101. Still Sal

101. Still Sal. Kevin Henkes. 2024. 256 pages. [Source: Library] [j fiction, j realistic fiction, family, school, 5 stars]

 First sentence: "You're embarrassing me," Sal said to her father. Her voice squeaked with emotion. Papa had been singing. He stopped. He glanced around the kitchen. "It's just us," he said. "How can I be embarrassing you?" "Well," said Sal, "then you're practicing for when you'll embarrass me later."

Premise/plot: Still Sal is the sequel to Oh, Sal. Oh, Sal is the spin-off of Kevin Henkes' The Year of Billy Miller. Sal, our heroine, is now six (Poppy, her younger sister, is two; Billy, her older brother, is ten) and preparing for the first day of first grade. She has a vision, a plan, she knows exactly how she wants first grade to go. Fortunately-unfortunately, things don't go according to plan. She's in the "wrong" class with the "wrong" teacher and separated from her neighbor-friend, Griff. Meanwhile at home, Sal is having to learn how to share her room with Poppy who has graduated to a big-girl bed. Sal's struggles are super realistic.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. I loved Oh, Sal and Still Sal so much--much more than The Year with Billy Miller. I love the emotional life of the character. The problems or obstacles that Sal faces are realistic and relatable. The writing and characterization are great.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews