What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
1. *Annie is a fifth grader and the youngest of nine children. She comes from a large family that working hard to cover up some difficult situations.
2. *She tries to fit in a school by being a kind and cheerful girl, but that can be hard when she has only hand-me-downs and doesn't get to experience life like the other girls in class.
3. *Annie has to rely on some of her older siblings for support as her father is often gone and her mother is suffering from some sort of emotional/mental issue.
4. *She does have one true friend at school that provides both safety and comfort to her that she gets nowhere else.
5. *After one of her older siblings "leaves", the familie's secrets are exposed and now Annie has to deal with the truth of what she has been hiding for so long.
What I Thought Of It: This story was just ok to me. I was thinking I was going to be drawn in and emotionally impacted, but that didn't happen. It might be because I'm not the target audience for the story. I did feel awful for Annie and what she had to endure. As I read I wasn't sure who the proper audience would be. There were several mature themes and vocabulary used. I will often rave about "sad" and "depressing" books, but usually there is some sense of hope underlying. I didn't find that with this particular story.
Who Should Read It: As I mentioned, I'm not sure who the best audience would be for the story. In my opinion, I would say definitely fifth grade and above. Middle-school readers may be the best bet. I'm also not sure if young readers would enjoy the plot because it is sad and a bit dark. Of course if there is a reader who experienced something similar to what Annie went through, then it could be a wonderful "mirror" book. Happy Reading!
Rating: 3 STARS out of 5 Stars
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