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HIGH SCHOOL FICTION
Now she is afraid for him and
his family. Still, what will she
do with all this new
information about her life
Springer has a reputation for
keeping readers engaged. This
117-page page-turner will put
you in a chair until the very
end. Every chapter has a new
twist that you will not want to
miss. Charge up your popcorn
popper and
Debby Willett
Confessions of the
Sullivan sisters / Natalie
Standiford. New York:
Scholastic Press, 2010.
LCCN 2010014512.
HBB, 9780545107105, $17.99.
Fic
313 p. ; 22 cm.
HS Rating: 4
Natalie Standiford tells a
modern story of three
prodigal daughters in
Confessions of the Sullivan
Sisters. The Sullivans are a
socialite family living in
Baltimore. For the three
Sullivan sisters, Norrie, Jane,
and Sassy, life consists of prep
school and weekly tea with
their grandmother, Almighty.
On Christmas Day, Almighty
announces she has been
diagnosed with a brain tumor
and her death is imminent.
Furthermore, one of her three
granddaughters has offended
her deeply and as a
punishment she has
disinherited the entire family.
The granddaughters have
until New Year’s Eve to submit
their confessions to Almighty
in writing. After she reads
them, Almighty will decide
whether to reinstate the
family into her will or follow
through with her plan to
donate her entire fortune to
charity and leave them
p e n n i l e s s . I n t h e i r
confessions, Norrie, Jane, and
Sassy detail love, hatred,
truth, lies, and even death.
Standiford’s writing style is
light and humorous, but the
message of repentance and
forgiveness is apparent
throughout the book.
Although the girls sometimes
resent the way Almighty
wants to control their lives,
each realizes why her actions
may have offended her
grandmother and sincerely
asks for forgiveness. The
relationships within the
Sullivan family are positive;
the sisters especially share a
tight bond. In spite of their
wealth and social position,
Norrie, Jane, and Sassy are
normal teenagers. Readers
will understand Norrie’s
infatuation with a boy she
meets in her speed-reading
class and Sassy’s guilt over
her perceived role in the
death of Almighty’s husband.
Jane is suspended from
Catholic school because she
doubts the existence of God,
but later undergoes a
p o w e r f u l c o n v e r s i o n
experience. The book contains
one scene of implied
fornication and some
profanity, but the characters
for the most part make
responsible choices. A solid
choice for high school
libraries.
Elizabeth Norton
CHRISTIAN LIBRARY JOURNAL 41 APRIL 2011