Rocky Road

Title: Rocky Road

 

Author: Rose Kent

 

Summary: Fashionable, 12 year old Tess and her deaf brother Jordan move to Schenectady, New York with their mother, a woman suffering from "Shooting Stars" or bipolar disorder (not diagnosed until later in the book). She has a dream of investing in an ice cream shop and naming it, "A Cherry on Top." However, she has a lot of days when she crashes due to her illness and Tess must be there to take care of her little brother, Jordan, who is deaf and still learning sign language. A lot falls on Tess's shoulders, but as they make real progress towards opening A Cherry on Top, Tess meets a lot of supportive people along the way, that may just help the business succeed, and get her mother the help she needs.

 

Comments: I loved this book! It looks a bit long, but once I got into the story, it felt like only a few pages turned before I was finished! Tess is such a nice, caring girl who comes up with a lot of great ideas. She obviously has too much responsibility on her shoulders in the book at first, and while she sometimes puts on a good face and acts like nothing is wrong, how she really feels does occasionally come out. She seemed a little older than she actually was said to be (age 12), but I suppose it is because so much is expected of her, between caring for her brother and her mother, she has more responsibility than I could even imagine. Tess is fashionable and has a good sense of style, but she isn't mean or anything like the "fashion" stereotypes that often appear in books. She cares deeply for her little brother, Jordan, who is not stereotyped either; he has an interesting and complex personality, just like anyone else, once readers get to meet him. I liked the idea about opening up the ice cream shop, and I understand Tess's hesitation to open it. The book wrapped up nicely, but not overly nice and perfect; each problem was just solved by the end. I loved this book!

 

There is a bit of mild language in this book, so I'd assess the situation before giving this book to just any child. I'd definitely say at a minimum that 10+ would be ideal. Plus, younger readers who do not have experience with things like bipolar disorder may not understand the mother's problems and they may be a bit confused. Young readers could also be confused as to why Tess's dad walked out (alcohol addiction/gambling). SO, I'd definitely say 10+ (at least) for this one!

 

Complaints: None!

 

Rating: 5 stars!!!