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Annies Welt: 3 x 3 Gründe, glücklich zu sein
Annie ist zehn und das jüngste von neun Geschwistern. Da gerät sie manchmal ziemlich zwischen die Fronten, vor allem, weil sie so winzig und ganz schön dünn ist. Doch das macht Annie nichts, für sie ist es normal. Und wenn's doch mal schwierig wird, dann zählt sie. Das hilft immer. Bis Annie merkt, dass zu Hause nichts normal ist: Gewalt und Armut bestimmen den Alltag. Werden sie und ihre Geschwister die Hilfe bekommen, die sie so dringend brauchen?
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 2, 2018
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1439 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
December 9, 2017
Antoinette Elizabeth Bianchi is the youngest of 9 children. 8 girls and 1 boy live in the house on Snow Lane. Their father works several jobs, and also works on the family farm. The kids help out, too. It takes a lot of work to keep a family of 11 going. Antoinette (called Annie) has multiple health problems. She is dyslexic, and prone to fits of vomiting and fatigue.
Slowly as Annie tells the story of her family, the truth comes out. The older children are forced to act as parents to the younger kids. There is never enough money for clothing, food and basic necessities. The children often feel sick or faint because there isn't enough food to eat. Annie can't invite friends over because she is embarrassed about their house and family life.....and other things that they never discuss. Scary things. Through it all Annie remains cheerful, although she always wonders why she is so slow compared to everyone else. Why her thoughts race at strange things. Why she counts and manipulates numbers in her head to calm herself down. Why is she so different?
I grew up Catholic, so I found it cute that every time Annie said crap or some other "bad'' word she listed the number of Hail Marys she would have to say as penance. :) I also sympathized with her for being the youngest in a large Catholic family. I was the youngest of 5, with the others many years older than me. It was awful. I was never physically abused....but there was mental abuse. This story was a bit hard for me to read because I sympathized with the main character so much. I dealt with similar problems at home and at school. I was never physically beaten, but I had a close friend at school who was. Her mother was very involved in the church, but regularly beat her daughter and locked her in a closet for minor infrractions. Finally my friend got pregnant and married in high school just to get away from her parents. Sad....but true. And in the 80's -- the same time period as this story. I don't know what happened to my friend....I lost contact with her during my college years and have never been able to find her again. I hope she is happy wherever she is. Those similarities in my background really pulled me into this story. I was a bit disappointed with the abrupt ending....the story just stops with nothing fully resolved. But...realistically...a family issue like that wouldn't be insta-fixed. The abrupt ending with things up in the air is the proper ending for this story. Disappointing, but more true than a fairy tale fix. This story is well-written. I normally don't like stream of consciousness type stories....but the author did a fantastic job with this one. I do have to admit that I found it extremely depressing though. Maybe because I identified with the main character so much.
Snow Lane is a hard hitting, masterfully written tale about a family....a family in trouble. But even in the darkness, there are bright spots. Annie is definitely a bright spot. She chooses to find the good in all things.....and that attitude and the promise of the life ahead of her is what leaves hope at the end of this tale.
I think I will try one more time to find my friend from school. This book really has me thinking about her. Maybe this time I will get lucky and one of my old classmates might know where she is. I can only try.....
To learn more about this author and her other books, check out her website: http://www.josephineangelini.com/
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan) via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
Slowly as Annie tells the story of her family, the truth comes out. The older children are forced to act as parents to the younger kids. There is never enough money for clothing, food and basic necessities. The children often feel sick or faint because there isn't enough food to eat. Annie can't invite friends over because she is embarrassed about their house and family life.....and other things that they never discuss. Scary things. Through it all Annie remains cheerful, although she always wonders why she is so slow compared to everyone else. Why her thoughts race at strange things. Why she counts and manipulates numbers in her head to calm herself down. Why is she so different?
I grew up Catholic, so I found it cute that every time Annie said crap or some other "bad'' word she listed the number of Hail Marys she would have to say as penance. :) I also sympathized with her for being the youngest in a large Catholic family. I was the youngest of 5, with the others many years older than me. It was awful. I was never physically abused....but there was mental abuse. This story was a bit hard for me to read because I sympathized with the main character so much. I dealt with similar problems at home and at school. I was never physically beaten, but I had a close friend at school who was. Her mother was very involved in the church, but regularly beat her daughter and locked her in a closet for minor infrractions. Finally my friend got pregnant and married in high school just to get away from her parents. Sad....but true. And in the 80's -- the same time period as this story. I don't know what happened to my friend....I lost contact with her during my college years and have never been able to find her again. I hope she is happy wherever she is. Those similarities in my background really pulled me into this story. I was a bit disappointed with the abrupt ending....the story just stops with nothing fully resolved. But...realistically...a family issue like that wouldn't be insta-fixed. The abrupt ending with things up in the air is the proper ending for this story. Disappointing, but more true than a fairy tale fix. This story is well-written. I normally don't like stream of consciousness type stories....but the author did a fantastic job with this one. I do have to admit that I found it extremely depressing though. Maybe because I identified with the main character so much.
Snow Lane is a hard hitting, masterfully written tale about a family....a family in trouble. But even in the darkness, there are bright spots. Annie is definitely a bright spot. She chooses to find the good in all things.....and that attitude and the promise of the life ahead of her is what leaves hope at the end of this tale.
I think I will try one more time to find my friend from school. This book really has me thinking about her. Maybe this time I will get lucky and one of my old classmates might know where she is. I can only try.....
To learn more about this author and her other books, check out her website: http://www.josephineangelini.com/
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan) via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
December 5, 2018
Wow. What a book. What a voice. The following lines from the book pretty much serve as its own thesis statement:
"You tell yourself what you have to tell yourself to hold on to whatever it is that's outside of all this insanity that makes you feel normal. So you never tell your friends and you never let them inside and you pretend that you're as normal as they are, because you just wouldn't be able to get through the day if you didn't."
I'm not really giving anything away by sharing that, Annie's home life is a little less than ordinary with 9 kids in the house, you can gather that much from the description of the book on its jacket flap. However that isn't even the half of it. And the two different slow reveals of what is really going on are revealed, dare I say, masterfully. When I finished reading Chapter 7, I had to set the book down and process on many different levels, what I had just read. The same feeling came over me after reading Chapter 12.
This is not an easy read, and if Annie wasn't so darn likeable and positive, I'd say it would almost be an impossible read. But there are beautiful moments underneath the heaps and clutter of sadness that make this whole read worth it in the end. One of the more cleverly constructed books I've read in a long time.
"You tell yourself what you have to tell yourself to hold on to whatever it is that's outside of all this insanity that makes you feel normal. So you never tell your friends and you never let them inside and you pretend that you're as normal as they are, because you just wouldn't be able to get through the day if you didn't."
I'm not really giving anything away by sharing that, Annie's home life is a little less than ordinary with 9 kids in the house, you can gather that much from the description of the book on its jacket flap. However that isn't even the half of it. And the two different slow reveals of what is really going on are revealed, dare I say, masterfully. When I finished reading Chapter 7, I had to set the book down and process on many different levels, what I had just read. The same feeling came over me after reading Chapter 12.
This is not an easy read, and if Annie wasn't so darn likeable and positive, I'd say it would almost be an impossible read. But there are beautiful moments underneath the heaps and clutter of sadness that make this whole read worth it in the end. One of the more cleverly constructed books I've read in a long time.
April 30, 2018
4.5 stars. First of all, it’s fairly common now for children’s books to feature characters who are academically gifted who may have a social/learning disorder such as being on the autism spectrum or at the very least awkward and lacking in some element of social or emotional intelligence. Well-intentioned and well-received as these books often are, I almost never find them convincing or credible. I am listening to You Go First right now and finding it trying for just this reason. Anyway, I think this book is one of the only ones I’ve read that really sold me on a character of this type. Second, great voice on this one, I would say as good as Book of Boy, and like that book, the voice helps the reader through what can be some pretty dark stuff. Third, I’ve been reading extensively in children’s books for several years now, and I am worried my reactions have been diverging more from those of other enthusiasts I’ve gotten to know and respect online. Last year, none of them liked Carter’s Forever or a Long Long Time as much as I did. I fear the same might happen with this one, as there are some similarities between that book and this. But since this book seems to have relatively little buzz (and seemingly no starred reviews), I am going to suggest it to my fellow readers here and on the Heavy Medal blog anyway. It was recommended to me by my local children’s bookstore owner who, admirably, doesn’t pay attention to reviews and blogs and buzz, but goes through her ARCs and looks for the good ones. This is a good one.
