This is a small book about a big guy and his little sister.

When Andi finds out that her brother Bernardo is finally moving from the Philippines to live with her and her parents in London, she’s beyond excited. But his arrival leaves her unsure of what to think. For one, he’s tall. Not tall like her favorite basketball players – taller. Eight feet tall. And he has mysterious seizures that render him unconscious. His English is strange, he doesn’t seem to understand the way things work in London, and he definitely doesn’t fit in at school. Will Andi take the time to get to know her brother, to find out why he carries around such a load of guilt and how he feels about his size?

The chapters alternate between the narration of Andi and Bernardo, so you get both their perspectives. Just when Andi is on the verge of revealing a new bit of information or the outcome of a surprising plot twist, the chapter ends and picks up with Bernardo’s point of view. This helps the story unravel just a little bit at a time so that you’ll hardly be able to put it down until you’ve finished. ( )

Written from the alternating perspectives of Bernardo in the Philippines and Andi in London.

Andi is a small 13-year-old girl who happens to be a prodigy at basketball despite her size. Unfortunately, her school doesn't have a girl's basketball team and girls aren't allowed on the boy's team.

Bernardo is Andi's 16-year-old half-brother who has lived in the Philippines his whole life with his aunt and uncle. The British government has finally given him clearance to live in London. Knowing he is tall, Andi is looking forward to his arrival. But when she sees that he is 8ft. tall, her hopes of getting a brother who excels at basketball are dashed. He's too tall. Luckily, since his mom is a nurse, she suspects that there may be a medical problem contributing to Nardo's unusual height, so she takes him in for testing.

I don't expect this book to be popular with many kids. Andi's story is about basketball, but Nardo's story is about the legends and superstitions in the Philippines. He attributes much of the things that happen to him to a wishing stone he stole from the bully daughter of the village witch. I appreciate the unique nature of this book, but kids are looking for books more similar to those written by [a: Mike Lupica|2607|Mike Lupica|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1260484461p2/2607.jpg]. ( )

Bel libro per adolescenti. A volte, specie all'inizio, un po' lento, ma poi decolla ( )

This is a touching story about Andi, a thirteen-year-old British girl in London, and the arrival of her teenage half-brother from the Philippines. Bernardo was delayed there waiting for immigration papers to be processed. When he arrives in England, the family are surprised to find that he suffers from gigantism and is eight feet tall. The story addresses a couple of forms of prejudice. Andi is short yet loves to play basketball while the team at her school doesn't allow girls to play. In the background they must contend with constant stares at Nardo. There is a nice mythical twist generated by the people of his village in the Philippines who are convinced that he has some influence on earthquakes. This is intended for young adults but would also appeal to younger teens. It is a humorous and sensitive story, well-written by Filipino author Candy Gourlay. ( )

Rarely do I see kids' fiction featuring Filipino characters, so this was nice to discover. Andi lives in London with her mother and English father. Her older half-brother Bernardo has been living in the Philippines for years with their aunt and uncle until immigration papers can be processed. But the villagers of San Andres have ascribed a mythical status to Bernardo, after the story of giant Bernardo Carpio, and if he leaves they believe San Andres will no longer be safe from earthquakes. A nice combination of magical realism, myth and contemporary concerns. Basketball-loving Andi is particularly appealing, as is the developing connection between brother and sister. ( )