Notes From a Liar and Her Dog
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- 5,99 €
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- 5,99 €
Publisher Description
Ant (short for Antonia) is sure she is adopted. She doesn't look anything like her mother or her sisters - or even her dad (who is away working too much). Ant's best friend is a boy called Harrison who draws chickens, and her dog Pistachio, a tiny ageing chihuahua, is her constant companion, but she feels that she just doesn't fit in.
Ant's life meanders along until one day her lying starts to cause her, and those around her, some rather serious problems. Forced to face up to some of the things she has spent her life trying to hide from, in particular Ant has to come to terms with why she doesn't get on with her mother.
An uplifting, exciting and truly original story.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Choldenko (Moonstruck) vividly captures the feelings of a middle child torn between wanting to be noticed and wanting to be invisible, through the narration of sixth grader Ant (Antonia) MacPherson. Ant believes she was misplaced at birth. "Dear Real Mom,/ This is what I would like to happen. I would like you and my real dad to come RIGHT NOW," she writes in the book she's keeping for her "real parents." She feels like the thorn between two roses, overshadowed by her sisters ("Your Highness Elizabeth" and "Katherine the Great") and misunderstood by her mother and father. She takes solace in the idea of a fantasy family, and in the company of her beloved dog Pistachio and quirky best friend Harrison (he's obsessed with chickens) as well as the nest of falsehoods she constructs for herself. Some have serious consequences, such as switching her stellar report cards with Harrison's lackluster ones, dodging vet bills and accidentally endangering herself and others while volunteering at the zoo. A sympathetic art teacher, Just Carol ("she always says, 'Just call me Carol' "), glimpses the hurt behind Ant's misdeeds and steps in, but ultimately it's up to Ant to face some hard truths, take responsibility for her behavior and forge a fresh start with her family. Poignant passages belie Ant's tough exterior, as with her observations about her best friend, and her interaction with her father upon his return from a six-week business trip. This funny and touching novel portrays the tug-of-war within this strong heroine and taps into very real emotions. Ages 10-14.
