As Simple As It Seems

by Sarah Weeks

A Remarkable Journey of Self-Discovery

Moving and funny, this heartwarming and memorable novel follows one girl's discovery that life is not always as simple as it seems.

When Verbena Colter learns the truth about her birth parents — that her dad was a mean and sometimes dangerous person and her mother drank alcohol while she was pregnant — she feels scared and angry. Could it be that Verbie, too, is a terrible person on the inside? Just thinking about it makes Verbie wish she could be someone else entirely. So, when a nervous and allergic-to-almost-everything boy named Pooch becomes her neighbor for the summer and mistakes her for a ghost, Verbie doesn't correct him. Instead, she plays along, convincing him she's a girl who died in the neighborhood pond, and becoming his good (though ghostly) friend. But if Pooch likes Verbie as a ghost, what will he think of Verbie as a living girl? And will he help her discover the truth about the kind of person she is inside?

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade, Fiction, Young Adult, Friendship, Adoption, Childrens

Paperback

First published June 15, 2010

About the author

Sarah Weeks has been writing children’s books and songs for the past twenty years. She is a graduate of Hampshire College and NYU and recently became an adjunct faculty member in the prestigious Writing Program at the New School University, in New York City.

Her first YA novel, So B. It, which appeared on the LA Times bestseller list was chosen as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and received the 2004 Parent’s Choice Gold Award. In addition to being an author, Sarah is an accomplished singer/songwriter. She has written for television, stage and screen and a number of her picturebooks include songs which she both writes and sings for the accompanying CD’s. Sarah's titles have sold well over a million copies, including several foreign editions.

Sarah is a tireless promoter, visiting schools throughout the country, serving as author-in-residence and speaking to teachers and librarians at national conferences including IRA, ALA and NCTE. She lives in New York City with her two teenage sons.

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Library Audiobook...read by Rachel Gray ( the sweetest child’s voice) ... only 3 hours long.

My friend Stacy told me I have great book Karma. It’s true - I’m blessed in finding parking spots and great books landing in my hands.

I have no idea how I found this book....
.....but it’s soooo sweet - and tender.
I learned this book is aimed for middle school children. AGREE!!! Yet... any mother will have a soft spot in their heart for this story.
I doubt young girls could pull away from this book.

I understand a few teachers read this book to their students every year.

It’s a wonderful book for a mother & pre-teen daughter to snuggle up together - read and discuss.
I spent a couple hours walking & listening to this story yesterday. I admit my eyes felt misty a couple of times.
Between the story itself and the ‘sound’ of Rachel’s heartfelt voice - ( natural - authentic- a very real child- not a Hollywood starlet).... I was sincerely moved.

The young girl in this story - Verbena Colter, weighed only 4lbs. at birth. She’s still very small for an 11 year old girl....about to start a new school - entering 5th grade.
Verbena had reading problems. Her mother spent hours each day - with patience and compassion helping her to read.
Verbena loved her mom and family. She loved her mom’s stories, cooking, baking, and the extra attention in making Verbena feel special, and secure in who she was.

In 5th grade, life becomes dark and confusing to Verbena. She finds fault in her parents - kids at school - and mostly with herself. She notices kids at school call her names - slow - stupid - etc.
It’s the same year she learns she was adopted.
Her biological father was in prison for murder. Her biological mother was a booze drinking woman while pregnant.
It’s a miracle Verbena lived ( but she didn’t know that)...
It was also exceptional that her parents wanted this tiny sick infant knowing what they might be up against for a lifetime.
The effects from ‘fetal alcohol syndrome’ can be extremely challenging - horrendously sad - and lifetime maddening frustrating- even with the best intentions and more love from the parents than all the saints and God’s put together. It’s still hard!!!!

Luckily for Verbena- and her family - Verbena’s mental and physical challenges were minimal -
I personally know of a family where things were absolutely horrendous.

Alcohol Fetal syndrome- in truth- can be a lifetime nightmare for all involved.

We follow along with Verbena... taking in her emotions and behaviors at home - school - with friends.
The storytelling isn’t perfect - it has some flaws. I’m guessing it’s because the author may have tried to lighten the topic-so as not to totally depress young people. Fair enough!
Yet.... the important messages are there.

