summary ofEtched in SandBook by Regina Calcaterra

first KEY POINT

Children should be loved and cherished, yet Regina Calcaterra and her siblings experienced quite the opposite

Regina Calcaterra has four siblings — Rosie, Norm, Camille, and Cherie. All five children have different fathers and grew up with their mother, Cookie, in Long Island.The children never knew comfort and stability. Often moving from house to house, their mother was always on the run from the police, wanted for a range of crimes. One day they could be in a homeless shelter, and the next, they may find themselves sleeping in the car in a parking lot.

Along with constant moving and instability, the children were never loved. Cookie was often abusive and cold with her children, swinging from manic happiness to extreme lows. Then, she would disappear for weeks on end, leaving the children to fend for themselves. The three older daughters, Regina, Camille, and Cherie, vowed to do everything they could to keep the children together and ensure they looked after one another.One particular time, the family bundled into their old, broken-down car and ferried across Long Island. The few worldly belongings they owned were packed into the trunk in plastic bags. The car doors didn’t work, so they were forced to climb in and out through the windows. After driving for a while along the back streets, they finally arrived at a house that looked quite nice for a change.

Cookie ushered the children inside, and Regina wondered how long they’d be calling this place home. Any hope was quickly extinguished as Cookie, unsurprisingly, disappeared for six weeks, leaving the children to beg for food, clean cars to find money, and try to keep themselves clean.In this summary, you will learn more about Regina Calcaterra and her siblings, their fight to stay together, and the constant hurdles they faced. By the end, you will probably pull your family members close and be grateful for the bond you share.