Between Sisters by Adwoa Badoe

Are teenagers more alike than not, whether living here in Westchester or in Ghana, Africa? Sixteen-year-old Gloria, a dropout from middle school, gets an opportunity to leave her backwater shack and become a babysitter to a doctor’s child.  She finds new vistas open to her eager gaze. Back home, she and her sister had to walk to a hotel to bring back jugs of water on their heads. In the city of Kumasi, life is physically much easier. There is running water and indoor plumbing. Her boss, Dr. Christine, treats her like a sister – almost. Gloria keeps her own secrets from Sistah Christy. A neighbor, Dr. Kusi pursues her in his red foreign car, and even tells her he wants to marry her someday. The owner of a trendy clothing store charges her only half price for clothes she wants. There’s temptation all over. Gloria manages to deal with some of it, and gets caught up in the rest. She emerges with a new interest in learning and a desire to sing. Her experiences give her insight into making better life choices. Maybe teens living in Ghana aren’t that different after all.

Lilian Hecker, Pelham