KINSHIP

Rating:
Summary: Kinship
Review: A coming of age novel dealing with poverty and the importance of family. Characters are well drawn and really come to life. I like the way the vignettes of the trailer park residents give insight into Perts life. An excellent family oriented book and I would recommend it to students from the 7th grade up.

Rating:
Summary: A Really Interesting Book! =)
Review: In the novel, Kinship written by Trudy Krishner, this young girl was Perty (Pert) Wilson, lived with her mother, Rae Jean Wilson and her older brother, Jimmy Wilson in "Happy Trails" trailer park in Kinship, Georgia for many years. Pert was accustomed to the same neighbors, behaviors and habits day to day. Also, Pert has always wondered and longed for her father, James Williams Wilson of what he was like and for him to return home. Since Pert was a young child, she was not able to have what many other girls had, a father who was there for them at their side. As soon as Pert's father arrives, the life that Pert once knew started to change.
Rae Jean Wilson, the mother of Pert and Jimmy was a very strong woman and attended mass at St. Jude's every Sunday. Pert, unlike some daughters, called her mother by her first name, Rae Jean because they had a very close relationship, similar to sisters and best friends. Pert had said that, "She never scolded, never yelled, never laughed at me, never made me feel shame." (Chapter 2, page 15). This was probably once reason as to why Rae Jean and Pert were very close. Rae Jean not only supported her family, but treated her children as friends with loyalty and trust. Rae Jean had worked for Doc Jackson, the animal and people doctor) and Pert had worked at the movie theater. Although their family had worked, it was not enough to keep up with all the bills and the necessities they had needed. The Wilsons family, especially Rae Jean had worked extra hard to work for their money, without the help of James Wilson.
Pert was very accustomed to meeting and talking to neighbors such as Miss Sophie Mulch, Odette Coates and many others. As Pert grew up with these trailer neighbors, she had grown very close to them and many admired her and treated her as her their own child. Neighbors in "Happy Trails" had always admired, loved and were fond of the Wilson kids, especially Sophie Mulch. Sophie Mulch had said that she would do anything and everything for those children. Something that Pert would often do every afternoon was watch soap operas with Miss Mulch. Much like her life, the relationships that Pert had once had with the neighbors would soon change upon the arrival of her father.
When Pert and Jimmy's father had arrived in Kinship, he brought along mixed emotions. With the good times that Pert had with her father, there were also the sad times and the disappointments. Pert's father tried to do things that would make it right for the family, but because of the many years lost, it was not enough. Pert was able to spend quality time with her father, learn more about him and the similarities they had and just had fun with him. Pert also had to deal with some disappointments when her father let her down. Also, problems grew within the trailer neighborhood that had to deal with James Wilson and money.
Along with the relationships and lives that had changed when James William Wilson arrived, there were also situations within the trailer neighborhood. The mayor had informed the trailer owners that they would have to consider moving because permanent buildings were to be built in that land area. Many changes within the trailer land were made and even the name of the area. It had changed from Happy Trails, to Homestead Park and eventually to Homestead Circle Park. Pert learns that it is not the place in which a person lives that determines whether it is home or not; it is the people, the love and the trust.
As time grew, Pert realized what was important to her and what was not. She was able to distinguish from who was family and who was kin. Also, she finally was able to meet her father and learn more about him. Pert realized that Rae Jean, Jimmy and Grams have and will always be there for her. She realized that some people come into your lives and leave, but those who have been there since the beginning, are there to stay. As Pert had said, "I know home was supposed to be special, but it would take this fall to show me the reason why." (Chapter 1, page 9). It had taken Pert, all those ups and downs since her father had arrived, to realize who and what was home. Although it had taken her that time, it was better that then never realizing at all. Her trailer neighborhood has also grown into her family and people she trusts. Even as one of her neighbors, Pee Wee Hale had mentioned, "Family's more important than anything else." (Pee Wee Hale, Trailer 10, page 240). Even those who lived in the trailer park knew that family was important and it was what held everyone together.
Kinship, written by Trudy Krishner, is a great novel to read that deals with family, kin, friends, home and the things that are important in life. By reading this novel, one can see how Pert, the main character grows and learns from the actions and events that surround her. Not only can a person read about how Pert feels and how she acts, but also what others think and say about her and her family members. Also, one can learn more about the trailer life, and how many are assumed to be gypsies and how they are often looked down upon. Also, with the trailer life, a person can learn more of how they often have to move because of the building of "permanent homes". Kinship, is a great, fun and interesting book to read and I highly recommended this to all people who enjoy reading about the importance of family, as well as what "home" really is.

Rating:
Summary: This was a surprise hit with me!
Review: Perty's father abondoned her mother and her at birth but Perty still has hopes and dreams of her father that no one can take away. In fact, she talks to her father all the time by sending him ESP messages, usually to please come home, they need him. Well, Perty believes the last message got through to him because after church one Sunday, her daddy is standing on their front porch. No one was happy to see him much, except Perty, and she just can't understand that. All that matters is the here and now for her and her daddy is here now. She just can't get it, even after helping the trailer park with badly needed repairs, etc, her family, especially her grandma and brother are as cold as ever. Her mother just prays all the time, same as she used to. But Perty's world comes crashing down when he doesn't show up at the Father-Daughter dance, and momma's stashed-money-for-emergencies-comes up missing, and he takes repair money meant for the traier park and gambles it away. No one really comes to Perty's rescue with the truth about her father. Perty is strong willed and friends and neighbors know she must find out on her own how her daddy really is. And Perty finally does, she grows up and she's beyond the dreams of what a daddy really is supposed to be to see what her daddy is really is-a smooth talking, run-when-there-is-trouble kind of daddy. The concept and difference between kinship and family is unearthed in this great novel by a great author. I really could'nt put it down!

Rating:
Summary: This was a surprise hit with me!
Review: Perty's father abondoned her mother and her at birth but Perty still has hopes and dreams of her father that no one can take away. In fact, she talks to her father all the time by sending him ESP messages, usually to please come home, they need him. Well, Perty believes the last message got through to him because after church one Sunday, her daddy is standing on their front porch. No one was happy to see him much, except Perty, and she just can't understand that. All that matters is the here and now for her and her daddy is here now. She just can't get it, even after helping the trailer park with badly needed repairs, etc, her family, especially her grandma and brother are as cold as ever. Her mother just prays all the time, same as she used to. But Perty's world comes crashing down when he doesn't show up at the Father-Daughter dance, and momma's stashed-money-for-emergencies-comes up missing, and he takes repair money meant for the traier park and gambles it away. No one really comes to Perty's rescue with the truth about her father. Perty is strong willed and friends and neighbors know she must find out on her own how her daddy really is. And Perty finally does, she grows up and she's beyond the dreams of what a daddy really is supposed to be to see what her daddy is really is-a smooth talking, run-when-there-is-trouble kind of daddy. The concept and difference between kinship and family is unearthed in this great novel by a great author. I really could'nt put it down!