Ten Ways To Make My Sister Disappear - Hardcover

Mazer, Norma Fox

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0439839831 ISBN 13: 9780439839839

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2007

Synopsis

Everything ten year-old Sprig wants, her older sister Dakota already has. Everything Sprig does, Dakota does better. And anytime Sprig complains, Dakota just grins and calls her a baby. It’s enough to make a kid wish her sister would disappear.
But in a year when Sprig’s father is away, her favorite neighbor is ill, and the class bully is acting almost like, well, a boyfriend, Sprig discovers that allies come in unexpected shapes. Sometimes they’re even related to you.

About this title

About the Author

Norma Fox Mazer (1931-2009) grew up in Glens Falls, New York, in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. Norma was praised for her portrayal of characters with realistic problems and relationships that pull them out of struggles. Her books have received many awards, including a finalist for the National Book Award, a Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, the Christopher Medal, a Newbery Honor, and The Edgar.

Review

"A master at describing family dynamics, Mazer reveals the ups and downs of middle-school friendship, as well. This contemporary addition to her admirable body of work should bring new readers." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Mazer hits just the right note with each [character], from the children to the elderly neighbor Sprig saves when the woman has a stroke. In an astute bit of push-pull, Sprig is called a heroine, even though she knows she could have gotten help sooner. A solid choice for an underserved age group." -- Booklist
"The author excels at depicting the complexity of preteens' emotions and relationships, especially sibling relationships; many readers will recognize their own feelings here." -- Publishers Weekly
"Like Beverly Cleary before her, Mazer catches the intense love-hate relationship that can develop between siblings in the way they separate and reconnect; she also retains a pitch-perfect ear for the way siblings today speak to each other without incorporating vocabulary that would inevitably date the book. Sprig’s generally sunny disposition and interest in her world helps keep the novel fresh and funny despite her woes, and the sisters’ reconciliation at the end rings completely true." -- Horn Book
"Captured in these trying relationships are deeper understandings of the dynamics of friendship and sisterhood. Important lessons about decision-making and age-appropriate responsibility are effortlessly delivered. Sprig learns that jealousy and anger are poor companions and that seemingly insurmountable differences can sometimes lead to surprising unions. This entertaining and true-to-life book is an excellent introduction to the world of boys, sibling rivalry, and loyalty. Mazer’s telling of age-old struggles will easily find a home with reluctant readers and sisters alike." -- School Library Journal

About this edition

• Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0439839831
• ISBN 13: 9780439839839
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 160