Firegirl by Tony Abbott

I recently read Firegirl by Tony Abbott, which is a young adult novel. I enjoyed reading this novel and was riveted by the writing from the start!

Firegirl is told through the perspective of a 7th grade boy named Tom Bender.  I really like Tom Bender's character. He's smart, sensitive, compassionate and is able to convey the feelings he's experiencing in an articulate and credible manner. It's a pleasant experience to discover male characters in novels that display the kind of emotion sensitivity and feelings that Tom Bender's character expresses in Firegirl. 


I don't want to give too much of the story line away, so will leave
the following overview of Firegirl that I found on the Barnes and Noble website:

"This novel may be brief, but it leaves a big impact."
-Publishers Weekly (starred review) 

"Tom's a normal seventh-grader, negotiating a slightly prickly stage in his long friendship with Jeff...The arrival of new girl Jessica Feeney, however, changes everything; Jessica, who is attending a local hospital for treatment, has been badly burned by a fire, and her terrible disfigurement shocks the class into confusion. This isn't the usual book about adjustment to difference; instead, Abbott brilliantly explores the kids' struggle to manage the intrusion of abnormality in their lives...this is a thoughtful exploration of a brief interlude's lasting impact."
-The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

I'm giving Firegirl an overall rating of 8 stars out of 10 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!