Snap

Edwina (aka Eddie) and Sally are best friends growing up in a small American community. Eddie writes lists to help her make sense of life, and deals with more serious problems by snapping the coloured rubber bands that she wears on her wrist. The story follows the girls’ friendship through a difficult summer – Sally’s grandmother, Willie, is ill and the girls have to face up to a changing future.

The theme of change is developed using striking imagery, but is unnecessarily hammered out in the final chapters. The book grapples with some difficult emotional issues. It’s a brave attempt to deal with the realities of growing old, illness and death, but ultimately fails to satisfy – only really succeeding in highlighting the strength of friendship.

The book is not suitable for younger children, and although the characters are both 11 years old, the content and style of this book makes it far more appropriate for young teenagers. Snap was first published in the US, and while the American spellings add ‘flavor’ to Eddie’s narrative, I suspect the references to V8 Juice, cookies and butternut trees may not appeal to a British readership.