Counting to Perfect by Suzanne LaFleur - OPTIONAL

Counting to Perfect by Suzanne LaFleur, 194 pages.  Wendy Lamb Books (Random House), 2018.  $17.  

Content: Language: PG (1 swear); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G.  

BUYING ADVISORY: MS – OPTIONAL  

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE  

11yo Cassie feels overlooked at her house since her seventeen year old sister, Julia, has had her baby, Addie.  Cassie loves Addie, but she wishes that her family had not changed so much, especially Julia because they use to be good friends.  One night when Julia can’t take all the hovering by her parents, she decides to run away with Addie, and Cassie goes with her.  While on their trip, Cassie remembers back to the events leading up to Addie’s birth and Julia and Cassie work on their relationship.  

This book reminded me of Sunny Side Up by Jennifer Holm because it tells the story of how the actions of an older sibling effect the younger sibling.  I’m not sure the age of the audience for this book because there’s a lot of talk of breast feeding and the time and affect a baby has on a teen’s life which seems to be aimed at teens, but the main character is young.  The story is honest, but also not overly interesting.  

Reviewer, C. Peterson