Gold Star Sister

When her beloved Gram is dying of cancer, Carrie discovers letters from Gran's brother, Billy, who was killed in World War II and uncovers a family secret as she pieces together Gran's life and her own as well.

Grade 6-9-A poignant, contemporary story that has a well-developed plot interspersed with interesting historical information. Carrie, a sensitive 13-year-old, is very close to her grandmother, who is dying of cancer. Caught in the middle between her glamorous older sister, Lisa, and the younger, slimmer Molly, Carrie is often the odd person out. Gram's illness, however, brings the girls closer together, especially as she worsens and they take turns at caregiving. Carrie's discovery of Gram's "Billy box" full of letters written during World War II unveils a surprising family secret-Gram had an older brother. After he was killed by friendly fire in the Aleutian Islands, she was so grief-stricken that she never spoke of him. Carrie also finds an unopened letter from a dying soldier to his infant son that was never delivered. After a frustrating search, she and her sisters and cousin locate the now middle-aged man. Murphy has created a thoughtful, tenacious young narrator in this heartfelt novel. The sibling rivalry is well portrayed, as is the stress felt by the entire family in caring for a loved one who is ill.
Judy R. Johnston, Auburn High School, WA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Carrie receives a C in History because she handed in an unfinished project on WW II--she really hadn't cared enough to complete it. But when she finds a mysterious box filled with letters in her grandmother's basement, all that changes. The letters are a 50-year-old correspondence between Carrie's grandmother, Gram, and her brother Billy- -whom nobody in the family has ever heard of. Carrie questions Gram and discovers that Billy was a medic in the American army and died during the war, after which Gram and her parents never mentioned him again. (Even Carrie's father, Gram's son, didn't know about his deceased uncle.) Carrie becomes extremely involved in the story of her uncle Billy, so much so that when she finds a letter that he wrote for a dying man in his unit (but was never able to deliver), Carrie resolves to find the man's son and give him the letter herself. Carrie has another reason for wanting to deliver the letter, however: She believes that if she succeeds, her grandmother will not die of the cancer that is ravaging her. Carrie thinks that by finding the rightful owner of the letter she can save her beloved Gram. Despite the interesting WW II history, Murphy (To the Summit, 1992, etc.) delivers an essentially flat story that only picks up a little at the tear-jerky end. (Fiction. 10- 14) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Gr. 6-8. Thirteen-year-old Carrie, an awkward middle child sandwiched between two perfect sisters, has had a difficult year. To top it off, she is certain that her parents aren't telling the truth about Gram, who has moved in with the family while undergoing chemotherapy. Her fears are confirmed after her grandmother breaks a hip and tests reveal Gram's cancer has spread. While going through some old letters, Carrie learns that Gram had a brother, Billy, who died during World War II. Among the letters is one that Billy intended to deliver to the wife and son of a friend who died. As a final present to Gram, Carrie determines to find the son and deliver the letter. The search, which eventually involves an elderly neighbor, an eccentric classmate, and Carrie's entire family, assumes an urgency that dissolves family barriers, helps Carrie reestablish ties with her family, and lets her discover her own self-worth. The plot unfolds quickly and dramatically, and Murphy's finely crafted depiction of parent-child relationships makes the novel a good family story. The characters, both children and adults, are drawn with care, with Murphy getting the emotional content exactly right. A poignant novel that middle-graders will really enjoy. Chris Sherman