SuitabookCare, protection and freedom
Janine wants Ricky released while their mother keeps him confined, presenting protection and freedom as competing needs.
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Book details
Dotti Enderle - Author
A reflective mystery about a family facing a child’s worsening health, with magical or unexplained elements entering an isolated summer. The emotional centre is Janine’s determination to reach Ricky when fear and protection keep them apart.
JANINE IS PREPARED for a sticky, boring summer on her family's land in the middle of nowhere. Far from town and with only her ailing brother Ricky for company, Janine spends half her time stuck inside with him, wishing that their mother would let them out to play. But when Mr. Lunas--a mysterious man who saved Janine's father's life in the war-- arrives through the cornfields, strange things begin happening. Ricky sets his heart on building a go-cart. Mr. Lunas eats them out of house and home, then suddenly stops eating at all. And then Ricky's health takes a turn for the worse, and it looks like Janine's world is about to spin out of control. Janine's overprotective mom locks Ricky in his bedroom with her, and Janine is desperate to find a way to say goodbye. In the end, it's Mr. Lunas who comes to her rescue, encouraging her to break Ricky free--and then giving them both an enormous gift. Thought-provoking and gracefully written, this short literary novel is a small gem.From the Hardcover edition.
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Sign in for personalised guidanceA reflective mystery about a family facing a child’s worsening health, with magical or unexplained elements entering an isolated summer. The emotional centre is Janine’s determination to reach Ricky when fear and protection keep them apart.
Janine wants Ricky released while their mother keeps him confined, presenting protection and freedom as competing needs.
Ricky’s health takes a turn for the worse, and Janine becomes desperate to say goodbye.
Consider reading alongside the child if illness, confinement, separation or possible loss could feel personal. Pause to discuss what Janine wants, what her mother fears, and how the ending feels once reached.
This is a grounded book brief while Suitabook strengthens the analysis: the current material supports only a cautious reading; another book-specific source is still needed.
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