Sorta Sisters

by Adrian Fogelin

Award-winning author Adrian Fogelin's latest book for middle readers follows an unlikely but enduring friendship that is forged between two adolescent girls. Anna Casey likes living in North Florida with biology teacher Miss Johnette, her latest foster mother. Best of all, Miss J wants to adopt Anna. Still, it is hard to grow into a new family, a new life, and a new school all at once, especially when you've been rootless nearly all of your life. Mica Delano likes living aboard her sailboat, the "Martina," which is docked at a marina in the Florida Keys. Best of all, the marina's owners, whom she calls Aunt Emma and Uncle Bert, try hard to make up for the sometimes inattentive parenting she gets from her marine biologist father. But Mica fears that her restless father will soon pull anchor, taking them away from the safety of Bert's Marina. A chance correspondence between these two girls separated by the length of the state of Florida becomes a flourishing friendship. As they share their love of nature, each helps the other cope with uncertainty and loneliness and profound change. Mica enrolls in public school for the first time since first grade and suffers the agony of trying to fit in. Anna must make room in her heart for a possible rival when her beloved foster mother becomes serious about a suitor. In the end, Anna and Mica save each other and themselves with hope, humor, and a shared love of the natural world.

Genres: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Adoption, Juvenile

292 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2007

About the author

Adrian Fogelin is the author of several novels for middle readers and young adults, including Crossing Jordan and The Real Question. She lives in Florida.

Reviews

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters were very interesting

[Sophia Barsuhn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best of the Neighborhood Novels, and easily one of the best middle-grade books I’ve read this year. I had a feeling I was going to love it from the very first page when I saw the hand-drawn pencil illustrations and learned that the author herself drew them, and almost laughed out loud with joy when the narration focused not only on the two child main characters, but a few of the adults as well. I stand by my assertion that this author understands that the best middle-grade and YA books are ones that you can read and enjoy as an adult, maybe even more than you did as a kid. It’s so refreshing to read an author who really understands her audience.

Mica and Anna are my two favorite characters in this series, so it was wonderful reading a book focused on just them. They were smart and funny and very believable pre-teens. Their respective longing for a family was heartbreaking in the best way. Whenever this book focused on the adults, like Anna’s foster mom or Mica’s Aunt Emma, I was astonished at how well it was done. It was written in a simple, non-condescending way so that younger readers wouldn’t feel alienated, but it was also touched with the kind of knowing you only get as an adult. After the almost painfully juvenile tone of books three and four in this series, it was nice to feel like the author was taking her work seriously again.

I absolutely loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good middle-grade novel, whether you’re a kid or an adult.

[Carley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book,The Sorta Sisters written by Adrian Fogelin, is a book about a boy named Ben who went on vacation to the Keys with his family after Christmas break. Then meets a sweet girl named Mica. It all starts off there, but what if you had a bestfriend that was a complete stranger to you and lives miles away that once wrote a letter to you. The letter was the start to your friendship, would you write back?

Anyways, Mica lives on a boat. She is completely homeschooled, well since the second grade. She is 12 years old and she doesn't have much experience with making friends, but she got close to Ben. After, Ben talked about his life back at home.He brought up his friend Anna. Anna is a foster child who has been through many different families and is in a very comfortable and or fitting home now with her foster mom, Mr. J also known as her history teacher.Mica was very interested in what Anna was about so in that case, she wrote a letter to her. Instead of mailing it to her, she gave it to Ben that gave it to Anna. After this day, Mica and Anna would always write back to each other throughout the days. They became very close and they loved talking to each other almost every day but the only problem was, that they could not visit each other, they live MILES away! This book shows the theme of kindness. As Mica would always write to Anna it would make her happy to know someone really cares about her and wants to spend her own time to talk to her. This book has to fall into the realistic fiction genre because the setting, the time, and the characters are all things that are real and that can happen in real life. The friendship between Anna and Mica can happen in real life. Many young girls and boys are orphans and in this case, it's Anna.

Character vs. self is the internal conflict in this story. As of Mica, who lives on a boat has barely any experience making a lot of friends, when she quit public school in second grade she barely had any more friends. Through the 4 to 5 years she has been homeschooled, she had nothing to do because she had no friends to hang out with or to even talk to so she spent most of her time doing homeschooled schoolwork. She really badly wanted to start public school again because she was getting older and when her aunt said, “i love the girl to death but she really needs some friends her own age,” Mica really didn't want to just grow up alone with no friends, she thought she would be lonely her whole life! Now she really wanted to attend public school. There is also an external conflict which is character vs. character. Anna and Mica have been friends ever since the first letter. After such a long period of time has past, they really wanted to see each other face to face. They want to find a way to meet in person. Mica doesn't have much family besides her dad and aunt. Anna doesn't either. She only has Mrs. J and her other friends. Mrs. J is very protective about Anna so she rather not let her go alone to visit Mica. Anna then suggests that Mica comes to Anna instead, but they'll see what happens.
I honestly liked the book but it could definitely have had a bit more excitement or interesting things. The way the book expresses itself in a cute girly way, it doesn't have much more to do with the fact of two girls wanting to meet each other. The author could've easily thrown something more in it and add on but in this case, that's not the scenario. I also believe a person who would like this book would be someone who is a girl. The friendship between these two girls would probably not be very interesting to boys and an age level about 8-13. If anyone older than 13 were to read this, I'd say they wouldn't be interested because it would be to immature.

[Jnase1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reads like a classic Judy Blume novel...two very different girls who meet in the most unlikely of circumstances, through a mutual friend, and become friends by writing letters to each other. Anna is an orphan who lives with a high school biology teacher, Ms. Johnette, who is in the process of trying to adopt her. Mica lives on a fishing boat with her drunken father and is mostly looked after by her neighbors whom she calls Aunt Emma and Uncle Bert. The girls exchange letters and share their love of Science by sending each other a little sample of something from their home in each letter. Eventually both girls find other friends and at one point Mica all but stops writing to Anna. Anna, who is used to the feeling of being abandoned, feels hurt, but is able to deal with it. Does Mica still want to be Anna's friend? And will the two ever meet in person? I was crying my eyes out by the end of the book...especially the last two sentences. Loved it!

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna and Mica live far away from each other and have never met, but have a lot in common. Anna is a foster child who has been bounced around from place to place. She hopes she will be able to stay with her current foster mother, Miss J, a biology teacher. Mica lives with her biologist father on a houseboat. They go from research project to research project, never staying in the same place either. Both girls have trouble making and keeping friends. But through their love of the natural world and through a series of letters they support each other and become "sorta sisters." There are beautiful soft illustrations of bugs and shells and items from nature that the girls find and share with each other.

[M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book. Mica and Anna have both had difficult
upbringings and they "meet" by becoming pen pals. They have a lot in common and support each other, deciding they're "sorta" sisters. Unusual story and kept my attention. Anna has been in the foster care system more or less since her parents and grandmother died; Mica lives with her alcoholic biologist dad on a boat currently docked in a Florida marina. Perhaps a bit of a culture shock to kids who’ve grown up in stable households, but the story is handled well. 4th grade and up./mn

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 This was a great tale of friendship and love in the midst of everyday events. One day, Mica decides to send Anna a letter and a friendship is born. They share with each other their thoughts and knowledge. Both of them have family situations and when something bad happens, they have to bond together in order to get through it.

[Kelly Holmes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the author's drawings throughout, and I liked the characters well enough. But the book was to slow for me. It was almost 300 pages, and too many scenes seemed too long and drawn out or not necessary at all.

[Erin Sterling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two girls, both who are a little lonely and science geek misfits, become pen pals. One's the daughter of a ship captain who moves around all the time and the other is a foster child hoping to be adopted by her amazing foster mother. The book is sweet and touching, but not too sappy.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

GA book award nominee.
Interesting book about two girls in different parts of Florida. They have a mutual friend who introduces them through letters. The girls become pen pals and help each other through tween problems. Very interesting storyline.

[MJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fiction
Anna is a foster child who almost certainly will become adopted. Mica travels aboard a boat with her scientist father who pays little attention to her. The two become pen pals and get some perspective on their lives. This one is probably for 8-10 year olds.

[Tibby]

This was a fun little story about family and friendship. I think the best part of it was the drawings of various objects that the girls send to each other. Including their letters was also a nice touch. I would recommend this as a quick summer read.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna was so superstitious! Sad that lives are governed by superstitions. Really love how this book ended up but so angry that it wasn't continued with Mica and Anna living together. I mean, how hilarious would it be to have Ben and Mica going at it, but in Ben's territory. I feel jiped!! -_-

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original!

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story, liked the style of correspondence between two penpals. Loved a minor character, Cody. So I've got a soft spot for little boys who tag along? So what?

[Rosanise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey Thea- this book really reminded me of us! It's really really good!!!!! I totally recommend it!!!!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! Girls become best friends and “sorta sisters” through letters (pen pals). Each has a non-traditional family…a very sweet and touching read.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good book about two girls who become friends as they are pen pals...it's cute...but kinda boring...I just read it b/c of lack of something else to read.

[Ala Corbett]

This was a cute and short read. I felt like I was back in Jr. High again and I wanted to have a Pen Pal once again.

[Dumbo Lover]

awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!26595

[Genesis F]

awesome

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the natural look of the book the most, to be honest. But aside from that, I also liked the friendship in it.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a cute little story to read, the only thing I didn't like about it is how predicttable it was

[Hannah]

I learned from this book that its ok to have a friend that is far far away!

[Perro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tweenage girls may relate. It was very nice.

[Jaslynn Gwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS WAS MY FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME! It was very easy to relate to... i enjoied the setting, plot, characters, etc. LOVED the letter format.

[Jacklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT WAS GREAT!!!!!

[Vickie]

Good story for pre-teen girls.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful! Lovely, lovely story. And how lucky were we? The author attended our mother/daughter book club meeting.

[1Sha.5917 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was awesome. It had lots of excitement and its the first book I read this year. It showed how a relationship should between two sis.