FICTION

You May Already Be a Winner

by Ann Dee ELLIS
352p. Dial. Jul. 2017. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781101993859.
COPY ISBN
Gr 4–6—With her father gone and her mother working overtime, there is never enough food, money, or attention in 12-year-old Olivia Hales's life. She enters multiple contests a day because the words, "You may already be a winner" give her hope for a better future. She takes care of her little sister Berk during the day, even skipping school to do so. When neighbor boy Bart notices that Olivia has been sacrificing school and friendships to care for her younger sister, he tells on her, bringing her carefully constructed plans to an end. The quirky characters and drama keep the story interesting and imaginative. The young characters deal with divorce, abandonment, and adult responsibilities. Short chapters include letters Olivia writes to her father.
VERDICT Recommended for readers who enjoy realism with roller-coaster emotional arcs.
Reviewed by Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, Alta.
Olivia is juggling more than any almost-thirteen-year-old should. Since her dad left the family, Olivia cares for her little sister, prepares meals her exhausted single mother won't eat, and regularly enters sweepstakes in hopes their luck will improve and they can move out of Sunny Pines Trailer Park. Ellis poignantly reveals Olivia's inner life, her anger, and the daydreams that enable her to survive.
 , May 01, 2017

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