Summary

In Chapter 7, the author introduces Rino, Lila's older brother. True to his character, the reader's first glimpse of Rino is him claiming credit for his sister's early reading skills that she must have borrowed his books to learn so well. In truth, Rino is a less-intelligent version of his sister, six years older, and is destined to work in the shoe shop at an early age.

Finding that Lila can read dropped a sort of bomb on Elena's school life. To date, school is her place: a place to feel successful and safe and to excel at pleasing adults. At home, Elena finds her father easy to please, but not her mother, who is a hard and difficult woman with a damaged leg and a lazy eye. Elena's teacher, however, is always willing to be pleased with the girl; but with the discovery...