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A Roller Coaster Down
All Bernadette “Bernie” O’Brien, an underachieving, overweight 14-year-old, who happens to be blind, wants is an average share of happiness. Instead, her life is on a runaway roller coaster that can only plummet down. Failed by those she idealizes, despising her own weaknesses, Bernie plunges into the desert of her own hopelessness. A Roller Coaster Down is a luminous, gently humorous story of failure and redemption, of the universal hunt for love and self-respect.
246 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 2012
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March 22, 2013
Will Bernadette, a Blind 9th Grader, See through Her Anger and Recognize the People Who Love Her
Bernadette O'Brien enters high school with a chip on her shoulder bigger than Mt. Rushmore. She's blind and resents help. She yearns to be recognized for something other than a clutzy, blind girl. Nick, a fellow classmate, truly cares for her but she's determined that her sister's boyfriend, Jason would be better. Heidi, a new girl from Germany befriends her. When they go to a party, Jason kisses Heidi. Bernadette gets sick from drinking a beer and is disgusted because Jason is two-timing her sister and not going for her. She sprains her ankle leaving the party. Nick calls his father to take her home. Her anger gets her deeper in trouble. Leese, her used-be best friend lies to get the music teacher fired. Even when Bernadette can hardly walk, she musters the energy to explain the truth about Leese's lie to the principal. The principal doesn't seem to believe her. Her mother left her. Her father barely notices her. Her sister resents her. She thinks she's is worthless. Bernadette finally decides to make the best of what she has and doesn't give up no matter how down the roller coaster takes her. Now that is a roller coaster up.
Bernadette O'Brien enters high school with a chip on her shoulder bigger than Mt. Rushmore. She's blind and resents help. She yearns to be recognized for something other than a clutzy, blind girl. Nick, a fellow classmate, truly cares for her but she's determined that her sister's boyfriend, Jason would be better. Heidi, a new girl from Germany befriends her. When they go to a party, Jason kisses Heidi. Bernadette gets sick from drinking a beer and is disgusted because Jason is two-timing her sister and not going for her. She sprains her ankle leaving the party. Nick calls his father to take her home. Her anger gets her deeper in trouble. Leese, her used-be best friend lies to get the music teacher fired. Even when Bernadette can hardly walk, she musters the energy to explain the truth about Leese's lie to the principal. The principal doesn't seem to believe her. Her mother left her. Her father barely notices her. Her sister resents her. She thinks she's is worthless. Bernadette finally decides to make the best of what she has and doesn't give up no matter how down the roller coaster takes her. Now that is a roller coaster up.
Displaying 1 of 1 review