August 26, 2018
I thought this was good. And also sad/hard. Ignore the reviews that only talk about the use of profanity. They are totally missing the point as usual.
December 5, 2017
Snow Lane
By
Josie Angelina
What it's all about...
Antoinette Elizabeth Bianchi is the youngest of 9 children in a very Catholic family. There are 8 girls and 1 boy. Antoinette’s father works three jobs to support his family. Antoinette’s mother just works round the clock but seems to ignore most of her children while nothing ever gets done. She is obsessed with church. Every time a baby is born an older sister is assigned to raise that baby. Sometimes the sister is kind...sometimes that sister is not so kind. Sometimes it seems as though certain children are favored because they are talented. That leaves Antoinette pretty much on her own...alone and uncared for. She wears her brother’s clothes because those are the only ones that will fit her long legs. Her sister uses her babysitting money to buy Antoinette school shoes because her mother doesn’t notice or care that she needs them. No one notices that this is a family of dysfunction until the day that Nora...an older sister...just can’t take it any more.
Why I wanted to read it...
This book had such a lovely cover but in reality it was sad book. But in a way it was also a beautiful book.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
Antoinette was the narrator of this book. She is incredibly smart but dyslexic. She has friends who love her but no friend comes to the Bianchi house...ever. It holds too many sad secrets.
Why you should read it, too...
This isn’t exactly a Christmas story but in a way it was. This family had days...perhaps weeks even...when the parents never saw their children. Birthdays were forgotten. Some siblings were kind while others were incredibly mean. Antoinette struggled but also protected her family. I loved this book. Readers who can appreciate a happy/sad/hopeful kind of book during these holidays...should love this book. I laughed. I cried. I wanted to hug Antoinette and give her a big cream filled donut!
I received an advance reader’s copy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
By
Josie Angelina
What it's all about...
Antoinette Elizabeth Bianchi is the youngest of 9 children in a very Catholic family. There are 8 girls and 1 boy. Antoinette’s father works three jobs to support his family. Antoinette’s mother just works round the clock but seems to ignore most of her children while nothing ever gets done. She is obsessed with church. Every time a baby is born an older sister is assigned to raise that baby. Sometimes the sister is kind...sometimes that sister is not so kind. Sometimes it seems as though certain children are favored because they are talented. That leaves Antoinette pretty much on her own...alone and uncared for. She wears her brother’s clothes because those are the only ones that will fit her long legs. Her sister uses her babysitting money to buy Antoinette school shoes because her mother doesn’t notice or care that she needs them. No one notices that this is a family of dysfunction until the day that Nora...an older sister...just can’t take it any more.
Why I wanted to read it...
This book had such a lovely cover but in reality it was sad book. But in a way it was also a beautiful book.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
Antoinette was the narrator of this book. She is incredibly smart but dyslexic. She has friends who love her but no friend comes to the Bianchi house...ever. It holds too many sad secrets.
Why you should read it, too...
This isn’t exactly a Christmas story but in a way it was. This family had days...perhaps weeks even...when the parents never saw their children. Birthdays were forgotten. Some siblings were kind while others were incredibly mean. Antoinette struggled but also protected her family. I loved this book. Readers who can appreciate a happy/sad/hopeful kind of book during these holidays...should love this book. I laughed. I cried. I wanted to hug Antoinette and give her a big cream filled donut!
I received an advance reader’s copy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
April 9, 2018
I was really looking forward to this book; a story about a large Catholic family just like mine and I loved it for the first 12 pages. My first point of confusion was that I couldn't figure out the age order of the siblings. I reread those pages several times and even made a chart of names, nicknames and ages. I figured I would be able to fill in the missing ages as I read, didn't happen. Kids want to know this stuff, position in a family is very important to children; It's important to me! But I could overlook that issue, I was still excited to read more about this family.
Then I read the rest of it. It's not that it was a bad book, It's just not a children's book. It would be a great adult memoir about dealing with a difficult childhood. It is deeply depressing. A children's book does not always need a happy ending but this just keeps going from bad to worse.
I work in a school where most students have never met a Catholic. Over the years I have heard students share horrible misinformation about Catholics. A library is supposed to open minds not reinforce stereotypes. Could there not have been one decent Catholic in this book? Someone who showed the compassion of the Church? Imagine if the family in this book were black, Hispanic, Muslim, or LBGTQIA and not one character from that community possessed any redeeming qualities? Imagine the backlash.
In twenty-five years as a librarian there have only been two books that I have purchased and then choose not to add to the library collection, this one and one that describes animal abuse as a sport.
Again this would have made a fine memoir for adults who have a greater depth of knowledge of the world it is not a book for children.
Then I read the rest of it. It's not that it was a bad book, It's just not a children's book. It would be a great adult memoir about dealing with a difficult childhood. It is deeply depressing. A children's book does not always need a happy ending but this just keeps going from bad to worse.
I work in a school where most students have never met a Catholic. Over the years I have heard students share horrible misinformation about Catholics. A library is supposed to open minds not reinforce stereotypes. Could there not have been one decent Catholic in this book? Someone who showed the compassion of the Church? Imagine if the family in this book were black, Hispanic, Muslim, or LBGTQIA and not one character from that community possessed any redeeming qualities? Imagine the backlash.
In twenty-five years as a librarian there have only been two books that I have purchased and then choose not to add to the library collection, this one and one that describes animal abuse as a sport.
Again this would have made a fine memoir for adults who have a greater depth of knowledge of the world it is not a book for children.
August 27, 2018
Excellent first-person narration -- Annie's voice is so specific and believable even though Annie as a character is extraordinary (she's intellectually gifted, she's a neglected and abused child, she is stunningly naive and optimistic, she's dyslexic, she is funny and likable). With the right narrator, this could be an outstanding audiobook. Annie leapt off the page for me.
Annie is the youngest of nine children in a big Catholic family in the 1980s (the Challenger disaster happens with Annie's 5th grade class watching live). As I said, there are very serious and distressing themes of abuse and neglect in this book. Annie's family is near poverty and her parents are there-but-not-there. This looks and feels like middle grade book, but I think it would be best for the more tween/mature end of the middle grade spectrum.
Here's a favorite passage of mine:
"I'm going to find my destiny, and then it will all make sense because even when you're scared, having a destiny means you're going to be okay, because people with destinies don't just shit (fifteen Hail Marys) the bed. I'm not supposed to swear even in my own head, but sometimes you need a word with a little more oomph in it than a regular word, so a swear word is the only thing that will work. This is a swear-word moment. This is the moment I'm going to find my destiny."
In some ways, this reminded me of Shannon Hale's Real Friends because there's a terribly bully sister and religious themes. But unlike young Shannon, young Annie has great friends. It's the saving grace of the story, I think.
Annie is the youngest of nine children in a big Catholic family in the 1980s (the Challenger disaster happens with Annie's 5th grade class watching live). As I said, there are very serious and distressing themes of abuse and neglect in this book. Annie's family is near poverty and her parents are there-but-not-there. This looks and feels like middle grade book, but I think it would be best for the more tween/mature end of the middle grade spectrum.
Here's a favorite passage of mine:
"I'm going to find my destiny, and then it will all make sense because even when you're scared, having a destiny means you're going to be okay, because people with destinies don't just shit (fifteen Hail Marys) the bed. I'm not supposed to swear even in my own head, but sometimes you need a word with a little more oomph in it than a regular word, so a swear word is the only thing that will work. This is a swear-word moment. This is the moment I'm going to find my destiny."
In some ways, this reminded me of Shannon Hale's Real Friends because there's a terribly bully sister and religious themes. But unlike young Shannon, young Annie has great friends. It's the saving grace of the story, I think.
January 2, 2019
I found this story compelling. Once I reached a certain point I didn't want to stop. I do however question Annie's voice, she was shown to be both naive and all-understanding of the inner thoughts and motivations of those around her. This is a lot for a fifth-graders. She felt so much older, except when she felt much younger.
Want to read
July 12, 201712/07/17 - OOOO A TITLE AND A PRETTY COVER. I'M EXCITED.
