The Hidden Agenda of Sigrid Sugden
by Jill MacLean
Sigrid Sugden is a member of the Shrikes, the toughest group of girls in school. But when they endanger the life of their favourite victim, Prinny Murphy, Sigrid makes a decision that puts her own status in jeopardy.
Sigrid wants to change her life. But her attempts at atonement backfire. No one trusts her and no one wants to give her a second chance. Sigrid finds an unlikely ally, however - Hud Quinn. Hud's a bully himself, but Sigrid senses another a side to him. Since he's the only one willing to speak with her, she starts to think of him as a friend.
Sigrid's examination of her past life gets at the root of bullying and how hard it is to deal with. The other Shrikes, especially Tate, are dangerous. MacLean doesn't flinch in portraying physical abuse, animal abuse, and destruction of property. But having the story told from the bully's point of view provides a different perspective that is worth examining.
An excellent book to read and discuss. Highly recommended.
The Present Tense of Prinny Murphy
by Jill MacLean
A companion story to The Nine Lives of Travis Keating,
with Prinny Murphy as the narrator. Prinny has a lot to deal with in her life. There's her conflicting emotions about her mother, who can't stop drinking, her father, who rarely pays much attention to her, and her best friend, Travis, who's become friendly with Laice, the new girl in town. Even worse, she's being blackmailed by the Shrikes, a gang of girls who've been tormenting her all year.
As Prinny struggles with all these issues, she gains strength from a novel called Make Lemonade.
Reading isn't easy for Prinny, but she likes the book because it's written in verse and because she likes the main character, LaVaughn, who has a hard life too.
Prinny's story is often raw and searing, with its realistic depiction of bullying and its attendant fear and humiliation, and the damage caused by people's flaws and secrets. Yet Prinny learns that there's still a lot of good in the world if she gives it a chance.
The Nine Lives of Travis Keating
by Jill MacLean
Just 365 days - that's how long Travis has agreed to his dad's experiment of living in a tiny coastal town in Newfoundland. But he soon regrets it. The kids at school ignore him while Hud, the resident bully, has him in his sights. Plus, Travis is still dealing with residual anger at his mother's death. Then he discovers a colony of abandoned cats down at the wharf.
As the days count down, Travis becomes tentative friends with Prinny, whose mother is an alcoholic, Hector, who rarely speaks, and Abe, a crotchety old farmer. By accepting their help in caring for the cats, Travis gradually comes to terms with his grief and mends his relationship with his father. He also realizes that any town can be called home.
Jill MacLean's realistic depiction of a Newfoundland community makes The Nine Lives of Travis Keating a wholly satisfying and Canadian read.
