Your awkwardness is the cause of the problem. Thora has been sent to live with her uncle, foul-tempered and irritable, and her aunt, sickly and bedridden. She makes a friend, Signy, but her uncle won't let them see each other. Sigurdson's earnest fondness for Thora and Hecla Island is evident in the book. The story itself is set up as a series of events in Thora's life, rather than having a cohesive plot structure.
Dialogue is formal, and reminiscent of a past time.
Thora is the most developed of all the characters, and her actions and thoughts often make her seem older than her twelve years. Thora's Island Home may have some appeal to readers familiar with Icelandic immigration to Manitoba, or a more limited application in Manitoba heritage studies. It is, therefore, recommended for these purposes with reservation. A Kid's Guide to the Brain. Sylvia Funston and Jay Ingram.