Stop Pretending

Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy

by Sonya Sones

published by: Harper Collins

Summary: A 13-year old girl has an older sister who went crazy one day. Now she visits her frequently in the hospital's psycho ward, but she wishes she didn't have to. She loves her sister but she is ashamed. Ashamed when her sister "throws herself into a chair. She says this chair controls the room and all her thoughts and all mine, too." And she is ashamed to tell her friends because of what they will say. When she finally does pluck up the courage, they act like it's no big deal to them, but soon they are ignoring her. Will she ever have a real friend who will be able to look past her sister? Will she ever be able to smile again? Who are these strangers in her life now? Her mother and father fight all the time now and her sister doesn't know who she is.

Here is an excerpt from the book, that I think really captures the overall mood. Enjoy!

Stop Pretending

Stop Pretending.

Right this minute.

Don't you tell me

you don't know me.

Stop this crazy act

and show me

that you haven't changed.

Stop pretending

you're deranged.

Stop a minute.

You'll remember things

like they used to be

when you used to read to me

from Dr. Seuss in our backyard.

Stop Pretending.

Right this minute.

I'm your sister.

Don't you tell me

you don't know me.

Personal Review: This book was very sad but beautiful. I loved how it was written in poems, with the line breaks giving it special emphasis. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was a quick read and I couldn't put it down at all, even if it wasn't.

Cautionary Note: one sexual situation