Saturday, June 22, 2013

True (sort of) by Katherine Hannigan

Before you read about True (sort of) you might like to read my review of Ida B also by Katherine Hannigan.

True (sort of) is even better.  Delly Pattison is bursting with wonderful ideas about how to have fun and how to have adventures but sadly for Delly every  single time things back fire and Delly ends up in trouble.

"Delly Pattison was tiny.  Her hair curled tight to her head, like a copper halo.  Her voice was raspy, as if a load of gravel lined her throat.  And Delly Pattison was trouble, little trouble on the way to big TROUBLE, and getting closer to it every day."

There are six kids in the Pattison family - Dallas, Tallahasse, Montana, Galveston, Dellaware and RB but it is the mother I loved the most.  She loves her kids and she especially wants happiness for Delly.

While Delly is trying hard to stay out of trouble while still enjoying special dellyventures and waiting for a surpresent a new kid arrives in town.  Her name is Ferris Boyd and there are two things you need to know about her : "Here is the information I shared with the class, before Ms Boyd arrived, which you need to know,' ... 'First, Ms Boyd does not speak.' ... 'She can hear, but she does not speak.  In addition, she must not be touched."  What the teacher (he always addresses the children as Ms and Mr) fails to mention in this strange introduction is that Ferris Boyd is a girl of great patience, wisdom and she has brilliant basketball skills.  It is these skills which bring her to the attention of the third important character in this complex story - Brud Kinney another local boy who lives for basketball.

There are some holes in this story - we never meet the mother of Ferris Boyd and it is very disturbing the way the adults in the town and school seem completely oblivious to the reasons why Ferris is mute.  That to one side I loved Delly and the tender love of her little brother RB.

This is a book for senior students.  It does deal with very sensitive issues but it is also an uplifting story and I am sure these characters will linger with you for a long time.


If you enjoy True (sort of) you should also look for Camo Girl.

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