While the cute lizard caught my attention, it was the blurb which made me want to dive into today's read. It circles around two siblings, one with a disability, and their shared secret. Despite the 'no pet' rule in their household, a bad situation leads the main character, Josie, to sneak one into their household. I'm expecting some tough themes and tons of sibling goodness...and maybe, a few pet twists to add some smiles?
Oh...and I almost forgot to say that it's Monday (obviously), but that also means that anyone who enjoys middle grade literature can head over HERE to discover a list of recommended reads for the week.
THE ZUZU SECRET
by Miriam Chernick
Charlesbridge Moves
Middle Grade Contemporary
272 pages
ages 8 to 12
COMING...
MAY 5th!!!
It’s summer, and Josie and Abe’s family just moved to a new town. They each have secrets . . . one of which involves caring for a bearded dragon.
For fans of Out of My Mind, comes a heartfelt novel for kids ages 10 and up about sibling relationships, family struggles, disability, and getting what you want.
12-year-old Josie Sherman, an animal lover and aspiring vet, rescues a bearded dragon lizard. But her family’s strict no-pets rule because of her brother's disability forces Josie to hide the lizard, Zuzu, in her bedroom.
Abe, Josie's 15-year-old brother, is a huge Orioles fan, and he has plans of his own. Abe lives with Prader-Willi syndrome, which restricts his independence. What secret risks will Abe take to reach his goals?
Told in alternating points of view, The Zuzu Secret explores the challenge of balancing independence with deception. Josie and Abe both have things to learn about being truthful with themselves and with the people they love.
For fans of Out of My Mind, comes a heartfelt novel for kids ages 10 and up about sibling relationships, family struggles, disability, and getting what you want.
12-year-old Josie Sherman, an animal lover and aspiring vet, rescues a bearded dragon lizard. But her family’s strict no-pets rule because of her brother's disability forces Josie to hide the lizard, Zuzu, in her bedroom.
Abe, Josie's 15-year-old brother, is a huge Orioles fan, and he has plans of his own. Abe lives with Prader-Willi syndrome, which restricts his independence. What secret risks will Abe take to reach his goals?
Told in alternating points of view, The Zuzu Secret explores the challenge of balancing independence with deception. Josie and Abe both have things to learn about being truthful with themselves and with the people they love.
MY TIDBITS
Sibling relationships hit with heart and soul, and characters to root for until the end.
Josie is three years younger than her brother, but thanks to Prader-Willi's syndrome, she often takes the lead and watches out for him. Their family's move to a small town gives Josie the chance to volunteer at a local veterinarian's office...if she can get her parents to approve. Just as it seems that her dream might come true, they suffer a car accident, which leaves her mother in care for awhile. With only her father to help them settle into the new house and life for awhile, Josie finds herself needing to step up even more when it comes to helping her brother and sacrificing her own dreams and desires. But there is one positive aspect to the entire mess. Josie decided to save a lizard, and keeps it in her room despite the family's rule against pets. Her brother also knows her secret, and together, Josie's hoping her parents will never find out.
These pages beam with sibling goodness and offer an inspiring tale surrounding the ups and downs that family life can bring. While life in the new town, the hospitalization of a parent, and fighting for dreams are already enough themes to create a rich read, this one also weaves in a disability, Prader-Willi's syndrome. This story raises awareness for the disability, but more importantly, it approaches it with a wholesome and inspiring light.
The book is written in alternating points of view between Josie and her brother, Abe. In this way, the reader gets to know both well...and it gives an interesting view into Abe's perception of the world. He's easy to like, has an unique insight into things, and is as enjoyable to follow as his sister. Both characters gain depth, and both are easy to understand, although they see things very differently most of the time.
Then, there's the lizard. While it acts as a bonding point for the siblings and offers a bit of tension when things don't always run smoothly, it also opens the door to some animal facts. Readers learn more about the species as Josie does her best to take care of it. But then, this also opens the door to the entire theme of caring for pets, adds some baseball information, and peeks at the sticky situation around harboring secrets from parents.
In other words, it's a read with much to enjoy.
And here she is...
Miriam is a writer, a substitute teacher at her local public schools, a parent to three young adults, and a caregiver for her brother, who was born with Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare disease. As a child of Canadian diplomats, she lived in France, Canada, Venezuela, Israel, and Washington, D.C. She also studied and worked in Japan. Now she lives in Maryland with her husband, two clever cats named Miso and Boots, and a bearded dragon named Zuki.