I'm Not Convinced

Anne Hutchings is an elementary-school teacher-librarian with the Durham
Board of Education.

From the intriguing opening sentence, “Sharon Frejer had no face,”
readers will want to read on.

Sharon and her single mother have just moved from Rockwood, Ontario, to
Edmonton, trading one life with verbally and physically abusive,
alcoholic Uncle Lawrence for another with the (merely) verbally abusive
Uncle Bert. Fear, insecurity, and zero self-esteem combine to draw
Sharon into the “Black Hole” in her brain, where she escapes when
faced with any kind of stressful situation.

Sharon’s goal in life is to be unnoticed. Enter Fern and Richard, who
each have their own demons to contend with. Despite her shyness, Sharon
is drawn to them, and, with their friendship and support, begins to take
her first small steps toward asserting herself.

Beth Goobie paints a realistic portrait of Sharon’s plight, while
simultaneously keeping the book readable and hopeful. Recommended.