It never hurts reading a book that reminds us to appreciate each other’s differences and practice kindness.

4.5 stars!!! Warmed my heart!!!

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young girl finds out that the people that raised her are actually her adoptive parents. When Verbena finds out that her biological father is in jail, and that her mother was an alcoholic, she begins to lash out at the people who love her, because she is afraid she has inherited meanness from her father and can’t change it.
Sometimes reading through Verbena’s arguments with her mom was difficult. Verbena is really angry and says some pretty harsh things. Her friendship with the neighbor boy Pooch, a precocious little boy, was the best part of this book.

[Justine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Booooooringgggg. I pity the girls who have to read this book.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Sullivan County, New York (not far from where I grew up), As Simple As It Seems is the story of a young girl named Verbena, who, after years in the dark about her true identity, learns she is adopted, and that her biological mother drank during pregnancy, and her biological dad is in prison for murder. This information changes the way Verbena sees herself, and she begins to suspect that she has inherited the ugliness of her parents' dark sides. As she comes to terms with the new information she's learned about herself, Verbena also struggles to cut the apron strings tying her to her adoptive mother, worries that her best friend has moved on to bigger and better things, and clings to some semblance of her old self-image by duping a neighbor boy into believing she is a ghost.

The book is one of those serious children's stories for which it can sometimes be difficult to find an audience. I enjoyed the writing style very much, especially the description, but I definitely saw it from an adult's point of view, and as a kid, I don't know that I would have been at all interested in the story. Still, though, Verbena's struggle to understand changes in her life as she grows up and begins to see the truth of her situation, is a universal experience, and I think, if kids stick with the serious tone, they'll see themselves in it.

Here is just a taste of the quality of the description. Verbena explains why she won't attend this year's Fourth of July barbecue:

Annie and I had always watched the fireworks together, lying on our backs on an old blue bedspread. We would each hold our breath in anticipation as the rockets shot up, then whoop and shriek as they exploded into patterns we gave names to, like waterfall, curly fry, and dandelion puff. I had never missed a Fourth of July celebration in my life, but I'd already made up my mind that I wasn't going that year. I knew the old blue bedspread would feel as big as the ocean without Annie lying beside me. (p. 57)

I can imagine not only the happiness of past holiday celebrations, but also Verbena's feelings of abandonment and loneliness now that those happy times are past.

I also absolutely loved the scenes where Verbena meets and befriends Pooch, the neighbor boy vacationing in a nearby house. They reminded me so much of Jennifer and Elizabeth's friendship in Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth, right down to the faux supernatural elements.

This is a quiet book, and it's realistic fiction, which isn't all that popular these days, but I really like it, and I hope I'll be able to recommend it to at least a few kids in my library.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, but not as good as some of Weeks' other works. Based on the description, I was hoping for something complex and moving like So B. It, but this one reads more like a light version--not as sugary sweet as Pie or Honey, but not as emotional as So B. It. I like Verbena and her kooky parents and her kind-of-friend Pooch, but I just never felt really engaged in the story. Verbena's mysterious background is revealed without a lot of energy or reaction, and her bratty attitude is a turn off at times (though I know it's very true-to-form with tweens).

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Sarah Weeks and while I did enjoy this story I was left wanting more! It is a very short story (I read it in less than two hours) and it has great thematic elements and an interesting story line. It just ended too soon! I just know there is more to this story. It is a great transition book for those kids who are moving out of the elementary style chapter books and moving into the deeper emotional pull of middle school stories without adult themes. A true transitional book.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed As Simple As It Seems. It was one of those realistic fiction books that had a really good plot that wasn't too out-of-the-ordinary. It was filled with so many good lessons. I also loved how every little extra detail added to the story and occasionally was a big part of the storyline. This book was one that was hard to put down. The characters were so lovable, from Verbena and Pooch all the way down to their loyal dog, Jack. As Simple As It Seems is one beautiful novel that won't disappoint.

[Bell Of The Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read for 7-11yr olds.
Young, slow-to-grow 11yr old Verbena has a good life ... until she doesn't.

Her Bff leaves her for another, she discovers she's adopted, and that her real parents are not good.

She becomes withdrawn and moody - as I think any who are faced with such difficult changes in what they thought was real would.

Thus when a summer renter comes into town bringing a young son, 9yr old Pooch, she "accidently" takes the identity of a dead girl, as her ghost!
The little boy is naïve enough to believe the story for a long time.
Until things go from bad to worse!!
The young girl who Verbena pretends to be, had drown in the local lake, the very lake the two kids meet at and begin restoring a little boat.

Upon what they feel is a completion of said restorations they choose to get in it, in the water, to play.
But the rope that they thought anchors them to the safe shoreline...is not connected.
And neither can swim!

I won't tell the final results or how Verbena comes to terms with all this change in one summer, but know this book is a short, sweet, discovery of the self.
Even when life has thrown what seems not so simple moments your way, all at once!!

[I don't know what I'm doing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed revisiting this book. I haven't read it in about 10+ years & it still hits me in the feels.

[Malavika Malanthara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good but it wasn’t my favorite

[Milena Hovhannisyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book because my friend recommended it to me, she said that it is an amazing book that I would like, so I decided to read it. My first impression on this book was great, from the first chapter the book was really interesting, I was reading it every single day. The plot of this book was about a girl named Verbena that goes through a very hard time in her life. She finds out that she was adopted and that her real mother had left her since the moment she was born, and also that she was an alcoholic, that's why they didn't let her keep her own daughter. She also found out that her real dad was in jail for a long time and that she didn't really have a chance to see him, after that she started being mean to her mom, and started arguing with her parents every time. A few days later she became friends with her new neighbor Pooch but he thought that Verbena was a ghost because they always saw each other around the lake and that was were this girl drowned long time ago, Verbena knowing that that was bad, she just went along with it. My favorite quote from this book was "I wanted to run and bury my face in her warm neck," because I think that this quote shows the arguments between moms and daughters, and it means that however much moms are angry or mean to their children that shows that they care and wont the best for their child. I really liked the authors writing style it was first person and it explained the situations really clearly. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes dramas and emotional books, it was an amazing book and I didn't regret reading it.

[Gianna H5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

My independent reading book was "As Simple as it Seems" by Sarah Weeks. "As Simple as it Seems" is a free-willing energetic tale that many others would enjoy reading.Verbie had a mean father and was affected by alcohal birth defects when she was born. All she wanted was to be anybody but her self which she feels she can do when a boy named Pooch comes her way. What started out as a fun game as an effort to make Verbie's life a little more interesting. The she attempts this is different and has a little twist to it. To find out how and what the twist is read the book.My favorite part about the book was when Verbena tried to play a prank on Pooch every time they played the "game" about her being someone else that she really is not. This is my favorite part because I always joke around and play with my brothers like that so it is easy to relate to."As Simple as it Seems" was a fun, up-lifting book that was pretty relatable to me. I would recommend this book to any children around the ages 11-13. I very much enjoyed this book and hopefully will be able to find books like it in the future.

[Hailee Gorges · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first impression of this book was that it was great. This book is about a twelve year old girl named Verbena. She loves her life in the beginning of the book but as you read farther her life becomes more difficult. She finds out her best friend doesn’t want her anymore, she also finds out that her parents are not her real parents. Her whole life began to spiral downward until she met a boy named Pooch. He taught her that no matter how hard life gets to never give up on yourself. I recommend this book to teenagers and young adults because it really teaches you a life lesson on how to believe in yourself.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Verbie learns the truth about her birth parents she becomes afraid that her problems will cause her to lose the only family she has. As she comes to terms with who she is and what it means to be imperfect and yet loved, she befriends Pooch, who has arrived in Clydesdale for the summer along with his mother.

I got a bit of a kick out of Pooch, who reminds of a bit of Truman Capote, or perhaps as Harper Lee described Truman as the character Dill in To Kill a Mockingbird. This was a sweet little story even though not really all that much happens.

