Weird Rules to Follow by Kim Spencer

Mia knows her family is very different than her best friend's. 

In the 1980s, the coastal fishing town of Prince Rupert is booming. There is plenty of sockeye salmon in the nearby ocean, which means the fishermen are happy and there is plenty of work at the cannery. 

Eleven-year-old Mia and her best friend, Lara, have known each other since kindergarten. Like most tweens, they like to hang out and compare notes on their crushes and dream about their futures. But even though they both live in the same cul-de-sac, Mia’s life is very different from her non-Indigenous, middle-class neighbor. 

Lara lives with her mom, her dad and her little brother in a big house, with two cars in the drive and a view of the ocean. Mia lives in a shabby wartime house that is full of relatives―her churchgoing grandmother, binge-drinking mother and a rotating number of aunts, uncles and cousins. 

Even though their differences never seemed to matter to the two friends, Mia begins to notice how adults treat her differently, just because she is Indigenous. Teachers, shopkeepers, even Lara’s parents―they all seem to have decided who Mia is without getting to know her first.

Paperback, 192 pages

Published November 1, 2023

 by Orca Book Publishers

5/5 stars

I had the opportunity to listen to Kim Spencer do a keynote address at a conference I attended recently. Growing up in Prince Rupert in northern British Columbia herself is where this book takes place. My general feel is that a lot of this is her own experiences that she wrote about.

Weird Rules to Follow is the story of 11 year-old Mia in the 1980's.  Along with her best friend Lara, it's a story not just about her friendship with a white girl or about not being brought up in a middle class home.  But rather it's a story of Mia's life and the things that shape her as she grows up.

I really enjoyed this book. Told from Mia’s pov helped to build empathy for her and the struggles she has with who she is, her family, and friendships. One could almost say this is a series of short stories through her teens, but it packs a punch in how it reflects the times and location. It was well written and an author I will be reading more of.

This book was part of my 2024 reading off my shelf challenge

One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Twelve-year-old Carley Connors can take a lot. Growing up in Las Vegas with her fun-loving mother, she's learned to be tough. But she never expected a betrayal that would land her in a foster care. When she's placed with the Murphys, a lively family with three boys, she's blindsided. Do happy families really exist? Carley knows she could never belong in their world, so she keeps her distance.

It's easy to stay suspicious of Daniel, the brother who is almost her age and is resentful she's there. But Mrs. Murphy makes her feel heard and seen for the first time, and the two younger boys seem determined to work their way into her heart. Before she knows it, Carley is protecting the boys from a neighborhood bully and even teaching Daniel how to play basketball. Then just when she's feeling like she could truly be one of the Murphys, news from her mother shakes her world.

Paperback, 224 pages

Published January 1, 2012

 by Puffin

5/5 stars

Published back in 2012 I can easily see how this was the recipient of many awards.  It is a gripping story of a 12-year-old who enters a foster home.

After being hospitalized, along with her mother Carly is sent to a foster home that consist of three boys, mom and dad. This was such a realistic, heartfelt story as Carly adjusted to the new situation and sees that  happy families actually do exist. They get off to a rocky start as her emotions are all over the place, it's not just a big adjustment for Carly but the family as well.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s not long, 224 pages, but packs a punch that is authentic and well written.  I connected with the characters, rooted for all of them. The storyline was emotional, funny at times with some good banter. A touching story that highlights how a gentle soul can change much.

This book was part of my 2024 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge