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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
Initial rated 5 stars but after thinking about it I really feel like I needed to knock a star off for the mother in this book.
This was a very sweet middle grade book centering around a 7th grade girl with tourette syndrome.
I listened to the audio book and really enjoyed it, I loved watching Calliope grow more comfortable with herself and stand up for herself.
My only issue was the mother, in my opinion a young girl who lost her father young having to navigate middle school with Tourettes at a new school felt like enough of storyline. The unstable/neglectful mother added nothing to the story besides boiling your blood. There are no repercussions for the mothers actions, no "I'm sorry for being a terrible mother who is literally abusing you because idk how to survive without a man and I'm not a stable caretaker" infact at the end of the book poor Calliope is putting it onto her shoulders for not "trying to understand her mother" like no baby girl, your momma needs some therapy.
With all that said I really enjoyed listening to this book, it was really moving a sweet, I just wish it had ended with the mother realizing that she was enough for herself, starting some therapy, and decided to stay in one location more then a few months so that she can put her little girl first.
This was a very sweet middle grade book centering around a 7th grade girl with tourette syndrome.
I listened to the audio book and really enjoyed it, I loved watching Calliope grow more comfortable with herself and stand up for herself.
My only issue was the mother, in my opinion a young girl who lost her father young having to navigate middle school with Tourettes at a new school felt like enough of storyline. The unstable/neglectful mother added nothing to the story besides boiling your blood. There are no repercussions for the mothers actions, no "I'm sorry for being a terrible mother who is literally abusing you because idk how to survive without a man and I'm not a stable caretaker" infact at the end of the book poor Calliope is putting it onto her shoulders for not "trying to understand her mother" like no baby girl, your momma needs some therapy.
With all that said I really enjoyed listening to this book, it was really moving a sweet, I just wish it had ended with the mother realizing that she was enough for herself, starting some therapy, and decided to stay in one location more then a few months so that she can put her little girl first.
Love this. Heartfelt and real. will likely recommend for my middle school kids :)
emotional
fast-paced
emotional
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Beautifully poetic
After finally picking up a book for the first time in a couple months, I read this whole thing in a day! Loved it and can't wait to recommend this one to my students.
Told in verse, Forget Me Not is a sweet story about a seventh grade girl who has moved so many times that she has it down to a science. She can unpack her entire bedroom and have it set up in a new place in seven minutes. Each time her mother breaks up with a boyfriend they change cities, which means Calli is forced to change schools. This would be bad enough for any teenage girl, but for Calli it's agony. She has Tourette's Syndrome and each time she moves is a new opportunity for others to notice her tics and make fun of her. She never gets to stay in one place long enough for anyone to see past her quirks and make friends.
But maybe this place will be different. Maybe in this place she'll be able to make a friend.. or maybe something more. But even friendship comes with its own risks when she could be pulled away and be forced to move again at any time.
I have students who are highly mobile, who move in for a couple of months and then move to countless other schools before sometimes cycling back to our school. They suffer in so many ways. They never get to have stability in their friendships or in their education and constant moving creates gaps in social, emotional, and academic skills. These issues are compounded for Calli by the additional isolation she feels from her Tourette's.
Calli is a very sympathetic character despite the short length of the story. I wish we had learned a bit more about her interests instead of simply seeing her react over and over to things, but the point of the story isn't to get to know Calli but to feel empathy for her situation. The reader is left wishing they could know her better, which is how I imagine others might feel when Calli moves away from her other schools.
But maybe this place will be different. Maybe in this place she'll be able to make a friend.. or maybe something more. But even friendship comes with its own risks when she could be pulled away and be forced to move again at any time.
I have students who are highly mobile, who move in for a couple of months and then move to countless other schools before sometimes cycling back to our school. They suffer in so many ways. They never get to have stability in their friendships or in their education and constant moving creates gaps in social, emotional, and academic skills. These issues are compounded for Calli by the additional isolation she feels from her Tourette's.
Calli is a very sympathetic character despite the short length of the story. I wish we had learned a bit more about her interests instead of simply seeing her react over and over to things, but the point of the story isn't to get to know Calli but to feel empathy for her situation. The reader is left wishing they could know her better, which is how I imagine others might feel when Calli moves away from her other schools.