Another please help me find this book from my past question

August 14, 2017 5:40 PM

I am looking for a book I read when I was in primary school. I have always thought the title was Sister, but the name is too vague to bring up any good matches on Google or book sites. Read in Australia between 1990 - 1995.

Here is what I remember about the book:
~ Title: Sister (I thought)
~ Borrowed from primary school library, Australia, 1990 - 1995
~ Blue/purple cover, I seem to remember butterflies
~ A period piece I think, as I'm pretty sure the toilet was an outhouse

The story details I remember are:
~ Girl with a mother who has a mental illness or disability (this may not have been spelled out, but was alluded to)
~ Not sure where the dad was, dead?
~ Mum has a baby and the girl has to help with the birth (becoming a sister, I guess)
~ The girl gets her period and as she has never had anyone to talk to about puberty, she thinks she is having a baby due to helping her mum deliver the baby earlier, and the blood that was involved (I think this is where the outhouse came into the story)

This book is the first book that made me cry, and my own sister seems to remember it too, but we cannot for the life of us find any record it. Does it sound familiar?

posted by Youremyworld to Grab Bag (3 answers total)

Best answer: I think it's this book and if so, you did have the right title. The cover has the the butterflies you mentioned, and the description mentions the girl getting her period.
posted by the webmistress at 10:52 PM on August 14, 2017 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Oh my goodness, yes, that is it! Thank you!
posted by Youremyworld at 12:00 AM on August 15, 2017 [1 favorite]

Just popping in to say I loved this book! Thanks for the reminder
posted by drunkonthemoon at 3:05 AM on August 15, 2017