Sure Signs of Crazy

"I was only two when my mother filled the kitchen sink with water and tried to drown me," begins the second chapter, and the voice of 12-year-old narrator Sarah Nelson grows only stronger. Sarah and her father have spent the past 10 years moving around and avoiding recognition. But this fateful summer, they're staying put. As she finally tries to figure out the truth about her family, gets a crush and, most importantly, starts to decide who she wants to be, Sarah confides in her diaries and letters to her beloved Atticus Finch.

This is not easy subject matter, but Sarah's brave and genuine voice allows readers to live the rough patches of her summer alongside her. Karen Harrington's (Janeology) funny, thoughtful writing softens the gravity of the material. Younger readers may not be ready for some of the situations Sarah faces, but those who are will find their hearts permanently changed by this beautiful book. --Stephanie Anderson, head of readers' advisory at the Darien Library and blogger

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