Returnable Girl

Returnable girl by Pamela Lowell
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books
Release date: October 2006
REVIEW FROM ARC

Overview: At thirteen-years-old, Ronnie Hartman has had a lot of hard knocks in her life. From the time she was five, she took care of her younger brothers and to an extent, her mother, as well. When Ronnie was eleven, her mother moved to Alaska and left Ronnie behind with a promise that she would send for her when her finances allowed. Two years and nine foster homes later, Ronnie is still waiting for her mom to keep her promise. When we meet Ronnie, she is living with Alison, a therapist. Ronnie has “anger issues” and is also a kleptomaniac. She has one true friend, Cat, a girl who is overweight, unpopular and, though living with her biological mom, in her own private hell.

I can not imagine having Ronnie’s life – she was abandoned, bounced around in the foster care system and lied to by most of the people she trusted. I wanted to like Ronnie; I wanted to root for her, but something was missing. The more I learned about her, the less I liked. Her story, though traumatic, didn’t engage me – I didn’t really care about what happened next. I neither hated nor loved this book.
© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy