CHAPTER ONE
Sue Alderson.
Volume 17 Number 3
Chapter One is written in the third person through the eyes of Beth, a grade 8 student. In her eyes, the world at the present is not a great place. How could anyone who has had her room taken over by a blind and confused Grandma be thrilled? In many ways, Beth is a typical young adult. Her dad has "split" and is "living it up" in another city; she and her mother live together. Readers are offered a glimpse of her life at a particularly impressionable stage and are pleased and not surprised by the character development she has made by the end of the novel. The novel is a superb one for many reasons, the first being the treatment of such themes as the elderly, peer pressure, parent / child relationships, and even, to a small extent, child abuse victims. Although this sounds like too much to pack into a short novel for teenage reading, it is not. Alderson offers just enough to pique interest and provide content for a solid basis for discussion. I would highly recommend this novel. It is interesting and easy to read, as well as current in subject matter. Because of this, it will be a popular novel for its age group.B. Henley-Hodgson, Brantford C.l. & V.S., Brantford, ON. |
1971-1979 | 1980-1985 | 1986-1990 | 1991-1995
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