On the day before 7th grade begins, Kat’s dog is struck by an old woman driver who suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease. And the following day, Kat makes a fateful decision to cut school and “borrow” a bicycle to see her injured pet. This snowballs into a far worse situation that Kat must dig herself out of.
A rather poorly-written novel that suffers from two problems – unrelated plot lines and unrealistic dialog (what 7th grader uses words like “horrendous” or psychoanalyzes one of her peers?). Add to the mess some sloppy proofreading (who was the editor?) and this appears to be a weak effort. The author’s intentions are admirable (describing Alzheimer’s, showing the bad consequences of stealing), but this is a mess!
Having said all that, I did want to compliment the author for not creating a happily-ever-after story. Unlike I’ll Sing You One-O (that I recently reviewed), we’re not getting any sense that stealing is ever OK or that Kat herself even feels it is justified. Instead, the acts is presented as a mistake from the beginning and it is never OK. Hooray for an author with a moral compass!
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