09/04/17 — A NEW JOSEPHINE ANGELINI BOOK??? IM SO THERE!!! Freaking love her books *cries*
April 24, 2018
It won't be easy to read this story of abuse, neglect, and bullying at the hands of family members, but I hope that readers will persist in finishing it because it is so well written. Fifth grader Annie Bianchi is the youngest of nine siblings at 17 Snow Lane in 1985 Massachusetts. School isn't easy for Annie because of her dyslexia, but she tries hard and has a positive attitude. When her sister runs away from home, the family's secrets are revealed. I fell in love with Annie and I was relieved that she found friendship in another classmate, Jordan, and somehow summoned the courage to reach out for help when no one else could. While hers is clearly not a perfect family, readers will quickly see that there is love among its members even while there are plenty of problems. Annie's methods of coping with the trauma in her life may be familiar to some readers, and they will surely root for life to get better for her. The author has created a character here with a distinct and honest voice, compelling in its innocence and hope for something better. Anyone trying to understand the cycle of abuse or why youngsters hide their parents' secrets will find this book helpful.
to-buy
July 19, 2019Seems like a good kids book, the main character is 10 or 11 I think.
June 15, 2018
Annie is the youngest of nine children and they have helped to raise one another. They love each other fiercely, and often hate one another fiercely too. As Annie tries to find her place in the world, the dysfunctions within her family threatens to poke through. Can the dysfunctions be kept hidden and should they?
There are kids who need this book because there are pieces of their family within the covers of this book, kids who need to see that they are not alone in the world in their plight. And despite all Annie's troubles, she is vibrant, and smart, and resilient. I hope many kids find hope in this story.
There are kids who need this book because there are pieces of their family within the covers of this book, kids who need to see that they are not alone in the world in their plight. And despite all Annie's troubles, she is vibrant, and smart, and resilient. I hope many kids find hope in this story.
December 8, 2019
Sieht das Cover nicht wunderhübsch aus? Also bei mir war es hier Coverliebe auf den ersten Blick. Da mich auch der Klappentext auf Anhieb überzeugen konnte, stand für mich sofort fest: Die 10-jährige Annie und ihre Großfamilie möchte ich unbedingt kennenlernen. Ich ließ das Buch also nur zu gerne bei mir einziehen.
Massachusetts, 1985: Die 10-jährige Antoinette Elisabeth Bianchi, genannt Annie, wohnt zusammen mit ihrer Familie in der Snow Lane Nummer 17 in Ashcroft. Annie ist ziemlich klein und dünn für ihr Alter, sie hat ein riesiges Lächeln und sie ist Legasthenikerin. Was Annie auch noch ist: Sie ist die jüngste von neun Geschwistern. Sie hat sieben große Schwestern und einen großen Bruder und wer jetzt denkt, dass es doch bestimmt toll ist, in so einer großen Familie aufzuwachsen, man hat so schließlich immer jemanden zum Spielen, dem sei gesagt: In Annies Familie geht es nicht gewöhnlich zu. Bei den Bianchis läuft eine Menge verkehrt. Der Vater hat drei Jobs und ist daher so gut wie nie zu Hause, die Mutter kriegt kaum was auf die Reihe, vernachlässigt ihre Kinder und müllt das Haus mit unnötigen Dingen zu und die jüngeren Bianchis müssen sich vor den Drohungen und Prügelattacken der größeren Geschwister fürchten. Für Annie ist all das aber ganz normal. Und wenn es ihr doch mal zu viel wird, zählt sie einfach. Das hilft immer. Irgendwann merkt Annie aber, dass es überhaupt nicht normal ist, wenn Gewalt und Armut den Alltag bestimmen. Annies Familie braucht Hilfe, dringend!
Dass es sich bei „Annies Welt“ um kein Gute-Laune-Kinderbuch handelt, hatte ich mir anhand des Klappentextes schon gedacht, allerdings hatte ich dann doch mit einer etwas fröhlicheren Story gerechnet. Vermutlich aufgrund des Titels und der farbenfrohen Aufmachung. Ich persönlich frage mich ja, warum man das Buch so bunt gestaltet hat. Das Cover sieht zwar wunderschön aus, passt in meinen Augen nur irgendwie so gar nicht zu dem, was einem im Inneren erwartet. Und warum man den Untertitel „3 x 3 Gründe, glücklich zu sein“ gewählt hat, habe ich ehrlich gesagt auch nicht so ganz verstanden.
Die Geschichte, die hier erzählt wird, beschert einem wenig glückliche Momente. Es gibt zwar auch ab und an mal etwas zum Schmunzeln, aber insgesamt habe ich das Buch als zu traurig und hart für ein Kinderbuch ab 10 Jahren empfunden. Meiner Ansicht nach ist „Annies Welt“ eher ein Roman für Jugendliche und Erwachsene.
So, ehe ihr jetzt den Eindruck gewinnt, dass mir das Buch gar nicht gefallen hat, klingt ja schon irgendwie ziemlich negativ, was ich da gerade geschrieben habe – doch, mir hat „Annies Welt“ gefallen, sehr sogar! Ich finde das Buch wundervoll und habe es quasi in einem Rutsch durchgelesen. Auf mich konnte die Handlung von den ersten Seiten an die totale Sogwirkung ausüben, der mich kaum mehr entziehen konnte. Das Einzige, was mich eben nur stört, ist die verspielte Gestaltung und die Altersempfehlung. Unsere Protagonistin Annie ist zwar erst 10 Jahre alt, nur bin ich einfach der Meinung, dass die Geschichte für jüngere Kinder eher ungeeignet ist.
Ich, als Erwachsen, habe tolle Lesestunden mit dem Buch verbracht. Ich greife total gerne zu Büchern, die mich schockieren, berühren und nachdenklich stimmen. „Annies Welt“ war daher genau mein Ding, denn das, was ich hier zu lesen bekommen habe, ist mich stellenweise richtig erschüttert. Das Buch ist definitiv nicht ohne. In Annies Familie läuft eine Menge verkehrt. Der Vater ist nie da, weil er nur am Arbeiten ist, die Mutter ist mit allem völlig überfordert und kümmert sich kaum um ihre Kinder, die größeren Geschwister müssen sich daher um die jüngeren kümmern und das war erst der Anfang. Neben der großen Vernachlässigung vonseiten der Eltern bestimmen auch Verwahrlosung, Armut und Gewalt den Alltag der Bianchis. Mich hat es entsetzt zu sehen, wie es in Annies Familie zugeht. Einige der älteren Geschwistern bedrohen und verprügeln die jüngeren und auch die Mutter wird gerne mal handgreiflich. Schlimm, oder? Noch heftiger wird das Ganze, wenn man sich das Nachwort der Autorin der durchliest, in welchem hervorgeht, dass wohl recht viel Autobiographisches in diesem Buch steckt und Josephine Angelini selbst keine schöne Kindheit erleben durfte.
Aber keine Sorge, zu bedrückend wird die Geschichte nicht. Durch die kindlich-naive und recht humorvolle Erzählweise wird das Ganze, finde ich, sehr gut aufgelockert. Mir hat dieser krasse Gegensatz total gut gefallen: Die ungeschönten Dingen, die sich in Annies Familie abspielen und dazu dann dieser recht heitere, warmherzige Erzählton.
Wir erfahren alles aus der Sicht von Annie in der Ich-Perspektive und meinem Empfinden nach, ist Josephine Angelini diese kindliche Betrachtungsweise erstklassig gelungen. Die Art, wie Annie uns von ihrem Alltag erzählt, ist absolut authentisch und unheimlich einfühlsam. Ich, als Erwachsene, konnte mich jederzeit problemlos in unsere 10-jährige Buchheldin hineinversetzen und ihr Denken, Handeln und Fühlen vollkommen nachvollziehen.
Annie habe ich sofort ganz fest in mein Herz geschlossen. Man muss sie einfach lieben - sie ist ein super sympathisches, aufgewecktes und kluges junges Mädchen.
Bei Annie habe ich mich die ganze Zeit über gefragt, ob sie an einer Form des Autismus leidet. Das Wort Autismus wird zwar nie genannt, es wird nur erwähnt, dass Annie Legasthenikerin ist, aber vom Verhalten her kam es mir schon so vor, als ob sie Autistin wäre. Sie ist auf jeden Fall ein hochsensibler Mensch und anders als andere Kinder in ihrem Alter.
Josephine Angelini ist mit „Annies Welt“ in meinen Augen ein ganz besonderes Buch gelungen, welches wohl nicht jedermanns Sache sein wird, welches mir aber ein fabelhaftes Leseerlebnis beschert hat. „Annies Welt“ zeigt auf, dass vieles ganz anders ist, als es nach außen hin oft wirkt. Die Bianchis versuchen immerzu den Schein zu wahren, dass alles bei ihnen in Ordnung ist und sie eine ganz gewöhnliche, große Familie sind. Sie gehen regelmäßig zur Kirche (die Bianchis sind strenge Katholiken) und sie empfangen niemals Besuch, damit niemand sieht, wie es bei ihnen Zuhause aussieht. Annie hat gelernt, mit all dem klarzukommen. Wenn es zu schrecklich wird, beginnt sie zu zählen, denn Zahlen lenken sie ab. Irgendwann beginnt Annie aber Dinge zu hinterfragen und sie merkt, dass bei ihr Zuhause alles andere als normale Zustände herrschen.
