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Sister Spider Knows All
When Roxanne discovers her absent mother’s teenage diary, she finds some painful but important answers to the unsolved questions of her past and possibilities for a different future.
For twelve-year-old Rox, there are two things in life she can count her beloved grandmother, Mimi, and her weekend job at the flea market. But outside this fragile weekend world, she’s lost. A so-so student with few aspirations for higher education, she feels out of place at school. And who is she anyway? Her teenage mother left when she was only three months old and her father’s identity is a mystery. And no one, least of all Mimi, will talk about what happened.
But then her cousin John Martin brings home a girlfriend from college who has very different ideas about the way life works. And when Rox discovers her mother’s teenage diary, she begins discovering some answers to her past and her future.
With gentle wit and an uncanny sensitivity, author Adrian Fogelin captures the fragility of life’s certainties in this moving novel of an adolescent girl’s struggles to find her way in the world.
For twelve-year-old Rox, there are two things in life she can count her beloved grandmother, Mimi, and her weekend job at the flea market. But outside this fragile weekend world, she’s lost. A so-so student with few aspirations for higher education, she feels out of place at school. And who is she anyway? Her teenage mother left when she was only three months old and her father’s identity is a mystery. And no one, least of all Mimi, will talk about what happened.
But then her cousin John Martin brings home a girlfriend from college who has very different ideas about the way life works. And when Rox discovers her mother’s teenage diary, she begins discovering some answers to her past and her future.
With gentle wit and an uncanny sensitivity, author Adrian Fogelin captures the fragility of life’s certainties in this moving novel of an adolescent girl’s struggles to find her way in the world.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2003
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84 people want to read
About the author
Adrian Fogelin
18 books21 followersAdrian Fogelin is the author of several novels for middle readers and young adults, including Crossing Jordan and The Real Question. She lives in Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 11, 2016
I had no idea what this book would be about when I started it; even the reviews on the back were about the author's other works. I was pleasantly surprised.
I enjoyed seeing life at a flea market, I was interested in learning about the protagonist's missing mother, and there was even a little action in the middle of the story.
But what really resonated with me was the idea of social class, realizing how others see you and your family for the first time, and also realizing that you don't always have to be stuck there forever.
I enjoyed seeing life at a flea market, I was interested in learning about the protagonist's missing mother, and there was even a little action in the middle of the story.
But what really resonated with me was the idea of social class, realizing how others see you and your family for the first time, and also realizing that you don't always have to be stuck there forever.
February 3, 2009
I thoroughly enjoyed this book about life in twelve-year-old Rox's world. She has a wisdom that is beyond her years as she struggles to understand her somewhat quirky family. Rox and her grandmother Mimi sell at a flea market every weekend to supplement the family's only income, that of construction worker and college student, cousin John Martin.
Danny Swain the Tire King, Spice MArie, and many others populate the pages. But it is the appearance of Lucy in the story, as John Martin's n...more I thoroughly enjoyed this book about life in twelve-year-old Rox's world. She has a wisdom that is beyond her years as she struggles to understand her somewhat quirky family. Rox and her grandmother Mimi sell at a flea market every weekend to supplement the family's only income, that of construction worker and college student, cousin John Martin.
Danny Swain the Tire King, Spice MArie, and many others populate the pages. But it is the appearance of Lucy in the story, as John Martin's new girlfriend, and the discovery of a diary left by Max's mother (who abandoned a 3 month old Max to her grandmother) that shakes Max's world.
Like a tornado that hits the flea market, Max's world is blown apart and rebuilt. Adrian Fogelin has done a superb job of getting inside a budding teenager's head, and making it believable.
Danny Swain the Tire King, Spice MArie, and many others populate the pages. But it is the appearance of Lucy in the story, as John Martin's n...more I thoroughly enjoyed this book about life in twelve-year-old Rox's world. She has a wisdom that is beyond her years as she struggles to understand her somewhat quirky family. Rox and her grandmother Mimi sell at a flea market every weekend to supplement the family's only income, that of construction worker and college student, cousin John Martin.
Danny Swain the Tire King, Spice MArie, and many others populate the pages. But it is the appearance of Lucy in the story, as John Martin's new girlfriend, and the discovery of a diary left by Max's mother (who abandoned a 3 month old Max to her grandmother) that shakes Max's world.
Like a tornado that hits the flea market, Max's world is blown apart and rebuilt. Adrian Fogelin has done a superb job of getting inside a budding teenager's head, and making it believable.
August 23, 2019
Out of all the Fogelin books on my bookshelf, this is my favorite one. It always has been. I don't know why, but for some reason I just really enjoyed the small little world she built and the characters felt more robust than in her other books. The main character had a strong voice and beautiful growth. It isn't perfect by any means and the pacing does feel kind of weird sometimes. Almost like she had one too many things she wanted to try and touch on so the strengths of one area faltered to catch the slack. There were definitely some missed opportunities for some more focused, depth in some regards, but overall she wrote a truly heartfelt and good story. Very satisfying.
February 17, 2019
Living with her grandmother and her cousin, John Martin, Rox struggles with belonging. Yet when John Martin brings Lucy home for approval, her life and family are thrown into a chaotic situation. Add a tornado which shuts down the Saturday flea market (the source of income for the aging grandmother, Mim) and Rox must come to grips with change. How she adjusts what she finds out and the questions she answers yield a flavor of realism to this coming of age story. The key is found to the mystery when least expected.
October 14, 2007
YA novel about Rox, who never knew her mom or who her father was. But she loves the show--the flea market she and her grandma do to make money. Good story--not predictable, believable characters. Would recommend to fans of contemporary fiction.
January 19, 2010
One of those book I read over and over again
March 6, 2011
This story revolves around a girl who lives in a non-traditional family. Flea markets and a tornado are just a few of the events that transform her life.
Read
April 1, 2013This was an interesting book. I love that there is a different kind of family and the young girl can figure out who she really is from her mother.
November 12, 2013
this is my favorite book now! I loved it so much and I am going to read it again soon.
February 23, 2016
Quirky, unique family was enough to keep me turning the pages...real characters appealed to my emotions.
May 8, 2020
Im actually suprised that I liked this!
December 2, 2021
This book was so good. All of the characters felt real and the story was so good. I've never read anything quite like it.
July 3, 2017
3.5 stars
In general I like to see new or different perspectives in middle grade realistic fiction, I feel like the "middle-class white girl looking for love in high school" story has been told so many times it's just plain boring. So I was excited to see that this book would potentially tackle a protagonist struggling with the idea of socio-economic class instead of boys. While this struggle was very much present, and exacerbated by the entry of the protagonists' cousin's girlfriend, who is much more well-off than the family,it is not the main focus. We also learn that the protagonist is a bit overweight, but never thinks of herself as "fat" until other people point it out- which I felt could also have been a major plot point but was instead only mentioned a few times throughout the story. Instead, we focus on Rox trying to find out about her absent mother. Don't get me wrong, I felt this was interesting and different and important for a middle grade story, but it also made the plot drag at times.
The pacing of this book was kind of weird to me. It felt like a really slow beginning which led to an exciting climax halfway through, then another slow build to a more subtle, emotional climax. Again, the reason for this pacing is the focus on Rox's mother rather than the family's struggles with money, which I felt was a missed opportunity. I also felt that the misspellings in the diary entries were really distracting and odd, I mean by the end Rox's mother was 17 and she was still misspelling simple words (like "dye" instead of "die" what 17-year-old makes that mistake???)
Overall, however, I thought the book was sweet and cute with enough real-world issues to make it relevant and compelling.
In general I like to see new or different perspectives in middle grade realistic fiction, I feel like the "middle-class white girl looking for love in high school" story has been told so many times it's just plain boring. So I was excited to see that this book would potentially tackle a protagonist struggling with the idea of socio-economic class instead of boys. While this struggle was very much present, and exacerbated by the entry of the protagonists' cousin's girlfriend, who is much more well-off than the family,it is not the main focus. We also learn that the protagonist is a bit overweight, but never thinks of herself as "fat" until other people point it out- which I felt could also have been a major plot point but was instead only mentioned a few times throughout the story. Instead, we focus on Rox trying to find out about her absent mother. Don't get me wrong, I felt this was interesting and different and important for a middle grade story, but it also made the plot drag at times.
The pacing of this book was kind of weird to me. It felt like a really slow beginning which led to an exciting climax halfway through, then another slow build to a more subtle, emotional climax. Again, the reason for this pacing is the focus on Rox's mother rather than the family's struggles with money, which I felt was a missed opportunity. I also felt that the misspellings in the diary entries were really distracting and odd, I mean by the end Rox's mother was 17 and she was still misspelling simple words (like "dye" instead of "die" what 17-year-old makes that mistake???)
Overall, however, I thought the book was sweet and cute with enough real-world issues to make it relevant and compelling.
May 8, 2023
"Sister Spider Knows All" by Adrian Fogelin is a touching and thought-provoking coming-of-age story that explores themes of identity, family, and self-discovery. The protagonist, twelve-year-old Roxanne, feels lost and out of place in her world due to her lack of knowledge about her family history and uncertain future. However, through the discovery of her absent mother's diary, she begins to unravel some of the mysteries of her past and gain a better understanding of herself and her place in the world. Fogelin captures the complexities and fragility of family relationships with empathy and authenticity, highlighting the impact that they can have on a young person's sense of self.
The novel also explores the importance of connections outside of one's immediate family and the power of relationships to shape and expand one's understanding of the world. Through Roxanne's interactions with John Martin's girlfriend, she is exposed to innovative ideas and perspectives that challenge her worldview and push her to think beyond the limitations of her current circumstances. Overall, "Sister Spider Knows All" is a memorable and well-crafted novel that will resonate with readers of all ages and leave them with a renewed appreciation for the importance of family, connection, and self-discovery.
The novel also explores the importance of connections outside of one's immediate family and the power of relationships to shape and expand one's understanding of the world. Through Roxanne's interactions with John Martin's girlfriend, she is exposed to innovative ideas and perspectives that challenge her worldview and push her to think beyond the limitations of her current circumstances. Overall, "Sister Spider Knows All" is a memorable and well-crafted novel that will resonate with readers of all ages and leave them with a renewed appreciation for the importance of family, connection, and self-discovery.
October 28, 2024
I enjoyed this one so much!! I've been drawn to mother-daughter relationship stories lately for some reason, and Rox's story is my favourite of all the ones I have read. Even though her estranged mother does not physically appear in her story, it never felt as though any details were glossed over or that the ending was hurried. Her grandmother and her community more than filled up the void which is probably why she was able to accept her estranged mom's absence and move on. It really is best to grieve and let go of some losses, no matter how difficult, in order to appreciate what you have right now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2025
Adrian's YA novel Sister Spider Knows All is a great comfort read from the charming cast of characters in Wakulla County, Florida. Rox is a creative and headstrong young girl; she's got a great support system of love around her, and she needs it as she ventures out of that comfortable circle to answer some questions about her parents and her identity.
The pages were a sweet, childlike reminder that when we read, we read ultimately for characters. Friends. Their voices as they share their stories.
<3 Finished the book in a day.
The pages were a sweet, childlike reminder that when we read, we read ultimately for characters. Friends. Their voices as they share their stories.
<3 Finished the book in a day.
February 28, 2019
I didn’t really enjoy this book because it wasn’t very interesting to me. It was a very long book and confusing for me. I couldn’t really understand the plot and I don’t find it appealing in my opinion.
June 5, 2008
I must admit I grabbed this book on my way to the 'reading room'. My first foray into chick-lit and I really enjoyed this story. I can't believe it'snot a movie... yet.
April 20, 2015
Growing up.
October 11, 2013
Great Book! I wish I found out more in the end. The author left questions unanswered.
September 16, 2015
Family issues. Flea market.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews