FernFolio

Grace “Sprig” Ewing ought to be having the best year of her life.  She is ten, her favourite number, she has terrific parents, a wonderful older sister, and Bliss, her faithful and supportive best friend.  But somehow nothing seems to quite right anymore in Sprig’s life.
Her father, an architectural engineer, has left on an extended business trip to Washington D.C. to discuss the building of schools in Afghanistan, and Sprig misses him terribly.  She is also afraid he might be sent to Afghanistan to oversee the building of these schools.  Her mother is a bank manager and works long hours.  Though she makes a point of doing things just with Sprig, such as going with her to the Mother Daughter Reading Club, she has also had a little talk with her about learning to control her emotions and not crying at the drop of a hat.
Worse, since she turned twelve, Sprig’s sister Dakota has become impossible.  She is constantly telling Sprig what to do and what not to do, and exerting her right, as the older sibling, to choose first, speak first, and make decisions on behalf of her younger sister.  She has stopped playing with Sprig, preferring to spend time with Krystee, whose taunts and sarcasm leave Sprig feeling angry and powerless, and has discovered boys, especially Thomas Buckhorn, probably the cutest boy in the whole United States.
Fortunately, Sprig’s best friend, Bliss, shares her feelings about Krystee, and sympathises with her frustrations with Dakota.  But Bliss also seems to have developed an interest in boys, namely Russell Ezra-Evans, the super-sized version who sits behind Sprig in class and who is constantly knocking into, hitting and kicking her.  Yes, she knows he probably cannot help it, he’s so large that he has trouble controlling his body parts, but discovering that Bliss thinks Russell is “sort of adorable” leaves Sprig feeling like she’s been left behind.
Ten Ways to Make My Sister Disappear explores the thoughts and feelings of a gentle yet resilient young girl on the cusp of adolescence as she learns just how complicated and difficult and wonderful relationships with friends and family can be.  Written by Norma Fox Mazer, this is a novel that will speak to younger sisters and girls coming to grips with adolescence.
FernFolio Editor