Counting to Perfect

Gr 5–7—Twelve-year-old Cassie Applegate's world revolved around her family and her swim team, until her sister Julia gave birth to a little girl, Addie, in the middle of her senior year of high school. Now her parents are so occupied with Julia and the baby, they scarcely seem to notice Cassie and rarely come to her swim meets. She also misses the closeness she shared with Julia before Addie was born. When Julia tells Cassie she and Addie are leaving, and invites her to come along, Cassie reluctantly agrees, assuming it will be a short road trip. But once on the road, Julia seems to have no particular destination in mind, and no intention of returning home. Cassie finds herself torn between the adventure and camaraderie of traveling with her big sister, and her love for her parents and friends back home. Lyrically written with compelling characters, this heartfelt novel explores the complexity of sibling relationships. Cassie's account of her road trip with Julia is interspersed with memories of their life together before Addie was born, and the confusing, frightening months after Julia announced she was pregnant. Although the parents' acceptance of two teenaged girls taking an unplanned trip with an infant seems to come a bit too easily, the characters' emotions are believable and beautifully described, and the relationship between the sisters is touching. The author also wonderfully captures Cassie's love of swimming.