[Ashley ❁ · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part I liked this book, I mean I couldn’t expect too much to happen in 180 pages but for what it was, the plot was interesting and wasn’t exactly what I expected. The only thing was that, at times being in Verbenas perspective could be slightly frustrating but I knew that she had a distinct flaw in her character for a reason, so I didn’t let it affect me too much while reading. Overall though it was not a bad story, I actually found it to be very unique which I can always appreciate.

[EJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

too much internal suffering for one small girl without consequences for the things that were genuinely her fault or anyone actually trying to intervene. I remember liking this a lot more the last time I read it.

[Letty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in two hours on the plane. A quick, fun read.

[Brianne Durrant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book, because it talks about the struggle of Verbena finding herself after she found out she was adopted. I would recommend this book to sixth graders, because it's an easy book to read.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for tween girls freaked out by the early stages of puberty and all the mood swings

[Mariam Masood · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “ As simple as it seems” by Sarah Weeks, follows the character, Verbena who is consistent with her weaknesses until she discovers herself, leading to her strengths. When Verbena finds out she is adopted, she says “ I could hear my mother’s voice, but I wasn't listening to the words anymore. No wonder i'd been feeling so mixed up and mean inside. Mike Colter was bad news, trouble from the get-go warped, and it was his good-for-nothing blood that was running through my veins.” (Weeks, 20).This justifies why her attitude towards her life and mother changes and eventually she gains a new identity. Pooch, who is visiting for the summer, and rents the house next door, thinks Verbena is the ghost of Tracy, a girl who has drowned. Verbena continues to be the ghost because It transforms her identity and Is a distraction from her real life. When Verbena is with Pooch, she feels, “ Happier than I’d been in a long time...He didn't know who i really was, and when I was with him I got to pretend i didn't know either.” (Weeks,104).The author always stays consistent with Verbena’s attitude, and with her mother her actions are always violent, physically and verbally.While when she is with Pooch, she is the complete opposite. Over the course of the book, Verbena learns more about herself than she expects. Over this journey, Verbena finds her true self and she is content and happy with herself. Her relationship with Annie, Pooch, and her mother constantly become better. All the misfits and bad actions that Verbena displays naturally ties up to her finding her true self and being happier than ever, the author did a great job expressing her feelings and connecting the every part over the course of the book.


In “As simple as it seems” by Sarah Weeks her writing style is first person and her vivid descriptions help the writing flow naturally. At moments where Verbena presented with her mother, all her actions are hurtful, when she is surrounded by Pooch her actions consist of positivity. The author’s directions are not confusing at all, it is clear throughout the book that everything is tied neatly together. The author maintains internal character development and external structure when,Verbena is struggling at home it shows through the actions she takes towards her mother. Through the journey she deals with her internal complications which lead her to fix her external actions. Verbena shows a lot of character development by the end of the book, when she says “ My mother and I tangled plenty, but no matter how heated it got I didn't worry anymore. I knew she wasn't going anywhere and neither was I”. (Weeks,180). The author’s word choice was great, It is vivid and also descriptive. It makes me want to continuing reading because I can visualize the actions occurring and also she creates two lives for Verbena, and that interests me.

[Ellie M · Rating 3 out of 5]

