Alena does not remember her mom who had passed away, and she wants to know more about her mom. However, her guardian, her own brother, does not want her to do so. She secretly performs many troublesome acts that puts her remaining family and friends in jeopardy. She is determined to find out the story of her mother, no matter what is takes. At the end of the book, she completes the story by learning about the unacceptable truth of what had happened to her mom from her brother, who has given up trying to stop her.
I loved how Troublemakers was a funny yet melancholy book. The author did a great job of creating a broken family as well as the characters’ emotions, especially the main character. Unlike other realistic fictions, Troublemakers contains two different stories. One being what happened to Alena’s mom, and the later being how Alena got to know about the previous. The book is fast-paced and easy to visualize, which I liked. However, there were some pointless elements of the book which were not needed for the plot to continue. Overall, Troublemakers is a satisfying read, especially if the reader is looking for some trouble.
Unlike most books that I have heard of, Troublemakers show the love that a child has for its mother, and what the child would do to achieve it. Alena, with her mom passing away at a young age, and not having a mother’s love and care, does what a normal child would do, trying to get maternal love. The mom-daughter relationship is presented strongly in this book and is the most memorable piece of the book.
Reviewed by Eric Hu, Grade 7, Twin Hickory Area Library
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