Ari and her nineteen
year old brother, Gage, have been living with Janna since their mother died a
few years ago. One of her mother’s final wishes was that Gage and Ari would
always stay together. But, things are different with Janna and a lot of days
are a struggle for Gage. One day he loses his temper and decides to leave. Ari
knows she has to go with him, even though her life with Janna is stable. Plus,
Janna helps her with her homework at the school for the gifted that she attends
(her mother’s other final wish) and she takes care of her. They have to stick
together, so she goes with him. Janna thinks they are living in an apartment,
but Gage hasn’t been able to find anything. Instead they have been staying with
different friends and sleeping on couches. Other days they sleep in the car and
occasionally the shelter. Ari doesn’t have a lot with her and she has to try
her best to clean her school uniform, so no one will know she isn’t living with
Janna anymore. Her favorite thing to do is to lay out her paper families. She
cuts them out of catalogs and makes up stories about them. She knows them and
they comfort her. Keeping track of your belongings isn’t easy when you are
coming and going all the time, sometimes in a hurry. Can Ari and Gage continue
trying to make it on their own? How will Ari continue at school with her ever
changing living arrangements? Will Janna find out what is happening? Your heart
will go out to Ari as you navigate her new life with her.
Paper Things by Jennifer Richard Jacobson was a book a library assistant told
me I had to read because it was her favorite book. I took a picture of it with
my cell phone, so I wouldn’t forget.
Imagine my surprise a month later when I am at the Connecticut Children’s
Book Fair and I see the cover of the book that’s on my phone. It was a delight
to meet Jennifer Richard Jacobson and her presentation was so interesting. I
was excited to start reading Paper Things
and I was not disappointed. Ari tugged at my heart strings, and I kept thinking
about the challenges in her life. Kids who are going through a tough time will
find a character that they can relate to and be inspired by. I can understand
how Ari’s paper families comforted her. I would recommend this book to anybody
in fifth grade and up who likes a book that makes your heart ache for the main character,
and you can’t help but hope it will have a happy ending.
