Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Family Tree Book #1: Better to Wish

Series: Family Tree
Title: Better to Wish Book #1
Author: Ann M. Martin
Summary: In the 1930s/1940s, Abby is growing up in Barnegat Point, a small town on the coast. She has a younger sister (and soon another younger sister and a brother). Her mother is very soft spoken and her father, her Pops, runs the show. The book is done in diary entries on a particular date (down to the day of the week and everything). There are about 2 diary entries per year of Abby's childhood starting from 7 years old and going up to her graduation day in high school.
Her Pops behavior is very rough. He doesn't like certain races or religions and even forbids Abby from seeing one of her friends (a boy he doesn't approve of). Her Pop is into his public image and is cruel at times. He even sends his five year old son (who has a few developmental disabilities) away to a "special school" without telling anyone - not even Abby's mother.
Her mother is very depressed because of the loss of her two children (they died before the book started) and she keeps rose bushes in memory of them. Eventually, her mother does end up dying and her father remarries to Abby's school nurse. The step-mother turns out to be terrible, and the book sort of wraps itself up from there.
 
Comments: Overall, the book was really good. Abby has seen it all at such a young age - siblings, moving, cruelty and abuse, prejudice, and even death (of her mother and friend and the two siblings that died before the book started). Abby and even her sister are so unique that I connected with them and they really did come alive for me, I felt like I knew them. This book is great, however, it is pretty deep and covers harsh topics throughout the book, so I wouldn't recommend it for children under 10. The death of her friend, for me, was very tragic. It's still a great book though, it can just be a bit scary or harsh for younger children at times.
Complaints: While the book may have been harsh at times, I wouldn't have had it any other way. The harshness wasn't too much for a child to handle, and it was just kind of eye opening. I loved it, so therefore, I have no complaints.
Rating: 5 stars























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