Very True

Have you read "Martha Walks the Dog"by Susan Meddaugh ? The picture book with the talking dog? In it there is a dog who is told by his owner he is a bad dog and because he is called bad he acts very bad... but when he is told he is a good dog, he, well, acts good. Do others opinions of us dictate who we are and how we act?

In "True (...sort of)" by Katherine Hannigan the wonderful main character is Delly. The thing about Delly is that she is always getting into trouble.... not mean trouble but trouble all the same. It all began when she was 6 and went with her family to the County Fair. Delly could not stand to see all those chickens couped up in the coup so she let them all out. She was told it was a Bad BAD thing to do and that she was bad. She believed those words and the trouble went on and on from there...

But Delly has the uncanny understanding of when something good, a surpresent, is going to come to her. ( In Delly language a surpresent is a surprise and a present) And on Saturday Delly just knows a surpresent is coming. She waits all day and finally she feels it coming.... its in a green Impala car that comes bumping and grinding into town. But to her disappointment there is nothing in the car except a pale, skinny boy wearing a too big t shirt. Delly refuses to believe this is her surpresent.

The boy turns out to be a girl, Ferris Boyd, a very special person. Special in that she does not use words or talk ever and cannot be touched. But Delly finds something in her that is fascinating and thus begins a very special friendship.

And then there is Brud, the basketball wanna be, who stumbles over words and friends as well.

I absolutely loved this story.

It demonstrates how very rare good friendship is and once found never let it go, it demonstrates that we can communicate in so many ways if we try very hard.... with a one word note that is tucked into your pocket, with a look that tells everything you are thinking or by just sitting together not doing anything. It demonstrates how Delly and the reader learn so much about life.... that by just asking questions one does not get into trouble.

Special......