Customer Reviews

The Sorta Sisters

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Just 10 minutes ago I finished reading The Sorta Sisters by Adrian Fogelin and it now sits in front of me alongside my copies of her other 6 books. Yes, I know these are fiction books, but my heart feels like it's just spent time with old friends from the neighborhood. Shoot, I wish I could send a letter off to Anna or Mica right now. If they were real people instead of excellently developed fictional characters, I would ask them to be happy and to please check back in with me again before too long. Gosh, I'm going to miss the heck out of them and the other neighborhood kids. For those of you who loved sweet foster child Anna from Anna Casey's Place in the World and for those of you who got a kick out of spunky Mica from My Brother's Hero, be assured that Adrian Fogelin is going to take you along for another un-put-downable read. Anna and Mica's letters to each other remind me of the days when I used to send "snail mail" to friends and the thrill I'd get when I saw one of their letters sitting in my mailbox. However, I don't think my friends and I shared such interesting life experiences in our letters. Be sure to admire the book's lovely drawings; each is hand drawn by the author herself.

Adrian Fogelin's The Sorta Sisters should be a real eye-opener for kid's whose lives are fairly stable and uncomplicated. In Anna Casey they'll meet a girl who's grown up in the foster system, and who can't quite dare to believe that her adoption will ever really be final. Her "sorta sister" Mica is the home-schooled daughter of an alcoholic living on a boat, trying to be the responsible one in the household. The two girls become penpals and learn that they share much more than a love of science. Many youthful readers, unfortunately, will be able to see that they, too, share some of the concerns of Anna and Mica. This story is just one more example of Adrian Fogelin's fine sensitivity to kids, the difficulties many face, and the heroic way they meet the challenges life throws in their paths. What a fine book, with delightful illustrations!

My wife picked out this book because of the design of the book. The print on the cover was unusual and different. The inside turned out to be of equal interest. The text print was brown. There were a number of cute drawings. The font on the chapter headings was like the cover. Even the page numbering was exceptional.
The book and the story are both just plain good. I would guess that this is a children's book but I'm no child. I found plenty to associate with in this story. Mica's father interested me. Both Anna and Mica were "real." All the characters were real. The book moved very quickly. The thoughts and emotions were flashing from page to page.
I would say that the book had a happy ending but it didn't really end; it just stopped at a favorable point. I was left feeling warm but still concerned about the future of the characters. Adrian Fogelin is a very good writer. I have no doubt that she will continue.

Richard Edward Noble - The Hobo Philosopher - Author of:

"A Little Something: Poetry and Prose"

Adrian is a writer of extraordinary talent. She's clever and enormously entertaining, she also understands young adults and speaks their language. Parents: No filthy language.
The SS offers a lesson in caring, sharing one's feelings and friendship. It is also about love and finding one's place in the world. The humor is astounding.
If you are an adult and haven't read Fogelin's books, you are missing a feast. Her books are not just for young adults, they are for anyone who likes to smile, laugh out loud and have a "happy" cry. I recommend The Sorta Sisters and everything Adrian writes. As a special bonus Adrian did all of the illustrations in The SS. What words can't describe, her illustrations can.
Five Star. Ronald G. Miller, Amelia Island, Fl.