Top Five Reasons You Should Read EVERY SHINY THING, by Cordelia Jensen and Laurie Morrison:
1. The structure: Alternating chapters told in verse and prose.
2. Lauren: A sister who misses her brother when he's sent to a boarding school for autistic kids. A big-hearted girl who sees the disparity among her family's affluence and other families who can't afford the treatments and services her brother is receiving.
3. Sierra: A foster kid who moves into Lauren's wealthy neighborhood. A daughter who is fiercely loyal to her alcoholic mother. A protector. A caretaker, especially to her new friend, Lauren.
4. The Robin Hood Scheme: Lauren has an idea to help make money for autistic kids who can't afford a fancy boarding school or intensive therapy like her brother is receiving. Her idea, reselling items she doesn't need anyway, like the pair of expensive Lucky-brand jeans her mom buys her, seems like a good idea at first. But as one online sale leads to the next, Lauren moves from reselling her own items to things that never belonged to her at all. Shoplifting from friends, neighbors, and even the mall is easy and addictive. And Lauren has Sierra to cover for her and hide the stolen items at her foster parents' home.
5. The takeaway: Lauren and Sierra learn tough lessons about protecting others, standing up for yourself, and battling injustice. I love how both girls finally turn to trusted adults for help. There is strength in admitting they are in too deep.
2 comments:
I liked this one and got a copy for my school library, but it was a tiny bit on the long side. The shiny cover may make up for it, though!
I loved this book. :)
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