BOOK: The other Shepards by Griffin

[Frederick Muller <fmuller@TELLURIAN.NET>]

Griffin, Adele._The other Shepards_,1998 [07868-04238]
Eighth grader Holland and her younger sister are "the parents"
second crop of children.  The first three were killed in an accident
twenty years ago. This is the story of the parents dealing with that
tragedy and how this all effects on their two newest children, both
troubled -- one more than the other.  The parents never talk of
anything connected with the earlier family.  One day a young lady,
Annie shows up and helps them paint a mural in the kitchen.  And
eventually helps them go to meet friends of the family (from the
previous children.)  At the end of the book the reader realizes that
Annie is an imaginary friend and after the children have run away to
meet this other family, the four family members begin to relate to
each other once again.  The initial two thirds of the book, I found
tedious but when Annie shows up and the the kids go on the trip
and their parents start to relate to the family again, I really took to
the story.  Looking back on the book, I see that the reader needs
this tortured beginning and after it is tied with the ending, this 218
page book is a wonderful story and study of four people dealing
with grief.
***
Frederick Muller
fmuller@tellurian.net         Halsted Middle School
(973) 383-7440  ext.228       59 Halsted Street
FAX (973) 383-7432             Newton, NJ   07860
-------
My book reviews are compiled at:
http://www.halsted.org/br.htm

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