As Simple as It Seems
By: Sarah Weeks
Bibliography information: Weeks, Sarah. As Simple as It Seems. HarperCollins Childrens Books, 2010.
Summary
Although small for her size, Verbie is seemingly your typical small town, American Kid. Sure, there were moments where she wasn't as giddy as the rest, however, she has two parents who adore her, a best friend since kindergarten, and they're about to be leaving elementary school taking on a whole new adventure. Life can seem a bit boring in their little town, especially if you ask those pesky "flatlanders" from New York City. To Verbie, she lived a relatively normal life doing typical things for a girl the age of eleven. Everything was fine, normal even. That is until a bomb was dropped that put Verbie's life on a stand still. All of a sudden who she thought she was, and who she "really is" were all jumbled up, and her entire world was thrown upside-down. Now she has to come to peace with her past and make sense of it to understand who she is now, and who she’ll be in the future. An unlikely companion and a series of extraordinary events help her make it out of her funk and come to grips with who she truly is. Perhaps who she’s always been, and certainly who she is meant to be.
Opinion
The major thing I took away was the discussion of adoption and fetal alcoholism simply for personal reasons that pertained to me specifically. Which goes to show the true versatility of this book. I truly believe there is a takeaway for everyone, someone can at some point relate to a topic.
Sarah Weeks presented heavy, real world situations in an entertaining, and tactful way. I highly recommend this author and her other novels. She writes an assortment of music and other children's books as well! Its a fast, easy and worthwhile read.
Implications
Quotes
- "Words were a jumble of meaningless shapes to me. In fact the only way I could tell if I was holding a book right side up or not was to look at the pictures"(page 7).
- "Lots if people are adopted--I know it's not a big deal. My birth certificate said Tom and Ellen Colter were my biological parents, and even though I didn't look like either one of them, I had no reason to suspect that wasn't true" (page 11).
- "I'm not the same person I use to be". (page 22).
- "She's here Sugarpea. With us where she belongs" (page 19).
- No wonder I was feeling so mixed up and mean inside. Mike Colter was bad news, trouble from the get go, warped and it was his good for nothing blood running through my veins" (page20).
- I wished to be somebody other than who I was--somebody other than Verbena Ellen Colter" (page 26).
- "Now that I understand what Grace's drinking had done to me, I was even more aware of what an evil thing alcohol could be" (page 82).
- "I know I am warped, just like them, but I can't help it. It's like some kind of poison got poured into me and it's turning me into somebody I don't want to be" (page 171).
- "He's Lucky to have a friend like you" (page 171).
Resources
- To get more info about Sarah Weeks, and all of her other works go to her website https://sarahweeks.com/
- Adoption is often very misunderstood. Positive adoption language and knowledge is absolute power! Adoption will always deal with loss. The adoptive parents have what the birth parents don't and vice versa. However, it is the most selfless gift made out of love. Many studies show that having transparency and even open adoptions are very beneficial for the children. Changing adoption stereotypes is the first step to ending a stigma, and understanding that there are adoption resources for all. The birth parents, adoptive parents and adoptees. https://adoption.com/resources-to-help-support-adoptees
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Facts, Myths and so on: https://fafasd.org/myths-fasd/ , https://www.healthline.com/health/fetal-alcohol-syndrome, https://www.nofas.org/factsheets/, https://www.crisisprevention.com/Blog/September-2015/FASD.