ISBN: 9781771474375
Editorial: Owlkids
Autor: Polak, Monique
Año de edición: 2022
N° Paginas: 256
Tipo de pasta: Pasta dura
Descripción: Review "Polak offers carefully nonjudgmental portraits of both parents as flawed in different ways (and profoundly incompatible) but loving ... Sad—but frank, supportive, and properly free of easy answers." ― Kirkus Reviews"Thoughtfully and honestly explores the realities of divorce, anxiety, and how kids are impacted by parental behavior. Justine’s voice will grab readers as she navigates changing family situations and the importance of sharing the truth ... Children with divorced parents will see themselves reflected in Justine’s nuanced story.""Polak spells out Justine’s emotional journey, which will also resonate with readers sensitive to the weighty subject of parental alienation, expounded on in an author’s note and resources ... an especially good selection for children navigating family dissolutions.""Children who are going through this same situation, or have gone through it in the past, will appreciate the realistic look at parental alienation syndrome as well as the hopeful ending ... A good choice." A middle-grade novel thoughtfully explores the realities of parents’ divorceTwelve-year-old Justine’s parents are recently divorced. She and her little sister, Bea, go back and forth between their parents’ homes in Montreal. Their mother, whose anxiety manifests as the need to control, believes that their father and beloved half-sister are a bad influence on Justine and Bea. So, she enlists Justine in collecting evidence that would lead to getting sole custody. Justine accepts her mother’s view of her father at first and begins writing detailed notes about his behavior: He doesn’t stick to Bea’s strict bedtime. He’s late dropping them off at school. He makes sandwiches with white bread. But when Justine crafts an outright lie for her mother’s court case, she starts to question her mother’s behavior, and her own. This thoughtful, supportive look at parental alienation and its impact on children tenderly balances this difficult topic with moments of joy, love, and connection. Throughout the book, Justine’s clever, unique voice guides readers as she navigates complicated family dynamics and summons the courage to tell the truth, no matter the consequences. From School Library Journal Gr 5-7-Family dynamics are central to the story of 12-year-old Justine and her four-year-old sister Bea as they go back and forth between the homes of their divorced parents in Montreal. At their mother's condo, things are strict and controlled because of mom's anxiety. At their dad's house the rules are more relaxed, but Justine's mom thinks her dad and older half-sister Mariella are a bad influence on the girls. Justine begins gathering evidence about her dad's neglect so that her mom can get sole custody, thinking it will help her mother feel better, and stop her migraines and all of the yelling directed at her. Her detailed notes go from things like her dad not sticking to the strict bedtime and serving sandwiches on white bread, to crafting a lie about physical abuse to help her mother's court case. As lawyers get involved and the case moves forward, Justine begins to question her mom's behavior and whether she should be helping her. Characters are cued as white; Justine's father is of French descent and there are a few words regional to Canadian dialect that might be unclear for American readers. The author thoughtfully and honestly explores the realities of divorce, anxiety, and how kids are impacted by parental behavior. Justine's voice will grab readers as she navigates changing family situations and the importance of sharing the truth. VERDICT Purchase for collections where family stories are popular. Children with divorced parents will see themselves reflected in Justine's nuanced story.-Sarah Polaceα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. About the Author MONIQUE POLAK is the author of over
- Idioma: Inglés
- Envío: Desde EE. UU.
- Libro Impreso y Nuevo
