connect to the strong depiction of family dynamics. Also, the complex emotions involved with death and grieving offer opportunities to infer what is really happening to each family member. Bottom line, this book is meaty and will resonate with students. Icon Post Your Review