Ob sich in der Snow Lane Nummer 17 schließlich noch etwas ändern wird, ob sich Annies Familie Hilfe holen wird oder nicht, das werde ich hier nicht verraten, da müsst das Buch schon selber lesen. Nur so viel: Ein Happy End hat das Buch irgendwie nicht. Hat mich aber nicht gestört. Ich finde, dass das Ende perfekt zur Geschichte passt.
Fazit: Berührend, erschütternd, authentisch – ein wunderbares Buch voller Schmerz, Hoffnung und traurig-schöner Momente! Mich konnte das erste Kinderbuch von Josephine Angelini hellauf begeistern. Annies Geschichte hat in mir die verschiedensten Gefühle hervorgerufen. Ich habe Wut, Trauer und Entsetzen empfunden, ich war am Schmunzeln und habe mitgehofft und mitgelitten. Für jüngere Kinder ist das Buch in meinen Augen zu traurig und schonungslos ehrlich, allerdings spreche ich da natürlich nur für mich. Ich persönlich würde das Buch jedenfalls erst am 12 und nicht ab 10 Jahren empfehlen. Wer gerne Bücher liest, die zum Nachdenken anregen und unter die Haut gehen, dem kann ich „Annies Welt“ sehr ans Herz legen. Von mir gibt es sehr gute 4 von 5 Sternen!
Massachusetts, 1985: Die 10-jährige Antoinette Elisabeth Bianchi, genannt Annie, wohnt zusammen mit ihrer Familie in der Snow Lane Nummer 17 in Ashcroft. Annie ist ziemlich klein und dünn für ihr Alter, sie hat ein riesiges Lächeln und sie ist Legasthenikerin. Was Annie auch noch ist: Sie ist die jüngste von neun Geschwistern. Sie hat sieben große Schwestern und einen großen Bruder und wer jetzt denkt, dass es doch bestimmt toll ist, in so einer großen Familie aufzuwachsen, man hat so schließlich immer jemanden zum Spielen, dem sei gesagt: In Annies Familie geht es nicht gewöhnlich zu. Bei den Bianchis läuft eine Menge verkehrt. Der Vater hat drei Jobs und ist daher so gut wie nie zu Hause, die Mutter kriegt kaum was auf die Reihe, vernachlässigt ihre Kinder und müllt das Haus mit unnötigen Dingen zu und die jüngeren Bianchis müssen sich vor den Drohungen und Prügelattacken der größeren Geschwister fürchten. Für Annie ist all das aber ganz normal. Und wenn es ihr doch mal zu viel wird, zählt sie einfach. Das hilft immer. Irgendwann merkt Annie aber, dass es überhaupt nicht normal ist, wenn Gewalt und Armut den Alltag bestimmen. Annies Familie braucht Hilfe, dringend!
Dass es sich bei „Annies Welt“ um kein Gute-Laune-Kinderbuch handelt, hatte ich mir anhand des Klappentextes schon gedacht, allerdings hatte ich dann doch mit einer etwas fröhlicheren Story gerechnet. Vermutlich aufgrund des Titels und der farbenfrohen Aufmachung. Ich persönlich frage mich ja, warum man das Buch so bunt gestaltet hat. Das Cover sieht zwar wunderschön aus, passt in meinen Augen nur irgendwie so gar nicht zu dem, was einem im Inneren erwartet. Und warum man den Untertitel „3 x 3 Gründe, glücklich zu sein“ gewählt hat, habe ich ehrlich gesagt auch nicht so ganz verstanden.
Die Geschichte, die hier erzählt wird, beschert einem wenig glückliche Momente. Es gibt zwar auch ab und an mal etwas zum Schmunzeln, aber insgesamt habe ich das Buch als zu traurig und hart für ein Kinderbuch ab 10 Jahren empfunden. Meiner Ansicht nach ist „Annies Welt“ eher ein Roman für Jugendliche und Erwachsene.
So, ehe ihr jetzt den Eindruck gewinnt, dass mir das Buch gar nicht gefallen hat, klingt ja schon irgendwie ziemlich negativ, was ich da gerade geschrieben habe – doch, mir hat „Annies Welt“ gefallen, sehr sogar! Ich finde das Buch wundervoll und habe es quasi in einem Rutsch durchgelesen. Auf mich konnte die Handlung von den ersten Seiten an die totale Sogwirkung ausüben, der mich kaum mehr entziehen konnte. Das Einzige, was mich eben nur stört, ist die verspielte Gestaltung und die Altersempfehlung. Unsere Protagonistin Annie ist zwar erst 10 Jahre alt, nur bin ich einfach der Meinung, dass die Geschichte für jüngere Kinder eher ungeeignet ist.
Ich, als Erwachsen, habe tolle Lesestunden mit dem Buch verbracht. Ich greife total gerne zu Büchern, die mich schockieren, berühren und nachdenklich stimmen. „Annies Welt“ war daher genau mein Ding, denn das, was ich hier zu lesen bekommen habe, ist mich stellenweise richtig erschüttert. Das Buch ist definitiv nicht ohne. In Annies Familie läuft eine Menge verkehrt. Der Vater ist nie da, weil er nur am Arbeiten ist, die Mutter ist mit allem völlig überfordert und kümmert sich kaum um ihre Kinder, die größeren Geschwister müssen sich daher um die jüngeren kümmern und das war erst der Anfang. Neben der großen Vernachlässigung vonseiten der Eltern bestimmen auch Verwahrlosung, Armut und Gewalt den Alltag der Bianchis. Mich hat es entsetzt zu sehen, wie es in Annies Familie zugeht. Einige der älteren Geschwistern bedrohen und verprügeln die jüngeren und auch die Mutter wird gerne mal handgreiflich. Schlimm, oder? Noch heftiger wird das Ganze, wenn man sich das Nachwort der Autorin der durchliest, in welchem hervorgeht, dass wohl recht viel Autobiographisches in diesem Buch steckt und Josephine Angelini selbst keine schöne Kindheit erleben durfte.
Aber keine Sorge, zu bedrückend wird die Geschichte nicht. Durch die kindlich-naive und recht humorvolle Erzählweise wird das Ganze, finde ich, sehr gut aufgelockert. Mir hat dieser krasse Gegensatz total gut gefallen: Die ungeschönten Dingen, die sich in Annies Familie abspielen und dazu dann dieser recht heitere, warmherzige Erzählton.
Wir erfahren alles aus der Sicht von Annie in der Ich-Perspektive und meinem Empfinden nach, ist Josephine Angelini diese kindliche Betrachtungsweise erstklassig gelungen. Die Art, wie Annie uns von ihrem Alltag erzählt, ist absolut authentisch und unheimlich einfühlsam. Ich, als Erwachsene, konnte mich jederzeit problemlos in unsere 10-jährige Buchheldin hineinversetzen und ihr Denken, Handeln und Fühlen vollkommen nachvollziehen.
Annie habe ich sofort ganz fest in mein Herz geschlossen. Man muss sie einfach lieben - sie ist ein super sympathisches, aufgewecktes und kluges junges Mädchen.
Bei Annie habe ich mich die ganze Zeit über gefragt, ob sie an einer Form des Autismus leidet. Das Wort Autismus wird zwar nie genannt, es wird nur erwähnt, dass Annie Legasthenikerin ist, aber vom Verhalten her kam es mir schon so vor, als ob sie Autistin wäre. Sie ist auf jeden Fall ein hochsensibler Mensch und anders als andere Kinder in ihrem Alter.
Josephine Angelini ist mit „Annies Welt“ in meinen Augen ein ganz besonderes Buch gelungen, welches wohl nicht jedermanns Sache sein wird, welches mir aber ein fabelhaftes Leseerlebnis beschert hat. „Annies Welt“ zeigt auf, dass vieles ganz anders ist, als es nach außen hin oft wirkt. Die Bianchis versuchen immerzu den Schein zu wahren, dass alles bei ihnen in Ordnung ist und sie eine ganz gewöhnliche, große Familie sind. Sie gehen regelmäßig zur Kirche (die Bianchis sind strenge Katholiken) und sie empfangen niemals Besuch, damit niemand sieht, wie es bei ihnen Zuhause aussieht. Annie hat gelernt, mit all dem klarzukommen. Wenn es zu schrecklich wird, beginnt sie zu zählen, denn Zahlen lenken sie ab. Irgendwann beginnt Annie aber Dinge zu hinterfragen und sie merkt, dass bei ihr Zuhause alles andere als normale Zustände herrschen.
