My Sister Lives on the Mantle: Annabel Pitcher

This was a heartbreaking, yet oddly inspiring book. 9 Year old Jamie's parents are separated because the loss of one of their twin daughter to a terrorist bomb has made them drift apart. Jamie still holds out hope that his mom will come back, and his surviving sister acts as a mother to Jamie. Jamie manages to make one friend at school, a Muslim girl, who he knows he must keep secret from his dad. His mom forgets his birthday and his sister Rose gets him a spider man t-shirt, which he loves and refuses to take off until his mom sees him in it. Finally his mom comes to see them preform at a talent contest and he realizes his mom didn't get him the shirt, she forgot his birthday and has moved on with her life. No one seems t realize Jaime exists, but his sister and his ne friend, but that is enough for Jaime.