Sunday, November 04, 2007

Because of Anya

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. 2002. Because of Anya.

Because of Anya is told through multiple view points. Keely, one of our narrators, is one of a group of ‘popular’ kids that begin to tease or ostracize Anya because she is different. It is more than her shyness. Lately, Anya has been more nervous. Scared almost. And then one day she comes to school in a wig. Keely knows ten year olds don’t wear wigs unless they’re sick. What if Anya is dying? Anya, our other narrator, is struggling with her self-esteem. She was recently diagnosed with alopecia. She has been told that she may never grow her hair back. She might in fact lose all her body hair--including her eyelashes. Scared about what this all means, Anya needs special friends to help her through it. But can anyone in her class understand what she’s going through? Can anyone see her true beauty?
It is a powerful story of how friendships are made and how first impressions can be deceiving.

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