C-C-C-C-Cornelia Thornhill stutters uncontrollably and is a neglected child that has been forced to take on the role of an adult. She keeps things straight. Her mother is completely irresponsible. Her mother runs off to Las Vegas with a loser boyfriend after she dumps Cornelia with Aunt Agatha, ... more

C-C-C-C-Cornelia Thornhill stutters uncontrollably and is a neglected child that has been forced to take on the role of an adult. She keeps things straight. Her mother is completely irresponsible. Her mother runs off to Las Vegas with a loser boyfriend after she dumps Cornelia with Aunt Agatha, a virtual stranger. Cornelia stuffs her feelings of hurt inside and refuses to speak most of the time, because of her stutter. When she’s forced to live with the eccentric old woman she finds she’s smarter than she knew. She meets a young girl with an ogre for a father. He refuses to let her go to summer school and learn to read. Cornelia takes it upon herself to teach her and discovers her Aunt Agatha can’t read either. She teaches her to read as well. Bo’s father shows up at Agatha’s house and is angry when he finds Cornelia teaching Bo to read. Cornelia lifts her head and argues with him. The silence she hides behind shatters as she defends the young girl. The strength she found when defending Bo she begins to exert and use to stand up for herself. Fusco’s book tugs at the heartstrings and wakens the cheerleader for the underdog in everyone. A message of strength and courage is exhibited in Cornelia’s growth. She is wounded, yet strong and a shining example of how to be one’s own advocate.