Saturday, October 12, 2013

As simple as it seems by Sarah Weeks

There is nothing really simple about growing up, about exploring your identity, about friendships or about the way we sometimes misinterpret the motivations of others.

Verbena Ellen Cotter was born in New York but has spent her whole life with her mum and dad in a small town called Clydesdale.  Verbena knows the story of her birth - why she was born in New York and the fact that she was only four pounds and seven ounces.  She also knows her family history.  The story of her much loved and respected grandfather Colty who died on the same day she was born and also all about her Uncle Mike who was the family rebel.  Verbena thinks she knows everything but in reality there is a lot to discover.

"Lots of people are adopted.  I know it's not that big a deal.  My birth certificate said that Tom and Ellen Colter were my biological parents, and even though I don't look like either one of them, I had no reason to suspect it wasn't true."

My blogging friend Mr K gave this book four stars out of five and I absolutely agree with this.  Up until the last thirty pages I might have even said five out of five but in the end Sarah Weeks didn't quite allow Verbena to reach out to her mother or to see things from her parents point of view but perhaps this is an unrealistic expectation.  You can read a little of this book here.  Here is a detailed review with more of the plot.

I highly recommend As simple as it seems and after reading this you might like to look for Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff, The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson, Everything on a waffle by Polly Horvath, Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan or Ida B by Katherine Hannigan.  Another terrific book by Sarah Weeks in our school library is Pie.

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