Foster Family
1 primary work • 5 total works
Book 2
When 11 year old Abi Foster's mum asks her if she'd like a brother or sister, Abi expected a baby, not a tough little extrovert called Sam! But Abi is thrilled to have someone to play with, and though Sam seems a little headstrong - not to say bossy - at first, Abi's the kind of girl who gives everyone a chance and Sam is the sister she's always longed for. But when Sam keeps buying expensive presents for them, Abi and her parents smell a rat - where on earth did she get the money from? And then there are the stories she tells about her real dad - if he's so great, why is Sam being fostered? Sam's bubbly nature is hiding a desperate need for love, attention and stabiltiy and Abi wants to help - more than anything. Gradually Sam and Abi break down the barriers between them, and Sam has a loving family at last.
When Bella arrives to stay with the Fosters, Abi and Sam are determined to be nice to her. Bella's dad is very ill - he's got MS - and everybody has to be very sensitive to poor Bella. But it's really hard to be sympathetic when Bella is constantly boasting about her wonderful parents, her wonderful house, her pedigree pets and her lovely clothes! If she wasn't so confident, the girls would think she was telling a load of fibs. Slowly, Bella becomes more bearable, and she's even quite fun to be with sometimes - especially when she takes the girls to see her posh house and its private swimming pool - WOW! But after Bella's gone, the girls need to return to her something she's left behind - they decide to go and visit her. When they finally arrive at her house, though, they're in for a big surprise ...
Sam's a real tomboy sort of girl - she never wears dresses or skirts and she's really into sports like football and tennis - that's just the way she is, and Abi likes her that way. So when Anna arrives, little graceful Anna - a budding ballerina, Abi feels sure she'll get right on Sam's nerves - they couldn't be more different, after all. But to Abi's amazement, Sam thinks Anna is great. Anna trains really hard for her ballet and Sam thinks that's cool. From now on it's Anna This and Anna That. And it's not just Sam, everybody thinks Anna is the bees knees. Talk about Little Miss Perfect! Abi is trying really hard not to be jealous, but she can't help feeling left out - is Anna so much better than her?
If there's one thing that Abi and Sam agree on it's boys! Yup, boys are definitely, absolutely, incredibl;y - gross! Well, most of them are, the Radish doesn't count, he's only little. But as soon as Simon arrives, Abi changes her mind. Simon is drop-dead gorgeous, and talk about charming the birds out of the trees! Simon can do no wrong - and he gets on really well with the Radish. Everyone loves Simon - except for Sam. She says she doesn't trust him. Not one bit! Then awful things start happening to the animals - not just Abi's and Sam's, but next door's, too. Everyone is outraged, who would try and hurt innocent animals. Simon says he thinks maybe the Radish is responsible - without meaning to be, that is - but it doesn't seem possible. It has to be someone with a really nasty streak . . . But who
Just when Abi, Sam and the Radish are settling down as a normal family. Abi's mum goes and springs another surprise . . . 14 year old Ellen Dredge is coming to stay. As soon as Ellen arrives, Abi and Sam just know they're not going to clck with her. Ellen is wierd - big, brash and clingy - and SO clumsy! She's driving them nuts. Could they ever be friends with someone like that But even though she gets on their nerves, Ellen isn't unkind. And even if she does follow them everywhere, who else has she got to be friends with Slowly, Abi and Sam get used to Ellen and when the time comes for her to leave their family - Sam and Abi have to admit - they' might even miss her . . . Well, just a bit . . .