My book is called As Simple as it Seems by Sarah Weeks. The lexile value of this fiction book is 910. This book is about a girl named Verbena Colter. She loves is a town called Clydesdale with her mom and dad. One day she finds a letter in her mother’s coat pocket. She asked her mother what the letter was about and long story short she finds out that she was adopted. Then new neighbors moved by them. One day Verbena was at Boners Lake and while she was there the new neighbor, Pooch went down there and then they started talking. Pooch said that she was Tracy Allen’s ghost, she wasn’t but she lied to him and told him that she was. So for next few weeks they met each other at the lake everyday. One day Pooch asked Verbena if she wanted to go over to her house. She kept saying no every time Pooch asked. But she finally decided to go to his house. She brought brownies for Pooch and his mother. The next day at the lake they got stuck in a boat inn the middle of the lake. Verbena finally told Pooch that she wasn’t actually Tracy Allen’s ghost. Pooch got mad and then started coughing because he was allergic to the brownies Verbena had brought him and his mother. He didn’t die and they were still best friends in the end.
One event that really changed Verbena’s life is when Pooch and his mother move to Clydesdale. They meet in the summer and they end up meeting each other every single day at Boner’s lake. Verbena’s ex-friend found a new best friend. So when Pooch moved to Clydesdale it was very good for Verbena because now she had found a friend. This changed her life because she not only found her best friend, but she got to have the best summer ever with Pooch, and they made so many memories together. So this is an event that changed her life. She finally had a new best friend. Another event that changed her life is when she found out that she was adopted. This changed life because she found out that her real mom drank while Verbena was in her stomach. Verbena hadn’t yet met her real mom and she still didn’t want to. The reason she didn’t want to meet her is because she drank while in she was pregnant, and she didn’t even want to keep Verbena. So this is another thing that really changed Verbena’s life. The last thing that had a major impact on Verbena’s life is when Pooch was choking from the brownies. This changed her because she experienced a friend choking. It also changed her life because she didn’t know what to do, and she saved his life by administering his Epi-Pen that was in his pocket. So that was a mapr impact on her life as well.
This book is a great book for 5-8 graders. It has some suspense at the end of each chapter, and it is a great entertainment. It has lots of great explanations of what is going on in the book. This was a very good book.

[Lia Londenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

As Simple as It Seems is an emotional and heartwarming novel that will bring you through a child’s uneasy life. The author is Sarah Weeks writes many award winning children and teen novels. This was the first novel that I had read of hers. Although, I have heard of many of her other books such as Pie and So B. It. As Simple as It Seems is about an eleven year old girl named Verbena Colter who has the typical teenage attitude. From a young age Verbena knew she was different with her stunt growth, glasses, and learning disabilities, but just when she thought life was at its worst, she discovers she is adopted. This causes Verbena even more anger towards life and finally allows her to know why she is so different. However, when she discovers who her biological parents are and who she really is, she desperately wishes she was someone else.

I read this novel because honestly, the cover has a really interesting picture on it. Also, the back cover described Verbena in a really interesting way that gave details about her that made me want to learn more about the character. Additionally, the back cover did leave me hanging and wanting to read more.

The theme that I noticed throughout the book was, “no matter how hard life gets, always keep moving on.” This theme really suits the book well because Verbena faces many challenges throughout her life such as having disabilities, finding out she is adopted at eleven, and losing friends. But, somehow she always gets through the struggles even though it may seem impossible. She discovers that life is not as simple as it seems, but she still gets through it.

Overall, the book is emotional with showing the many relationships Verbena has with her parents and how Verbena feels about life. However, it was painful at points because the author really expressed the hurt that Verbena is suffering from in much detail which may be hard for younger readers to read about. But, the book did teach me a lot about what others like Verbena may be going through that I never knew about.

I would recommend this novel to younger teenagers because some topics that the book deals with may not be appropriate for some. Also, I believe that many younger teenagers could relate with what Verbena is going through in life. Additionally, people who love emotional heartwarming novels, would love this book. In conclusion, I give As Simple as It Seems four out of five stars because of its meaningful message presented in the novel.

[Brianna T · Rating 5 out of 5]

My book is called As simple as it seems, Verbena Colter lives with her mom and dad, who both love her. She has been best friends with Annie since kindergarten, and they have a blast doing anything and everything together. Except for being short for her age, needing to wear glasses, and having had a lot of trouble reading, Verbena is usually happy. Annie begins hanging out with the popular girl, slowly drifting away from Verbena. Verbena feels lost without her friend. She then uncovers an old family secret. Finding out she is adopted is shocking enough, but learning about her birth parents is worse. Her birth mother is an alcoholic who drank throughout the pregnancy, which caused Verbena to suffer from Fetal alcohol syndrome. At least that explains her small size and needing glasses and learning difficulties. And for her birth father, he has always been a troublemaker and now is in jail for murder. She desperately wishes she could be someone else. One day, as Verbena is wandering around in the woods by the lake, the new next door neighbor runs into her. Nine-year-old Pooch is convinced he is seeing the ghost of the girl who drowned in the lake years ago. Verbena sees her chance to be someone else and plays along. At first, she enjoys the trick, her escape from being Verbena, but then they become friends. His friendship begins to pull her out of the storm that’s been burning inside of her. However, when Verbena shared a treat with Pooch while riding a boat on the river, Pooch fainted. Verbena had to find her confidence again to save Pooch. Verbena had to believe in herself again. Using all her strength and abilities to help her friend that believed in her and appreciated her more than anyone else. Verbena learned that although she has difficulties doing many things, there are things in life that are much more important such as your loved ones and friendship.

A theme would be, coming of age through experience and pain. Verbena, was pretending to be someone else entirely and seeing her friend between life and death she had to gain her confidence and courage again to overcome the challenge. Friendship is a theme that the book As Simple as it Seems also has. Pooch's friendship begins to pull Verbena out of the storm that’s been burning inside of her and never gave up on her. The author stays on Verbena's point of veiw but I think if it was on someone else point of veiw it would be a whole diffrent story.

I rate this book five stars since I think that most people are going to enjoy it. What I didn’t like about this story is that it was long with many descriptions. I recommend this book to everyone wanting to learn about coming of age and see Verbena grow through the story. I also recomend this book for 10 or 8 and up.

[Carol Albert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah Weeks' books remind me of books I'd write if I wasn't so swamped with teaching my lovely 90 sixth graders how to write well and creatively and read deeply and criticallly! If you liked "So B. It!" then you will appreciate this exploration of being an adolescent girl with fetal alcohol syndrome. Weeks makes a point of telling us in a note at the end that this is the only birth defect that is totally preventable, by not drinking alcohol while pregnant.

Our character, Verbena, is full of anger and meanness and when she finds out that her parents are her adoptive parents; and that her birth parents are her uncle who is in jail for murder and his girlfriend at the time who was an alcoholic, she begins to understand that she had a few strikes against her at birth thanks to those parents. As for Verbena's mother; she is an overweight, doting woman whose center of existence is Verbena herself. She is just an embarrassment!

Summer arrives and Verbena's best friend has abandoned her. She's at loose ends, until Pooch arrives next door. His mother has rented the cottage for the summer while she discreetly heals from a face-lift. Pooch, who has every allergy known to man, and a fascination with death, is thrilled when he makes friends with the ghost who haunts the house they've rented and the two of them take on the project of refurbishing the boat they found at the edge of the lake. If you are as naive as Pooch and haven't figured out who the ghost is, then check out this book.

[Int'l librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moms are wonderful. But sometimes their children can’t deal with all that wonder. And sometimes I don’t blame them - too much love can feel suffocating if you’re not ready for it.

That’s my biggest takeaway from this book. That and the fact that 11-year-old Verbena is amazing. She discovers that her aunt and uncle adopted her at birth, so Mom isn’t really her mother after all. But Mom’s the one who raises you, and loves you, and remembers that she loves you even when you’re shouting at her to stop. And I’m absolutely certain Verbena’s Mom would drive me just as nutty as she drives Verbena. This book hits very close to home in that respect.

Verbena has friends and adventures and a three-legged skunk-smelly dog, and most of that is good too. Not all of it, though. Verbena's new best friend, Pooch, has his own mom-issues to resolve, but that never really happens. At one point the mom shows up with bruises, and hints of physical abuse, with no more explanation forthcoming. It's as if she has abandoned her child, so the storyline abandons her.

I don’t feel so good about my genre labels either. Verbena hasn’t started Middle School when the main action takes place, for one thing. And yes, she’s a victim of Fetal Alchohol Syndrome. And Pooch has extreme allergies. But that’s not what’s most important about this book. It all comes back to Mom. And Verbena. And anger fueled by love. And more love.

[Panther Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moms are wonderful. But sometimes their children can’t deal with all that wonder. And sometimes I don’t blame them - too much love can feel suffocating if you’re not ready for it.

That’s my biggest takeaway from this book. That and the fact that 11-year-old Verbena is amazing. She discovers that her aunt and uncle adopted her at birth, so Mom isn’t really her mother after all. But Mom’s the one who raises you, and loves you, and remembers that she loves you even when you’re shouting at her to stop. And I’m absolutely certain Verbena’s Mom would drive me just as nutty as she drives Verbena. This book hits very close to home in that respect.

