Natalie, a 15 year old high school sophmore, was born with an eye disease that slowly robbed her of her eyesight. At 15, with her eyesight becoming extremely poor, she has to leave her friends and her school to take up residence at The Baltimore School for the Blind to learn how to use a cane, read braille, and overall prepare herself for the day she wakes up with no sight at all. You will root for Natalie all the way and feel her frustrations as she struggles to accept everything the new school has to offer. You will find yourself wondering, "What would I do if I knew I was going to wake up blind one day..." You also empathize with Natalie as she negotiates her relationship with her best friend since childhood and the new friends she makes. This book offers heartache, hope, and an amazing glimpse at resilience. You will also have a new insight and respect for the blind. Natalie's pet goat (she lives on a goat farm) Nuisance is a fun part of the book too!
A great historical fiction read revolvoing around the true story The Little Rock Nine in which nine African American students integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas which made headlines during the very heated years of segregation and civil rights. This story illustrates the impact segregation and the times had on the friendship of two girls, Marlee and Liz. Marlee and Liz are two 12 year old middle school girls whose friendship is severely threatened due to the times and the ignorance of their community. What struck me the most in this book was the realization, that even if Marlee's family and other's were forward thinking, the friendship posed a very real and life threatening danger to both families. What a difficult time period for so many. This is a great read!