Brenda A Ferber - Sing Something True

Praise for Sing Something True

Brenda Ferbers sweet Sing Something True hits all the right notes.

- Kate Hannigan, Golden Kite Award winning author of The Detectives Assistant

Whether you have a disabled child in your life or not, this book will sing something true straight to your heart until the very last page.

- Katie Davis, author, illustrator, podcaster, and Director/CEO of Institute for Writers

The name says it all: Sing Something True melds themes of self-expression and integrity with sweetness and grace. Readers will connect with Casss struggle to be a good friend, sister, and daughter without forgetting something even more important: to be good to herself.

- Lisa Jenn Bigelow, author of Hazels Theory of Evolution and winner of the Lamda Literary Award

With pitch perfect middle grade voice, Brenda Ferbers Sing Something True is a beautiful, authentic, page-turning story of friendship, family ties and a girl discovering what it means to sing your own song.

- Christina Mandelski, author of The Sweetest Thing , The First Kiss Hypothesis , Love and Other Secrets , and Stuck with You

Contents

Sing Something True

Brenda Ferber

Fitzroy Books

Copyright 2021 Brenda Ferber. All rights reserved.

Published by Fitzroy Books

An imprint of

Regal House Publishing, LLC

Raleigh, NC 27612

All rights reserved

https://fitzroybooks.com

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN -13 (paperback): 9781646030613

ISBN -13 (epub): 9781646030866

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020940211

All efforts were made to determine the copyright holders and obtain their permissions in any circumstance where copyrighted material was used. The publisher apologizes if any errors were made during this process, or if any omissions occurred. If noted, please contact the publisher and all efforts will be made to incorporate permissions in future editions.

Interior and cover design by Lafayette & Greene

lafayetteandgreene.com

Cover images by

Regal House Publishing, LLC

https://regalhousepublishing.com

The following is a work of fiction created by the author. All names, individuals, characters, places, items, brands, events, etc. were either the product of the author or were used fictitiously. Any name, place, event, person, brand, or item, current or past, is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Regal House Publishing.

Printed in the United States of America

Dedication

For the Four Baers: Micky, Jeff, Riley, and Billie

I love you!

xoxo

(Aunt) Bren

C hapter One

L ast spring, my sister and I made a bird feeder for the tree outside my bedroom window, and after that, a family of robins woke me up each morning with their happy tweeting. Most days, I would lie in bed listening to them sing to each other. Sometimes I would sing along. It always sounded like they were having a conversation, and I wished I knew what they were saying. Maybe they were making plans or talking about the plump worms theyd found or telling each other, I love you, youre amazing. For those few minutes each morning, the birds made me feel like things were just right and might even stay that way.

Then one morning it got weird. I heard only one lonely chirp.

I pulled up my blinds to investigate. It was the middle of October, so the leaves were golden yellow. One robin perched on a branch right outside my window. The rest of the birds were nowhere in sight. The robin kept opening his beak and chirping in a way that seemed to say, Hey! Hey, you! Listen to me!

Poor bird, all alone. I waved to him and said, Good morning, robin. Wheres your family today?

The robin fluttered off the branch, spun around, and landed there again. Then he chirped-chirped-chirped, like he was trying to talk to me.

What a funny little bird. And how strange that the others were missing. I peered out, searching in every direction, but the robin was all by himself. He seemed lonely. And mad.

Dont worry, little bird, I said, as if he could understand me. Youll find your family. Maybe they went to a different tree this morning. You should go look for them.

The robin cocked his head, then flew away.

It was quiet without his chirping, so I hummed a tune to shake off the lonely feeling hed given me. I put on my favorite jeans and a hand-me-down top from my sister, Sophie, one with emojis all over it. I hoped today would be a smiley face kind of day and not a poop one. If I got to school before first bell, Id have a chance for smileys. Otherwise, Dani and Lucy would hang out without me again. Poop emoji for sure.

I had a wobbly feeling in my chest just thinking about those two. I had to make sure my sister had a good morning, so I could be on time for school, and things might be halfway normal with my friends. Specifically, with my best friend, Dani. And with the new girl, the intruder, Lucy London.

I went across the hall to Sophies room. Mom had already turned on her light, but Sophie was hiding under her blanket on the floor. My big sister almost always ended up sleeping on the floor even though she started each night in her bed. I wasnt sure which part of her disability made that happen, but it was a thing.

I went in and tilted open her blinds. Soph! Wake up!

She groaned.

Come on! I pulled the blanket off her face and smiled down at her. Morning!

She squinted and threw her arm over her eyes. Too bright.

Its sunshine. Its good. I pictured the sun warming the blacktop at school. Thats where we all gathered before first bell, and on Mondays it was where everyone talked about the fun they had on the weekend. Lucy and Dani would be talking about their sleepover for sure. Come on, Ill race you to breakfast.

Sophie moved her arm down and opened her eyes. No fair, Cass. Youre already dressed.

Ill wait for you.

Sophie stretched and stood. I hopped from one foot to the other while she pulled on a black velvet top over silver leggings. Sophie was only a year older than me, but she was a whole head taller. We got most of our clothes from our older cousins, but Sophie managed to put her own flair on things. When we were little, my sister said she felt like the necks of her shirts were choking her, so Mom pretended to be a fashion designer while she cut them out, making wider openings without the annoying seams. Now Sophie thought she was a fashion designer. She said clothes were art and that everyone at school knew she was an artist, even if they didnt all appreciate it. Lately shed been into accessories, so this morning she added a silver sequined scarf from last years Halloween costume to complete her look.

I said, You look pretty. Now, on your mark, get set

But Sophie was already out her bedroom door and past me, shouting, Go!

I didnt care. As long as Sophie was moving and in a good mood, my day had a chance of being great.

Morning, girls! Mom said. Waffles or eggs? She was standing at the kitchen counter, drinking coffee and looking at her computer. Her hair was pulled into a low side ponytail, and she was wearing work clothes, black slacks and a crisp white blouse.