Castleman, Virginia Sara Lost and Found, 305 pages. Aladdin (Simon) 2016. $17.
Content: G.
Sara, 10, has been left to care for her older, learning
disabled sister, Anna, because her mother walked out years ago and their father
hasn't been home in almost a week. Tonight
she and Anna will fill growling their stomachs with paper towels, because there
is no food and no money. They have
already been through the foster care system before and have no desire to go
back. When their case worker comes to
the door with the police, the girls try to run, but are caught when they go to
the only safe place they know – their previous foster grandparents. Back in the system, Sara is desperate to hide
her weaknesses and the major problems that Anna has, but in order to find a
place to grow, Sara is going to have to learn to let go of many things.
The life experiences of older kids in foster care are so
varied. I believe that hopeful stories
need to be heard as much as the terrible situations need to be heard. Castleman draws from her own experiences in
writing her novel. I don’t think it
quite hits the mark as well as the classic The Pinballs, but its hopeful
message is a good target for young audiences.
EL, MS – ADVISABLE.
Cindy, Library Teacher
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment