One day when Casey comes home from school she finds that her stepmother, Sylvia is gone. Although Sylvia left some money on the refrigerator and a freezer full of frozen dinners, Casey is still worried. She decides, however, not to tell anyone. Instead Casey will keep on going to school and acting like everything is the same.As the days pass, however, Casey finds it harder and harder to maintain the veil of deception surrounding her life. All too soon she runs out of money to buy more food, and she has to pay the apartment rent. She confides her secret to her landlord's teenage boy, Paulie, who is also a foster child like Casey.
Paulie tells Casey that the last thing she wants to do is end up back in the foster care system. Then he presents a daring, and illegal, plan to Casey. A rich old woman lives in an apartment building a few blocks away. Casey will ask to use her phone and then steal money from her. Paulie will forge Casey's stepmother's signature so that Casey can pay her bills. How far is Casey willing to go to maintain her independent life? More importantly, is Sylvia ever coming back?
I did not like “Say Yes.” The plot that Audrey Couloumbis has created is realistic, and I'm sure that many children are placed in similar situations every year. However, I didn't like the way that the storyline condoned Casey's theft. In the end she gets away with the robbery, although she returns a ring that she stole. Even when Casey's mother returns they manage to hush up the abandonment so that foster care doesn't take Casey away.
“Say Yes” does not show the real life consequences of abandonment and robbery. I feel that Audrey Couloumbis did a good job in choosing real life issues to create her plot, but she ended up watering down the ending so that “Say Yes” becomes a sort of idealistic fairy tale story. The happy ever after ending does not feel real at all.
I would not recommend “Say Yes” to readers because it encourages youth independence and wrong-doing without showing consequences.
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9 replies so far. What are your thoughts?
The plot for me isn't fit for the age of the characters since they are too young to commit mistakes.
Unfortunately, many children can and do commit such mistakes. It is an unfortunate thing, but a very real possibility.
In real life so many young children end up addicted to drugs, pregnant, or involved in gangs and theft.
So in a way "Say Yes" is realistic. I just didn't feel that the ending was realistic at all.
as for the ones who dont like this novel I can't understand because I love this novel. The novel ending to me was a realistic as anything should be first of all, most old lady's are nice and forgiving like my grandma for example. And second of all most kids nowaday steal from when there like 7 so her stealing should be said that she's too young too steal. Can you honestly say that you never stole anything from anyone when you were younger even the smallest thing you stole thats still stealing. Third the ending with the foster care thing is because she was smart about and it's not like its even her fault that her step mother all of a sudden dissappeared she shouldn't be counted for her step mothers mistake I'd rather an ending like this her losing whatever she has left in her life to be thankful for. I really appreciated the way it ended of course i was surprised at it but it was good.
i just loved it! "Say Yes" is so realistic :)
I really loved this book! Very unique. I for one, think that this book's plot is absolutely brilliant! Who would have thought of a story of a mother leaving her daughter?
I read it about 4 times. it is a great book. It showed me that if something happens... be the better person and do what is right for you. my favorite part... PAULIE GOT ADOPTED!!!!!
I think the story was unique because usually the step parent hates the foster kid, but Silvia loves Casey... AND I LOVE PAULIE!
this book was so suspenseful. i loved how it talked about trust, frienship, families, and love.
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