Griffin came into the Silk family after the Rainbow Girls¬¬ – Scarlet, Indigo, Violet, Amber and Saffron – and before Tishkin. And then came Layla who was not born a Silk, but was sent to comfort them after Tishkin went away.
Perry Angel came last of all. He arrived on the ten-thirty express with a small and shabby suitcase embossed with five golden letters. It had taken him almost seven years to find the Kingdom of Silk..
When Layla hears that Perry Angel is coming to live with the Silks, she is at first excited, but then apprehensive at what the presence of a new member of the family will mean for her. She loves her visits to the Silk family – but what if there is no room for her any more? And what if Griffin doesn’t have time for her any more once Perry comes?
Griffin, too, has concerns. Why is Perry here and how can Griffin help Perry to smile? But Perry is the most scared of all. What if this big, boisterous family make him put down his suitcase? And what if they discover the truth about him? But worst of all, what if they send him back?
Perry Angel’s Suitcase is a breathtakingly beautiful tale for children, and for everyone who has ever been a child. Perry is a foster child who has never known a real family, and the Silk family is a loving family whose members have had hard times of their own. Layla, Griffin’s friend, is also an important part of this family, giving as much as she gets from her involvement with them. As a whole, the cast of this book is adorable, and the reader will be drawn in to Perry’s story from the first page.
This is a simply beautiful story.
Perry Angel’s Suitcase, by Glenda Millard
ABC Books, 2008
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