Little Sister by Aimee Said
Walker Books, 2011. ISBN:
9781921529214.Recommended. Allison Miller is in Year 10, with good friends and a part time job she enjoys. Life should be perfect, but for Al there is one big problem - her older sister Larrie. Larrie is nearing the end of Year 12, and is a model daughter and student, as well as being pretty and popular. Al is over being compared to her talented older sister, who seems to be intent on making her life miserable. Counting down the days until her sister leaves school is the only thing keeping Al going, but a revelation means Al has to deal with a different and unexpected aspect of being Larrie's little sister.
Al Miller is a likeable character, who uses her quick wit and sarcasm to help her get through the issues she is experiencing being Larrie's sister. Al is supported by good friends, and the dialogue Said uses is contemporary and believable. Written in the first person enables the reader to really understand Al and where she is coming from. Especially appealing is the status update at the end of each chapter - a clever use of a tool familiar to many readers. Little Sister explores the issues of relationships - between siblings, parents, friends and associates. Said tackles tough issues such as sexual orientation, bullying and cyberbullying, with believable scenarios and reactions.
Little Sister is an engaging novel which upholds the ideals of loyalty and depth of family relations, while at the same time dealing with the struggles of adolescence and the issues which are being faced by the youth of today.
Sharon Kretschmer