When My Sister Started Kissing

Reviewed by: Amy McInerney - Falmouth Elementary School , Falmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 13, 2018

Review

This beautiful coming-of-age novel in verse focuses on the relationship between sisters Claire and Abby. Every summer, they have returned to their cabin on Heartstone Lake with their father. Their history with the lake is tenderly portrayed through the point of view of the lake itself, relaying how their mother passed away on the shore when they were younger, and flashing back to memories of the girls growing up. This summer, everything changes, as their father brings his new wife, Pam, who gives birth during the month they are at the lake. Abby is also on the verge of growing up, taking an interest in boys over her sister, and Claire seeks clarity in her new world. This tender novel will appeal to many, as its core themes are universal. Frost has crafted beautiful poems, each with its own title and subtitle stating whose point of view it is in. Each poem is rife with emotions, ranging from heartache, to love.

Overall Book Score: very good