Risk and Roses

by Jan Slepian

In 1948, newly-moved to the Bronx, eleven-year-old Skip longs to shed her responsibility for her mentally handicapped older sister and give her whole attention to her new friendship with the bold and daring girl who seems to run the neighborhood.

Genres: Historical Fiction

175 pages, Hardcover

First published September 27, 1990

Reviews

[Sonia Gomes · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most amazing books I have read, and as all beautiful stories, heartbreaking.

Here we have Janet, who is the ‘little girl’ caught in an older body. Janet can never lie, she does not know how to...

And Skip Janet’s sister, who desperately wants to belong to kids her age, does not want to be Janet’s sister, a sister who embarrasses her, she never wants to mind Janet...

There is Janet’s Mother who hopes and hopes that Janet will one day be able to get a job and function in our world, never lavishing any care on Skip who is after all ‘normal’...

And Janet’s Father’s who knows that the World outside will not accept Janet and that she has to be taught to be independent...

Jean, the spunky girl, who is never scared and walks the neighbourhood with no one to challenge her...

And Mr. Kaminsky who has his beloved roses, his family on a wall but has a special rose waiting for a name because,
‘ Sometimes it’s all you get- a maybe. It is enough to give it a try.’

[Qt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this long ago and it made quite an impression on me; I liked it a lot at the time. I just re-read it and while I feel like there's something about the ending that needs more explanation, I still like it, and am giving it 5 stars for nostalgic reasons.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Angela and Mr. Kaminsky and hated Jean from her racist comment to Mr. Kaminsky to her last dare. Jean made me really mad!

[Badgirl143]

I thought it was GREAT!!

[Soobie has fog in her brain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soobie a dodici anni:

Bel libro. Ambientato nel 1948, racconta la vita di una ragazza che non sa decidere se voler più bene alla sorella o a Jean Persico, una sua amica.

[Sofia Fresia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trama avvincente che si svolge nella caotica e violenta New York, nella quale la protagonista dovrà imparare a muoversi, difendersi, e riconoscere il bene dal male.