Book Review:
Bibliography:
Telgemeier, R. (2014). SISTERS.
Graphix Publishing.
Plot Summary:
Raina can't wait to be a big sister, but once Amara is born,
things aren't quite how she expected them to be. Amara is cute, but she's also
a cranky, grouchy baby, and mostly prefers to play by herself. Their
relationship doesn't improve much over the years, then a baby brother enters
the picture. Soon after, something doesn't seem right between their parents,
and they realize they must figure out how to get along. They are sisters, after
all. Raina uses her signature humor and charm in both present-day narrative and
perfectly placed flashbacks to tell the story of her relationship with her
sister, which unfolds during the course of a road trip from their home in San
Francisco to a family reunion in Colorado.
Critical Analysis:
The storyline goes back and forth from present-day road trip/family
reunion to flashbacks from earlier in Raina’s childhood. The flashbacks
show why Raina and her sister Amara have such a tense relationship with each
other. Raina often references wishing she never had a sister. Although
the focus is always on both sisters, this book also centers on a road trip from
California to Colorado, and Telgemeier includes all the antics and details of a
typical family road trip. Told from the perspective of Raina, it’s easy to find
Amara incredibly annoying, although at times I feel bad for her. It is easy to empathize
with her, she seems to be misunderstood and have a very difficult time
expressing herself in a calm way. The familiar family dynamic draws you in and gives
the reader insight on how certain events affect the family, such as the father
losing his job and how the children react to it. The theme of the novel is determination. This was demonstrated when Raina
experienced being an outsider from other kids and was determined to fit in. The
author uses the narrative voice of Rania and her sister, which impacted the
book by showing how messed up Raina’s relationship really is with her sister. The
text is relatable in the storyline and the style it is written.
Review Excerpts:
Eisner Award-winner
Kirkus Starred Review: "A wonderfully charming
tale of family and sisters that anyone can bond with."
Publishers Weekly Starred Review: "Alternately poignant and
laugh-out-loud funny."
Booklist
Starred Review: “Telgemeier keeps the surface story popping and
zippy, even through the constant sparring between the awkwardly adolescent
Raina and her firecracker younger sister, a relationship that will prove
profoundly familiar to many readers. Telgemeier’s art complements her writing
to great effect, offering a cheerful, vivid cartoon simplicity that allows
readers to instantly engage even as it leaves room for deeper truths to take
hold.”
Connections:
-Have students create a timeline of events throughout the
story using Time Graphics App.
-If working with younger students, have them create a word
journal for new vocabulary words they encounter while reading, or if librarian
is reading a chapter aloud.
Comments
Post a Comment