Summary
Annie has a fantastic memory for people. She remembers names, faces and details. Usually, this is less of a gift than you might think. Annie is a quiet, blend-into-the-background kid and others think it’s weird when a “stranger” knows so much about them.
Annie’s awesome memory causes problems for her at school when her people-skills expose a family secret. Now Annie has to go to a different school. To make matters worse, Annie’s parents decide to leave the city and move to a small town. Her dad says it’s for his job, but Annie wonders if it was because she exposed their secret.
Annie is determined to keep her weird memory to herself when she starts at her new school. It takes time to make friends, and she doesn’t want her freaky skills to alienate people. Her brother already hates her because they had to move. And her dad doesn’t seem as enamored with the small town life as he did at first. How can Annie make things better for everyone after she ruined everything?
Review
My list of things I loved about this book:
- Annie. I really identified with her and her memory for people. I feel like I remember people better than others remember me. I also loved her lists. They tell the reader so much about what she’s thinking and how she’s feeling.
- The kids in Clover Gap. Annie makes some great friends in her new home. The dynamic between Annie and Amelia is a great one for Annie to work through.
- Annie’s growth across the story. One of my favorite themes in books is finding your voice. And Annie is on that journey here. It’s great.
- The format. The “new kid at school” thing has been done before. But a story told almost entirely in lists? It’s brilliant! I can’t believe the author composed such a rich and intricate story with lists and a handful of paragraphs to fill in some details. This format created an absolutely excellent, unique reading experience.
This would make a fantastic addition to home and school libraries. This would also be an excellent mentor text in a writing classroom. Imagine young writers creating lists and list stories of their own! This has become one of my favorite books of the year. It’s one I recommend all the time.