Genius Games - Hardcover

Grade 4-6-Jack, a sixth grader, has long considered his younger sister, Annie, to be the bane of his existence. He's convinced that her prodigious intelligence spurred their father's desertion of the family-he left England for America when Annie was a loquacious 10-month-old who was already trying to understand the inner workings of his CD player. Now that Annie is five, she is overwhelming her kindergarten class with her erudition and her insistence on speaking exclusively in Spanish, which has done little to endear her to her teacher, who only speaks English. Jack is a little worried that she might be skipped into his grade. He is also concerned because she addresses thin air, claiming that she is speaking to a new friend, Sarah, who is visiting from the 25th century. Is Annie going insane? What is the correlation between the plasticine model of her friend, with its growing collection of accessories, and the way that anyone who ridicules Annie loses important possessions? Dhami explores Jack's jealousy of his sister, his willful denial of the reasons his father left them, and his unrealistic expectations for a reunion. As the book progresses, Jack comes to a better understanding of Annie's extreme social isolation and her need for his acceptance and support. Though several premises of this novel are exaggerated or preposterous, the emotional issues may strike a chord with beleaguered older siblings.
Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Public Library, NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.