Ob sich in der Snow Lane Nummer 17 schließlich noch etwas ändern wird, ob sich Annies Familie Hilfe holen wird oder nicht, das werde ich hier nicht verraten, da müsst das Buch schon selber lesen. Nur so viel: Ein Happy End hat das Buch irgendwie nicht. Hat mich aber nicht gestört. Ich finde, dass das Ende perfekt zur Geschichte passt.
Fazit: Berührend, erschütternd, authentisch – ein wunderbares Buch voller Schmerz, Hoffnung und traurig-schöner Momente! Mich konnte das erste Kinderbuch von Josephine Angelini hellauf begeistern. Annies Geschichte hat in mir die verschiedensten Gefühle hervorgerufen. Ich habe Wut, Trauer und Entsetzen empfunden, ich war am Schmunzeln und habe mitgehofft und mitgelitten. Für jüngere Kinder ist das Buch in meinen Augen zu traurig und schonungslos ehrlich, allerdings spreche ich da natürlich nur für mich. Ich persönlich würde das Buch jedenfalls erst am 12 und nicht ab 10 Jahren empfehlen. Wer gerne Bücher liest, die zum Nachdenken anregen und unter die Haut gehen, dem kann ich „Annies Welt“ sehr ans Herz legen. Von mir gibt es sehr gute 4 von 5 Sternen!
June 7, 2022
As a librarian, I probably shouldn't admit that I often do judge a book by its cover. And I really shouldn't admit that this tendency usually pans out. This was the case with Snow Lane. The simple illustration of a New England saltbox house on a snowy winter night with one window lit and a bright red bird flying away drew me in immediately. Just as I often judge books by their covers I am also often tempted to judge people by their outward trappings, especially their houses. When I see someone with a particularly beautiful house or a remarkably well organized homes , I think that they must have it all together, that their lives must really be working. Needless to say, this is not always the case.
In Snow Lane the life of the Bianchi family is definitely not put together; in fact it's continually on the verge of falling apart. The story is presented through the eyes of the youngest child, Annie Bianchi, 10-year-old girl with great gifts and great challenges. Annie is a very sympathetic and compelling character; the reader hopes for a good outcome for Annie.
Characterization is the strongest aspect of this book. Each of the nine children in Annie's family are distinct and unique; they are not placeholders or types. We don't know everything about what motivates each of the characters. The story is told from Annie's point of view; we know as much as she does about her older siblings, disconnected mother, and absent father.
This isn't a perfect book. The ending is rather abrupt. And I think I would've liked Annie to be a little bit older, perhaps 13 or 14. While I believe that 10-year-old children can have complex emotional lives, I think elements of the story - especially Annie's friendship with Jordan - would have felt a bit more realistic if Annie were a young teen.
That being said, Snow Lane is definitely worth reading. I was moved by the honesty and humor and hurt in Annie's story.
Side note and spoiler: I just rather confused by the reveal of Annie's mother being a hoarder. At least I think that's what the author was trying to convey. As I was reading the book, I thought for sure that we were going to learn that Annie's mother was an undiagnosed and/or unmedicated person with bipolar disorder. This is part of my criticism of the ending. It didn't seem like the Bianchi family would be fine if they just cleaned up.
In Snow Lane the life of the Bianchi family is definitely not put together; in fact it's continually on the verge of falling apart. The story is presented through the eyes of the youngest child, Annie Bianchi, 10-year-old girl with great gifts and great challenges. Annie is a very sympathetic and compelling character; the reader hopes for a good outcome for Annie.
Characterization is the strongest aspect of this book. Each of the nine children in Annie's family are distinct and unique; they are not placeholders or types. We don't know everything about what motivates each of the characters. The story is told from Annie's point of view; we know as much as she does about her older siblings, disconnected mother, and absent father.
This isn't a perfect book. The ending is rather abrupt. And I think I would've liked Annie to be a little bit older, perhaps 13 or 14. While I believe that 10-year-old children can have complex emotional lives, I think elements of the story - especially Annie's friendship with Jordan - would have felt a bit more realistic if Annie were a young teen.
That being said, Snow Lane is definitely worth reading. I was moved by the honesty and humor and hurt in Annie's story.
Side note and spoiler: I just rather confused by the reveal of Annie's mother being a hoarder. At least I think that's what the author was trying to convey. As I was reading the book, I thought for sure that we were going to learn that Annie's mother was an undiagnosed and/or unmedicated person with bipolar disorder. This is part of my criticism of the ending. It didn't seem like the Bianchi family would be fine if they just cleaned up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2017
This book arrived yesterday, and I finished it this morning. It's interesting, compelling, and well written. Having read that it's about a large family, I wondered how the author would handle characterization. "Very well," is what I discovered. The sisters who play the biggest roles in the story jump from the page as clear and as real as people we meet face to face. The sisters without major roles are still very present. The house feels full of people (er, and stuff) all the time. The sibling relationships are realistic - everyone looking out for themselves, big ones taking advantage of the little ones, fighting and taking care of each other by turns, sets of siblings who can't stand each other, etc.
As for Annie herself - she's delightful. She definitely is the baby of the family, but she's not spoiled or bratty or whiny. And her friendships at school - I loved them. I could relate. She's smart, but doesn't pick up on all the social cues. Some ten-year-olds do, some don't. But she still has great friends, even if she doesn't get what they think is obvious. Some books give the impression that all friendships in the middle grades are wishy-washy and shallow and backstabbing. Annie's friends don't always understand her, but they are still good kids.
Perhaps what I liked best was how the dark parts were handled. Because the family really is messed up. But it's not as dark as it might have been. Perhaps it's partly Annie's denial. Perhaps it's partly because there's more to the story than just what's going on at home. But mostly, I think it's because there's hope. There's hope throughout, and most importantly, hope at the end.
In a lot of ways, I liked this book. Even so, I won't give it to any middle-schooler I know. And it's not because of the family secrets (I do feel those were handled in an age appropriate way). I won this book through a give away, and an honest review is encouraged, so I will be completely honest. There was way more inappropriate language than I would want a ten-year-old to read. Maybe today's children are already exposed to all of it anyway. But if we want books to shape them, and help them grow as people, is this what should be in those books?
As for Annie herself - she's delightful. She definitely is the baby of the family, but she's not spoiled or bratty or whiny. And her friendships at school - I loved them. I could relate. She's smart, but doesn't pick up on all the social cues. Some ten-year-olds do, some don't. But she still has great friends, even if she doesn't get what they think is obvious. Some books give the impression that all friendships in the middle grades are wishy-washy and shallow and backstabbing. Annie's friends don't always understand her, but they are still good kids.
Perhaps what I liked best was how the dark parts were handled. Because the family really is messed up. But it's not as dark as it might have been. Perhaps it's partly Annie's denial. Perhaps it's partly because there's more to the story than just what's going on at home. But mostly, I think it's because there's hope. There's hope throughout, and most importantly, hope at the end.
In a lot of ways, I liked this book. Even so, I won't give it to any middle-schooler I know. And it's not because of the family secrets (I do feel those were handled in an age appropriate way). I won this book through a give away, and an honest review is encouraged, so I will be completely honest. There was way more inappropriate language than I would want a ten-year-old to read. Maybe today's children are already exposed to all of it anyway. But if we want books to shape them, and help them grow as people, is this what should be in those books?
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December 10, 2018I have really conflicted feelings on this book.
On one hand:
-It is well-written, compelling, and avoids the trap of making the abuse work for shock value or as grossly fascinating in its monstrosity. The only thing you want is for Annie to escape. For Nora to escape. For /everyone/ to escape.
-It also, of course, could be very helpful and comforting to children (or young adults) in these kinds of situations. It presents the complex problem of dependence, fear, and love. It doesn't give easy answers, and it includes the intervention of the state and the importance of therapy.
-Annie's dyslexia and whatever her mental problems her mom suffers from are somewhat secondary, but also well-presented and sympathetic. As are Annie's coping mechanisms, especially in the way that they influence her narration.
But I'm not sure that its subtly is well-suited to the intended audience. Annie mentions several times that there's just "too many kids" for her mom to care about all of them, and while by the end there's some attempt to address the fact that Annie feels a need to defend her mom and ignore the real issues, there's never any clear indication that her conclusions are wrong. I realize as someone from a large and religious family (though not Catholic) I am perhaps more sensitive to this than some readers will be, but at the same time it's just weird to be given the impression over and over again that if there had only been fewer kids, this would not have been a problem. The idea that love runs out. There are certainly special difficulties in coming from a large family, but this an extreme, extreme case. The "big family" thing was also the main thing that stuck out to me, but there are a lot of things that Annie says that are simply not true, and I'm not sure how discerning middle grade students would be.
I also was a huge fan of Annie and Jordan as friends, but the push Jordan has for something more seems both odd concerning their age, and a little disturbing considering Annie's emotional development seems even behind their literal ages. I would friend-ship them forever, but I just became more uncomfortable the longer the book went on.
So, yeah. Feelings: mixed.
On one hand:
-It is well-written, compelling, and avoids the trap of making the abuse work for shock value or as grossly fascinating in its monstrosity. The only thing you want is for Annie to escape. For Nora to escape. For /everyone/ to escape.
-It also, of course, could be very helpful and comforting to children (or young adults) in these kinds of situations. It presents the complex problem of dependence, fear, and love. It doesn't give easy answers, and it includes the intervention of the state and the importance of therapy.
-Annie's dyslexia and whatever her mental problems her mom suffers from are somewhat secondary, but also well-presented and sympathetic. As are Annie's coping mechanisms, especially in the way that they influence her narration.
But I'm not sure that its subtly is well-suited to the intended audience. Annie mentions several times that there's just "too many kids" for her mom to care about all of them, and while by the end there's some attempt to address the fact that Annie feels a need to defend her mom and ignore the real issues, there's never any clear indication that her conclusions are wrong. I realize as someone from a large and religious family (though not Catholic) I am perhaps more sensitive to this than some readers will be, but at the same time it's just weird to be given the impression over and over again that if there had only been fewer kids, this would not have been a problem. The idea that love runs out. There are certainly special difficulties in coming from a large family, but this an extreme, extreme case. The "big family" thing was also the main thing that stuck out to me, but there are a lot of things that Annie says that are simply not true, and I'm not sure how discerning middle grade students would be.
I also was a huge fan of Annie and Jordan as friends, but the push Jordan has for something more seems both odd concerning their age, and a little disturbing considering Annie's emotional development seems even behind their literal ages. I would friend-ship them forever, but I just became more uncomfortable the longer the book went on.
So, yeah. Feelings: mixed.
January 6, 2018
Annie is a darned cheerful kid. And the more you learn about her life, the more you realize how she's an awfully resilient kid to be so cheerful in the face of her situation.
She's the youngest of nine in a very Catholic family in Massachusetts, and of course they are struggling. She doesn't have any shoes to wear to school when it starts in the fall until an older sister takes pity on her and buys her a pair with her babysitting money. On the weekends her whole family is trucked out to the family's farm and has to work at farming all day, often on little to no food. But they're cheerful, they mostly all love each other (she has a couple of sisters who are brutal), and she has friends. She has issues at school, too, as she's dyslexic, but luckily someone noticed what was wrong and so she's actually in advanced classes. And just as you're thinking that well, none of this is great but it's also not terrible, one more shoe is dropped. When their mother is stressed (and with nine kids, when is she not?) she loses her temper. And hits them. And I don't mean spankings, I mean she beats them. And eventually, the authorities get involved.
Boy, Annie is an inspiration! She really is doggedly optimistic, but not in a Pollyanna-ish way. She doesn't pretend everything is great when it isn't, but she makes the best of a bad situation. She's so endearing and sweet and funny, that I just wanted to swoop right into the book and hug her (if not foster her.) So this is a book with a harsh reality and with a dark secret at its core, but it isn't a dark book at all. You're worried for Annie at times, but I never was sad or traumatized. Annie's just so gosh-darn resilient that you know she's going to get through all this—the big question is how.
She's the youngest of nine in a very Catholic family in Massachusetts, and of course they are struggling. She doesn't have any shoes to wear to school when it starts in the fall until an older sister takes pity on her and buys her a pair with her babysitting money. On the weekends her whole family is trucked out to the family's farm and has to work at farming all day, often on little to no food. But they're cheerful, they mostly all love each other (she has a couple of sisters who are brutal), and she has friends. She has issues at school, too, as she's dyslexic, but luckily someone noticed what was wrong and so she's actually in advanced classes. And just as you're thinking that well, none of this is great but it's also not terrible, one more shoe is dropped. When their mother is stressed (and with nine kids, when is she not?) she loses her temper. And hits them. And I don't mean spankings, I mean she beats them. And eventually, the authorities get involved.
Boy, Annie is an inspiration! She really is doggedly optimistic, but not in a Pollyanna-ish way. She doesn't pretend everything is great when it isn't, but she makes the best of a bad situation. She's so endearing and sweet and funny, that I just wanted to swoop right into the book and hug her (if not foster her.) So this is a book with a harsh reality and with a dark secret at its core, but it isn't a dark book at all. You're worried for Annie at times, but I never was sad or traumatized. Annie's just so gosh-darn resilient that you know she's going to get through all this—the big question is how.
December 20, 2017
I had the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for this review. I was expecting this to be an interesting novel about a fifth grade girl growing up during the 1980s. I was pleasantly surprised by just how compelling this story was. The book takes readers through a year in the life of a very troubled and dysfunctional family. At first I kind of thought they were quirky because they were a big family. But as the story developed, I realized that this family situation is abusive and unsafe for everyone in it. While I found myself feeling tense and even kind of depressed for the circumstances in which Annie found herself, I really felt like I had to find out what was going to happen.
I’m not sure who to recommend this book to. The main character is a fifth grade girl, so it would be of interest to that age group. However, there is definitely a lot of strong, profane language and criticisms of her family’s religious (Catholic) and ethnic (Italian) background that might make educators or parents pause to consider whether it’s appropriate for particular groups of children. Definitely consider the maturity of your reader(s).
The subjects of abuse and mental illness are both very important. And I think a lot of what Annie and the rest of her siblings experience might resonate with those in similar circumstances. So, this could be a really important book to share, especially if it helps kids decide to reach out for help if they need it. It’s also a book that might help others understand what families like this are going through and bring compassion and empathy to the situation. Annie’s positive attitude - her strong desire to try to make things better rather than complain, can serve as an inspiration to all readers.
I’m not sure who to recommend this book to. The main character is a fifth grade girl, so it would be of interest to that age group. However, there is definitely a lot of strong, profane language and criticisms of her family’s religious (Catholic) and ethnic (Italian) background that might make educators or parents pause to consider whether it’s appropriate for particular groups of children. Definitely consider the maturity of your reader(s).
The subjects of abuse and mental illness are both very important. And I think a lot of what Annie and the rest of her siblings experience might resonate with those in similar circumstances. So, this could be a really important book to share, especially if it helps kids decide to reach out for help if they need it. It’s also a book that might help others understand what families like this are going through and bring compassion and empathy to the situation. Annie’s positive attitude - her strong desire to try to make things better rather than complain, can serve as an inspiration to all readers.
November 22, 2021
I am a practicing Catholic from a large Catholic family and my view of Catholics and large Catholic families is quite different from the author's. I'm writing this review to make it clear that the family in this book and their experiences are not typical of large Catholic families. Examples of things that are inaccurate or not typical are listed below.
Specifically stated
"Catholics have to keep on having babies until God tells them to stop or they can go to hell." (p. 13) This isn't true. Catholics are supposed to be open to life and not use any artificial means of birth control. There are natural means they are permitted to use to space children if necessary.
"But we're Catholic, so we're not allowed to do much of anything." (p. 8) (regarding the girls in the family not being allowed to shave their legs)
The Catholic girls I know shave their legs, wear make up, have pierced ears and go on dates.
Implied
All priests are creepy.
No, they're not.
All big Catholic families are poor.
The big Catholic families I know, including mine, are not poor.
A Catholic church/parish will not do anything to help poor families in the parish.
Every Catholic parish I've been in has a group, St. Vincent de Paul, whose mission is to help the poor, including the poor of the parish.
In a big Catholic family, the older children have to take care of the younger children because the parents are too busy.
I certainly helped with my younger siblings, but I wasn't responsible for taking care of them.
Specifically stated
"Catholics have to keep on having babies until God tells them to stop or they can go to hell." (p. 13) This isn't true. Catholics are supposed to be open to life and not use any artificial means of birth control. There are natural means they are permitted to use to space children if necessary.
"But we're Catholic, so we're not allowed to do much of anything." (p. 8) (regarding the girls in the family not being allowed to shave their legs)
The Catholic girls I know shave their legs, wear make up, have pierced ears and go on dates.
Implied
All priests are creepy.
No, they're not.
All big Catholic families are poor.
The big Catholic families I know, including mine, are not poor.
A Catholic church/parish will not do anything to help poor families in the parish.
Every Catholic parish I've been in has a group, St. Vincent de Paul, whose mission is to help the poor, including the poor of the parish.
In a big Catholic family, the older children have to take care of the younger children because the parents are too busy.
I certainly helped with my younger siblings, but I wasn't responsible for taking care of them.
March 30, 2018
Angelini, Josie Snow Lane, 197 pages. Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), 2018. $17. Language: PG (13 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (abuse by a parent, groping); Violence: PG (fights)
At ten years old, Annie is the youngest of eight siblings (seven girls, one boy), in a very crowded house, with little room for love. She has two fast friends/protectors at school, which gives her the strength to walk the tightrope of her loveless family. It isn’t until her sister runs away and brings the situation to the attention of the authorities that things have a chance to take a turn for the better.
The conflict between the length of the book and the content makes it hard to suggest a school level for this book. Plus, I don’t want to think that young children who would be drawn to the length would see themselves within its pages. But older students who can handle the content, need more than the book provides. I feel like I had a good long look at Annie’s life, with deeper understanding of her family dynamic. But, when it comes to the resolution, it lacks depth and exposition. Annie’s story was difficult to read for all the right reasons – Angelini makes us squirm, because we know that this is what life really is like for far too many children. I just wish she had given equal strength to the end.
MS – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
At ten years old, Annie is the youngest of eight siblings (seven girls, one boy), in a very crowded house, with little room for love. She has two fast friends/protectors at school, which gives her the strength to walk the tightrope of her loveless family. It isn’t until her sister runs away and brings the situation to the attention of the authorities that things have a chance to take a turn for the better.
The conflict between the length of the book and the content makes it hard to suggest a school level for this book. Plus, I don’t want to think that young children who would be drawn to the length would see themselves within its pages. But older students who can handle the content, need more than the book provides. I feel like I had a good long look at Annie’s life, with deeper understanding of her family dynamic. But, when it comes to the resolution, it lacks depth and exposition. Annie’s story was difficult to read for all the right reasons – Angelini makes us squirm, because we know that this is what life really is like for far too many children. I just wish she had given equal strength to the end.
MS – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
June 15, 2023
Josephine Angelini is my favorite author. I fell in love with her first published series, Starcrossed Trilogy when I pulled the first book off a shelf at Barnes and Noble because the cover looked pretty. I don’t touch a book if the cover isn’t pretty. I’m one of those people that judges books by their covers. It’s worked well. Only a handful of books that I’ve judged on the cover have turned out to be awful.
It took me way too long to read her second series, Worldwalker Trilogy. I want to blame the fact that I was in college at the time it originally came out. Of course, it wasn’t just Angelini’s writing that drew me to her as an author. I was impressed with her writing, don’t get me wrong, it captures emotions well and Angelini knows how to pull in her audience.
One of the main reasons that I love Josephine Angelini is because of how she is as a person. She’s courteous and engaging with her fans. I can almost guarantee that if I ask her a question on her social media platforms that I will receive an answer. I’m impressed by this since a lot of authors tend to ignore their audience. When I first asked her a question, I was over the moon that I received a response since it felt like one in a million. Then I was able to have conversations with her and I saw that she, as an author, wanted to thank her fans for the support they show. Angelini is a welcoming woman that inspires me as a writer. If I could be even a quarter of the writer that she is, I would say that I’m successful. She’s amazing.
It’s kind of funny. For some reason as you get older you have less and less time to read, or if you are reading, you’re reading because it’s an assignment. You no longer read for enjoyment. There’s so many books on my shelf that are never read, but whenever I pick up a book by Angelini, all of the time in the world becomes mine again. I find myself so enthralled in the stories that there’s time for what she has to say. The narrative is addicting and "Snow Lane" is no different to her other books in this regard.
"Snow Lane" is not my typical genre for reading, but I wanted to give it a try since Angelini is my favorite author (not many avid readers can claim this). I went into this story knowing that I’d have to give it more of a chance because of the genre, but once I hit that first page I fell in love.
It’s a book that is impossible to put down. I should’ve known. Somehow I didn’t. The wit was classic and I realized that Angelini had placed another hit book in my hands. There wasn’t a page that went by that I didn’t laugh at because of some quip. One of my favorite’s was in chapter one. I’m an only child. I’ll let you guess which line I loved.
I often pass books over to my mom once I’ve finished reading them, especially if they are good, so that she can enjoy them as well. I kept finding myself darting out of my room to share amazing gems of lines that the book provided, all the while hoping that they wouldn’t spoil the story. When something makes you laugh, you want to share it with the world.
"Snow Lane" has religion play a major theme in the book since the family is Catholic. I’m not Catholic, I practice a different religion under the broad scope of Christianity, but I found the ideas relatable and humorous. Some things carry over into every branch of Christianity. Others are stereotypes. Whether someone who is not religious could enjoy this book, is debatable. Though the same can be said for someone who is religious. If you’re not willing to laugh at yourself, this book isn’t for you.
The story is from the point of view of a ten-year-old girl named Annie, who has a crappy “(five Hail Marys)” life. It shows the narrative of a family with a lot of children and parents that don’t make enough money to take care of all of them. The fascinating dichotomy and relationships that came out of this family of eleven (including the parents) reminds me of my mother’s family because they had ten children instead of nine, but even so—my mother’s family was richer than the Bianchis. Or at least, I’d like to think so. I know my mother would love this book because she was like a mother to her youngest sibling which is similar to the relationship between Annie and her oldest sister Miri.
"Snow Lane" helps to inspire people to do family history. That was what I took away from the book while reading the beginning. It’s important to know where you began and then you can write an ending for yourself. Annie, the little dyslexic girl from a family of nine, has a destiny and at ten-years-old, she has to find it.
I can honestly say that I never expected to cry while reading this book, but before I knew it the tears were welling up and I knew that Angelini had written the characters in such a way that I couldn’t not feel for them. For a moment, I was Annie and all I wanted to do was cry because life is hard on her. I wanted to make it all better, but as the reader, I can’t. I think I cried hard enough to fix the California drought. I had to take off my glasses permanently while reading (I’m far sighted) because I couldn’t keep crying with them on. Those are some of the many moments that you realize you have an amazing book within your grasp.
Josephine Angelini’s "Snow Lane" is one of those that makes you forget what time it is. When you’re reading, you’re reading and suddenly it’s late in the evening and you haven’t snacked on anything, you’ve forgotten to eat, but you don’t care because all you want to do is continue reading. Feasting on the story is more than enough to feed you for weeks. By the time you reach the end, you realize you don’t want the story to end. When the story ends, it’s like taking off your coat in the middle of a blizzard. You’re left freezing and wondering where to go next because you can’t just put your coat back on. That’s too simple.
The characters are easy to fall in love with, except for a select handful. They surprise you when you least expect it and your personal, reader to character relationship changes in the blink of an eye.
And I can tell you one thing. You’ll never see the ending coming from a mile away. It took me probably three hours tops to finish the book and it was as equally amazing as all of Angelini’s other works. I can’t wait to see what her next project will be.
It took me way too long to read her second series, Worldwalker Trilogy. I want to blame the fact that I was in college at the time it originally came out. Of course, it wasn’t just Angelini’s writing that drew me to her as an author. I was impressed with her writing, don’t get me wrong, it captures emotions well and Angelini knows how to pull in her audience.
One of the main reasons that I love Josephine Angelini is because of how she is as a person. She’s courteous and engaging with her fans. I can almost guarantee that if I ask her a question on her social media platforms that I will receive an answer. I’m impressed by this since a lot of authors tend to ignore their audience. When I first asked her a question, I was over the moon that I received a response since it felt like one in a million. Then I was able to have conversations with her and I saw that she, as an author, wanted to thank her fans for the support they show. Angelini is a welcoming woman that inspires me as a writer. If I could be even a quarter of the writer that she is, I would say that I’m successful. She’s amazing.
It’s kind of funny. For some reason as you get older you have less and less time to read, or if you are reading, you’re reading because it’s an assignment. You no longer read for enjoyment. There’s so many books on my shelf that are never read, but whenever I pick up a book by Angelini, all of the time in the world becomes mine again. I find myself so enthralled in the stories that there’s time for what she has to say. The narrative is addicting and "Snow Lane" is no different to her other books in this regard.
"Snow Lane" is not my typical genre for reading, but I wanted to give it a try since Angelini is my favorite author (not many avid readers can claim this). I went into this story knowing that I’d have to give it more of a chance because of the genre, but once I hit that first page I fell in love.
It’s a book that is impossible to put down. I should’ve known. Somehow I didn’t. The wit was classic and I realized that Angelini had placed another hit book in my hands. There wasn’t a page that went by that I didn’t laugh at because of some quip. One of my favorite’s was in chapter one. I’m an only child. I’ll let you guess which line I loved.
I often pass books over to my mom once I’ve finished reading them, especially if they are good, so that she can enjoy them as well. I kept finding myself darting out of my room to share amazing gems of lines that the book provided, all the while hoping that they wouldn’t spoil the story. When something makes you laugh, you want to share it with the world.
"Snow Lane" has religion play a major theme in the book since the family is Catholic. I’m not Catholic, I practice a different religion under the broad scope of Christianity, but I found the ideas relatable and humorous. Some things carry over into every branch of Christianity. Others are stereotypes. Whether someone who is not religious could enjoy this book, is debatable. Though the same can be said for someone who is religious. If you’re not willing to laugh at yourself, this book isn’t for you.
The story is from the point of view of a ten-year-old girl named Annie, who has a crappy “(five Hail Marys)” life. It shows the narrative of a family with a lot of children and parents that don’t make enough money to take care of all of them. The fascinating dichotomy and relationships that came out of this family of eleven (including the parents) reminds me of my mother’s family because they had ten children instead of nine, but even so—my mother’s family was richer than the Bianchis. Or at least, I’d like to think so. I know my mother would love this book because she was like a mother to her youngest sibling which is similar to the relationship between Annie and her oldest sister Miri.
"Snow Lane" helps to inspire people to do family history. That was what I took away from the book while reading the beginning. It’s important to know where you began and then you can write an ending for yourself. Annie, the little dyslexic girl from a family of nine, has a destiny and at ten-years-old, she has to find it.
I can honestly say that I never expected to cry while reading this book, but before I knew it the tears were welling up and I knew that Angelini had written the characters in such a way that I couldn’t not feel for them. For a moment, I was Annie and all I wanted to do was cry because life is hard on her. I wanted to make it all better, but as the reader, I can’t. I think I cried hard enough to fix the California drought. I had to take off my glasses permanently while reading (I’m far sighted) because I couldn’t keep crying with them on. Those are some of the many moments that you realize you have an amazing book within your grasp.
Josephine Angelini’s "Snow Lane" is one of those that makes you forget what time it is. When you’re reading, you’re reading and suddenly it’s late in the evening and you haven’t snacked on anything, you’ve forgotten to eat, but you don’t care because all you want to do is continue reading. Feasting on the story is more than enough to feed you for weeks. By the time you reach the end, you realize you don’t want the story to end. When the story ends, it’s like taking off your coat in the middle of a blizzard. You’re left freezing and wondering where to go next because you can’t just put your coat back on. That’s too simple.
The characters are easy to fall in love with, except for a select handful. They surprise you when you least expect it and your personal, reader to character relationship changes in the blink of an eye.
And I can tell you one thing. You’ll never see the ending coming from a mile away. It took me probably three hours tops to finish the book and it was as equally amazing as all of Angelini’s other works. I can’t wait to see what her next project will be.
September 1, 2018
I haven't read a Childrens book this beautifully done in a long while. The story about family and friendship touches upon some of the most urgent themes and they are dealt with in the best way possible.
I've looked hard for a novel that treated an invisible disability simply as a character's trait instead of a special power, and Josie finally gave me one. Annie's dyslexia is part of her and yes, it is a disability -- but whereas someone treats her differently because they don't understand, others like Jordan can see right past through that and don't mind at all. He accepts that she's made that way, it is how she elaborates the world's inputs. He appreciates her creativity and finds she's a genius, which she is.
But there is much more in these 195 pages: Religion and cultural tradition (which totally resonated with me, considered I'm Italian) mental illness, bullying, abuse, friendship, kindness... It's a story of the human, I believe. It tells the daily hardships of common people, the difficulties that come with living. It's genuine and honest, and I love it.
I've looked hard for a novel that treated an invisible disability simply as a character's trait instead of a special power, and Josie finally gave me one. Annie's dyslexia is part of her and yes, it is a disability -- but whereas someone treats her differently because they don't understand, others like Jordan can see right past through that and don't mind at all. He accepts that she's made that way, it is how she elaborates the world's inputs. He appreciates her creativity and finds she's a genius, which she is.
But there is much more in these 195 pages: Religion and cultural tradition (which totally resonated with me, considered I'm Italian) mental illness, bullying, abuse, friendship, kindness... It's a story of the human, I believe. It tells the daily hardships of common people, the difficulties that come with living. It's genuine and honest, and I love it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2020
This was a quick read for me- so it would probably be a good book for a reluctant reader- but there are tough topics covered in this book. Abuse and neglect being the main focuses. There's a lot of religion mentioned (specifically Catholicism). It's mentioned in the acknowledgements that Snow Lane is based partially on her own childhood- I don't know if that includes the religion aspect but I feel like there are a lot of stereotypes within the book towards Catholics which is a little concerning. I also am bothered by the frequently used work "retard" to describe Annie. The book takes place in the 1980s- so while it is a word that was commonly used THEN I feel like it could have been avoided in a book written recently.
Overall though the book was good- issues here and there but it never felt like the story was dragging for me.
Overall though the book was good- issues here and there but it never felt like the story was dragging for me.
January 14, 2019
Read this after a recommendation from a friend. Dark and sad. Ends on a hopeful note, but still. I can't figure out why the author and editors and publishers found it necessary -- and acceptable -- to stereotype a large Catholic family. I didn't really see any reason to portay this family was Catholic, it didn't add anything to the story except to add to apparently still acceptable stereotypes.
I appreciate the themes.of abuse and how children are affected and why they try to hide it. There was powerful stuff in this book, it really could have been great. Annie was really endearing, I just wanted to hug her.
Overall, just disappointing. Hard to recommend something with obvious bias.
I appreciate the themes.of abuse and how children are affected and why they try to hide it. There was powerful stuff in this book, it really could have been great. Annie was really endearing, I just wanted to hug her.
Overall, just disappointing. Hard to recommend something with obvious bias.
March 1, 2019
I picked up this book for the sole reason that the main character is in fifth grade in 1985, I was in the fifth grade in 1985! I was looking forward to the references, cabbage patch kids, the Challenger space shuttle disaster ect… However this book was surprisingly deeper than I expected. Ok, I'll also admit it the cover also caught my eye too.
The main character is the ninth of nine children, quickly in you realize there is major family dysfunction. This is a relatable story for children going through home crisis. A recommendation for children (or adults) who want serious life stories.
The main character is the ninth of nine children, quickly in you realize there is major family dysfunction. This is a relatable story for children going through home crisis. A recommendation for children (or adults) who want serious life stories.
February 10, 2019
Whoa, what a depressing book. Annie is 10 years old and the youngest of nine siblings. These kids are neglected, ignored, and flat out abused. Annie is not only tortured by older siblings and slapped around by her mom, but also witnesses her sister get sexually assaulted. I can’t believe this book is being recommended for kids as young as third grade. It’s written very well and the characters are compelling, but this is more of a read for teens or adults.
July 27, 2019
A little too close to home. If it is normal in your life, you don't know anything else. What can kids really do? How do you tell on your sisters if no one cares, or are trying to keep their own head above water? This sounds a little like propaganda for birth control, or not being Catholic or even abortion. I don't like that.
June 22, 2018
The writing and storyline were well done, but the reader is left thinking that the family's problems stemmed from their Catholic religion. I disliked the negative stereotype of Catholic beliefs depicted in the book.
July 8, 2019
3.5
This is a very touching book that deals with child abuse and neglect.
There are some Level 5 swear words in this novel but nothing upper middle grade children haven't heard before.
Plus, anyone focuses on that aspect of the book totally missed the point.
This is a very touching book that deals with child abuse and neglect.
There are some Level 5 swear words in this novel but nothing upper middle grade children haven't heard before.
Plus, anyone focuses on that aspect of the book totally missed the point.
April 17, 2018
This book broke my heart. I'm not sure I'd want my 5th grader to read it and not just because Annie cusses a lot. The only reason I finished it was because I wanted to make sure Annie was okay.
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