VVMBookBlog

Shelby is 13, has three sisters and a mom who happens to be Japanese-American, and who has led an “interesting” life–Shelby and her sisters all have different fathers.  They have all been taught by their mother that what’s important in life is how they look.  That causes Shelby some concern because she doesn’t feel as pretty as her sisters.  What value does she have if she isn’t pretty?

Everything and everyone gets tested when Shelby’s mother is in a bad car accident and ends up in the hospital for a long period of time recovering from disfiguring facial wounds among other physical damage .  Since none of the sisters are old enough to be responsible on their own, they all have to go live with their own fathers, and some of the fathers aren’t so great.  The months spent with their fathers teach them all, including the fathers, what a strong bond the sisters have with each other and the relative importance of “outside beauty” in their lives.

This story really presents a different type of “family” and I’m not sure a similar family in real life would get along as well as these sisters do.  Perhaps I’m being too judgmental and difficult situations bring children together.  What do you think?

Remember how good Among the Hidden was?  Well, this is by the same author with the same possibilities for LOTS of sequels in the future!

Jonah is 13, knows he is adopted and has a younger sister–not adopted–named Katherine.  His friend who lives across the street, Chip, is also 13 and just finds out NOW that he is adopted.  And the other thing they have in common is that they are both receiving mysterious letters in the mail with a one-line message saying, “You are one of the missing.”  The second message that says “they” are coming back to get them–Jonah and Chip–is even more disturbing.  They start asking questions about the adoption agency that placed them and getting very little information. All their questions led Jonah and his parents–and sister–to a meeting with an FBI agent and then things REALLY got crazy–people and documents appearing and disappearing, mysterious meetings with people, and why were their names on a list of “survivors.”  What did they survive?

I can’t say any more about the story but get ready to stretch your mind and your understanding of time and all the possibilities of moving through time that we can’t even imagine.