Verbena has friends and adventures and a three-legged skunk-smelly dog, and most of that is good too. Not all of it, though. Verbena's new best friend, Pooch, has his own mom-issues to resolve, but that never really happens. At one point the mom shows up with bruises, and hints of physical abuse, with no more explanation forthcoming. It's as if she has abandoned her child, so the storyline abandons her.

I don’t feel so good about my genre labels either. Verbena hasn’t started Middle School when the main action takes place, for one thing. And yes, she’s a victim of Fetal Alchohol Syndrome. And Pooch has extreme allergies. But that’s not what’s most important about this book. It all comes back to Mom. And Verbena. And anger fueled by love. And more love.

[Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

As simple As is Seems is an excellent book. Sarah Weeks is an outstanding author, she writes very descriptive and entertaining books. I would give this book a 5/5. As simple as it seems is a about a young girl named Verbena Ellen Colter. Her life takes her through many uncovered stories and crazy adventures. One day Verbena Uncovers a deep family secret that would change her life forever. Inside Verbenas mind was anger and frustration. She didn’t know why or where it came from. She couldn’t figure out who she was or who she wanted to be. Verbena had loving parents who adore her, but she never appreciated it. All she could do was get mad at everything and everyone. Verbena finally found a chance to change and limit the frustration that was running inside her. All thanks to her new neighbor. With pooch moving in she decided to push back all her crazy life and focus on being a good friend. His friendship began to pull her out of the storm that had been raging inside her. She reminds me of any other teen going through a hard life. I loved that the author gave specific details on what she was going through, this made it easier to make real world connections. I would recommend this book to teenagers and up. As simple as it seems is an emotional heartwarming story that is definitely worth reading.

[Elusive · Rating 2 out of 5]

In 'As Simple As It Seems', things just keep getting worse for Verbena Colter. She loses her best friend to the popular crowd and finds out that she's adopted. However, there's a chance that the arrival of a new neighbour might cheer her up.

It was hard to like Verbena as she constantly lashed out at others especially her mother. She was understandably upset about the big secret her parents had kept from her but that didn't excuse the mean things she said to her mother. Besides that, she spent most of her time moping instead of say, finding ways to reach out to her best friend.

Her friendship with the neighbour boy, Pooch was completely unbelievable due to the way it was written. In fact, this whole book had no depth. It lightly touched on subjects such as adoption, loss, pain and grief without ever fully delving into them. As a result, it was impossible to care about what any of the characters were going through. I was hoping for more regarding Verbena and her biological parents instead of the focus on her and Pooch.

Overall, 'As Simple As It Seems' was a quick and highly forgettable read as none of the characters were remotely interesting and the content was directionless.

[Tiana Costa · Rating 2 out of 5]

As Simple as It Seems, by Sarah Weeks is a story about a girl named Verbana who recently found out she was adopted. This makes the relationship with her parents a little tense. Verbana then meets her new neighbor, Pooch, a nine year old from New York City. Verbana tricks Pooch into thinking that she is the ghost of the dead girl that lived in his new home long ago. The two bond by fixing up a boat at a near by lake in the woods.

This book was okay. It was a nice story, but to be honest it wasn't anything spectacular. Although it is a quick read, I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone. It doesn't have anything exciting to it.

This books reminds me of, Bridge to Terebithia. It's about two young kids having fun and exploring the outdoors. In my opinion, Bridge to Terebithia is a way better book.

“Life is complicated sometimes to be sure, but there are other times...when life is just as sweet, and good, and simple as it seems.”

[Justice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was given to me by someone in my writing group because "it's also about a girl who can't stop being mean!" While I think that suggestion was based on an... incomplete understanding of my own manuscript, I did find value in reading this. Verbena's ability to spell out her own emotions is something I shy away from in my own writing (which is good for my older books, but maybe works less well in MG). Overall, it gave an example of stating emotions without losing character voice or immersion.

It's funny to me that I kinda enjoyed this, because it's very different than what I liked when I was the target age (one of the few books I've DNFed was So B. It, also by this author, which was recommended to me because "it's about a homeschooler!" Which was based on an incomplete understanding of me). I guess I'm growing up.