I'm Not Her

     I am reading a book called “I’m Not Her” by Janet Gurtler. I think it is really interesting reading. In the book, Tess and Kristina are complete opposites. Tess isn’t as pretty or sporty as her sister and she’s younger. I think that Tess had always felt a little neglected and felt like she needed to defend herself. She thought her parents favored Kristina.

     Then a horrible tragedy strikes the family and Kristina gets cancer. Tess starts to get a lot of the family’s attention and it is a big change for her. I think Tess really doesn’t want to have all of the family’s attention because she is not used to it. Her parents have never paid so much attention to her. She doesn’t know what to do. She is used to being the one in the corner watching while her parents praise Kristina and say how proud they are of her metal for sports and new boyfriend and friends and everything.

     I think Tess is actually very hurt on the inside. Her parents don’t know it, she has never spoken up for herself and her parents aren’t aware that she feels like she is the forgotten child. If I was Tess, I would be scared to stand up for myself. I mean all these years of just being un noticed you must be scared. I would be really mad at my parents and I would want to tell them to pay more attention to me. Tess is a really good kid but they don’t know that.

     But when Kristina gets cancer all the attention gets turned to Tess. Tess isn’t used to this at all and doesn’t know what to do. In school people ask her how her sister is and what’s wrong. Tess doesn’t want to talk to them because when she has in the past, all they did was make fun of her.

     “As I walked down the hall people stare at me. They whisper and I know what they are whispering about.” That line made me think that Tess is scared of others noticing her. She has never experienced it before and doesn’t want to start now.