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Up High in the Trees A Novel by Kiara Brinkman A Book Sense Selection A Borders Original Voices Selection A Barnes & Noble Discover Selection Chicago Tribune Favorite Books of 2007 ISBN: 0-8021-4370-9 / ISBN-13: 978-0-8021-4370-9 US $14.00 - 5 1/2 x 8 1/4, 352 pp - June 2008 |
I used to write notes to Mother and hide them in places. I hid the notes in her books, in the pockets of her foldedup clothes, in her medicine drawer, in her pillowcase, in her shoes. If I wanted her to find the note fast then I had to hide it in an easy place, like in her purse.
I wrote her a note that said:
To Mother,
Your name is Louise. Louise sounds like please. Louise Please. Please Louise. Tell me what does Sebastian sound like?
From, Sebby
This note was not important so I hid it in a hard place. I folded it up tiny and tight and hid it in her silver heart locket. Her locket has two small heart-shaped pictures. The pictures are of Uncle Alexander’s face smiling and of Dad’s face not smiling.
Mother brought me back the notes when she found them. Sometimes she answered and sometimes she didn’t. It took her a very long time to find the note in her locket. I was in the backyard looking for snails. She sat down with me on the garden wall that’s made out of rocks and she gave me back the note.
She said, you have a beautiful name. I can’t think of any perfect rhymes, but it goes well with captain, she said, Captain Sebastian. Or stallion. Sebastian the stallion. Or action. Sebastian full of action.