Same Difference

by Siobhan Vivian

"There, her outline is traced on the ground. It's different from the kind you see police draw around dead bodies - there's detail and depth to it. I can see the wrinkles of her clothes, the fringe of her choppy hair, features I never thought possible to capture with sidewalk chalk." (p.35)

"This room, the one down on the page, might as well be a stranger's. There's nothing to make me recognize that it's mine. It's as blank as a piece of notebook paper, and not in that good, full of possibilities way - just in a nothing kind of way." (p.79)

"Across the highway, workers are transforming the old Pizza Hut into a Taco Bell. A new sign is going up, and they've got a guy hanging colorful decals of burritos in the windows. But the actual building is the same tan rectangle, same sloped red roof, same flat top. Fast food architecture." (p.145)

(I love these kind of descriptions in books-- they really add to the overall setting and mood.)

After reading the beginning pages of this book, I was immediately hooked. I had read A Little Friendly Advice a little while ago, and I hoped that this book would match to ALFA's standards. As predicted, Same Difference did not disappoint. It's a touching yet fun read about discovering who you really are, and it made me want to pick up a sketchbook and start drawing. I would highly recommend it, and it's perfect for reluctant artists as well!