When my daughter was visiting author Gale Sears, she made a comment that she was my fifth favorite in the family. Gale laughed and told her she was going to write a book about the fifth favorite---and she did!
Gale's book, The Fifth Favorite, is a middle-grade story about Allie Whitman. She's got a lot on her plate with sixth grade worries and not feeling like her parents love her as much as her siblings. Allie was such a relatable character, especially for children who are navigating our "comparison" society. The book does tackle larger issues when Allie's brother asks her to keep a dangerous secret and there are plenty of places to start a conversation with your child on what kind of secrets are okay to keep and which are not.
This is a story with some really tender moments, a little mystery, and a sweet look into a young girl's heart.
You can get your copy here
Here's is the back copy:
Eleven-year-old Allie Whitman is dealing with stress about her sixth-grade science project, embarrassment about her chicken costume for Halloween, and fear of the Mad Woman of Tahoe Meadow. Added to this, she feels that she is her mother's fifth favorite in their family of six. She tries hard to up her status, but competing with her dad, a charming older brother, a brainy older sister, and a younger sister with autism; Allie laments that she may be stuck forever as low man on the totem pole.
The stakes escalate for Allie when her brother Paul, blackmails her into keeping a dark secret in exchange for his silence about one of her foolhardy decisions. When Paul's secret turns dangerous, Allie must decide between her mother's approval or saving her brother's life.
The Fifth Favorite is a clever story filled with lovable characters, a bit of mystery, and plenty of hope.
No comments:
Post a Comment