Robinson knows no other family than Grandpa. Any questions she asks about when she was younger are avoided, until later. At 11, she is an aspiring mechanic, working alongside her grandfather and Harold, his work mate. Robbie can take care of her grandfather, fix cars, help with tapping and making maple sap into syrup, and play baseball. The thing that causes her the most difficulty is handling her anger.
She does her best, but her temper often gets her into trouble she does not need. Advice from her school guidance counselor helps, but various things cause her to act out in public. There is no doubt that she has concerns worthy of attention. She and her grandfather look nothing alike. He is black, she does not appear to be. She knows nothing about her family and Grandpa is unwilling to share information. She doesn't want anyone to know that her grandfather is showing signs of Alzheimer's. She watches him forget where he put things, how to do daily tasks, and too often not be able to say what he wants to say. She is sure she can care for him, and keep others from seeing what is happening. It is a heavy weight for a young girl to carry.
In this remarkable debut novel, we walk alongside Robbie as she does her best to accept the changes and challenges. A school project about family trees ups her angst, and causes problems for all the kids in the therapy group she attends with Ms. Gloria. All the kids in her group are dealing with pain and hurt. There are many issues, all essential to the telling of this fine story.
Robbie is tough, sensitive, loving, exasperating, and wonderful! You will not forget her, or her story.
Powerful and intense, and ultimately uplifting, it is a book that breaks the heart and then mends it.
No comments:
Post a Comment