QUAKING
Fourteen year old Matt, short for Matilda, has been through it all... at least, that's how it seems. After a violent childhood, Matt has been forced to depend only on herself. She becomes a quiet, cold teen who wears all black and never smiles. A girl who has no friends. A girl who isn't really there. Only Matt knows what deep thoughts dwell behind her mask of heavy eyeliner and blank eyes. And if Matt has her way, no one else ever will. Then everything changes. Matt is brought to live with Quakers, Jessica and Sam, who are already caring for a mentally impaired child, Rory, whom Matt calls "The Blob." She never aims to make a good first impression on her foster families, since she knows that they'll get fed up with her eventually. Matt stopped looking for love a long time ago. Now she's faced with Quakers, people who hold bizarre meetings in total silence for endless minutes and want peace, despite war in the Middle East and threats of terrorism at home. At first Matt regards them as just plain strange. However with time, she begins to see their point. When some, like Matt's teacher, a school bully, and certain hostile elements in the town, oppose Quakers and other peace lovers, violence erupts. Meanwhile, Jessica and Sam continue treating Matt as they would a beloved daughter despite her repeated coldness towards them. Matt begins to find it harder and harder to disregard this Quaker family and ignore their love and concern for her.
With original, believable characters, Kathryn Erskine brings the novel Quaking to life. Combining staggering writing talent and a humorous, heart wrenching plot, she weaves together a riveting tale, sure to have readers hanging onto every word.
- Robyn