cover image Yours, Brett

Yours, Brett

Gertrude Samuels. Dutton Books, $13.95 (165pp) ISBN 978-0-525-67255-5

Brett, valedictorian of her high school class, looks back on her troubled childhood. Deserted by her father and neglected by her alcoholic mother, Brett has been transferred from one foster home to the next, exposed to drugs, deception, bitterness and hostility along the way. When she is sent to the Second Chance House, she meets a dedicated social worker and finally begins to believe that she ``belongs.'' Ultimately, she joins her grandparents across the country, where she can truly start her life over, succeeding despite the pain from the past that often threatens her new, tranquil life. Brett's experiences are accurately portrayed, but transitions between past and present lives are not smooth, and the story lacks credibility. The novel ends with Brett's valedictory speech about homeless children. It is meaningful, but inappropriate both as a graduation message and as the conclusion of the book. Ages 12-up. (April)