Girls Like Us

Reviewed by: Bernie Alie - Kennebunk Free Library, Kennebunk, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 25, 2014

Review

Quincy and Biddy, recently graduated from high school, find housing together with the help of the school counselor. At age 6, Quincy was hit with a brick by her mother's boyfriend, suffered brain damage, and spent the rest of her youth in foster care. Biddy has moderate retardation due to lack of oxygen during birth. They live with and care for Miss Lizzy, a gentle and perceptive woman with health issues of her own. Although perceiving themselves as worlds apart, the girls discover that leaning on one another helps to make the world tolerable. The story is told in two voices, each with her own unique vernacular dialect. Each is believable, and provides clues into the reality faced by special education students aging out of the education system. This is not your typical unlikely friendship story, as these are voices not often heard in teen literature. Team this with Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman for a discussion on empathy and challenging stereotypes. Highly recommended for all libraries.

Overall Book Score: excellent