Author: A.E. Cannon
Type or emotional/crisis issue addressed: mental ilness emotional instability of parent
Year of Publication: 1993
Publisher and Location: Laurel Leaf
# ISBN-10: 0440215706
# ISBN-13: 978-0440215707
Target Age Level: young adult
# of Pages: 224
Quality of Illustrations: no ilustrations
Brief Summary: Ever since Gracie was seven and her mother's severe depression caused her to go to the state hospital, it seems the girl's chief function is to keep her mother from being sad. So Gracie should be delighted that her mother is going to marry Pete, but he often seems extremely irresponsible. When Pete moves Gracie, her mother and his own obnoxious son Sinjin from their hometown to Salt Lake City, Gracie's mother sinks into unhappiness, and Gracie must watch after Sinjin and be the adult in the family. Despite its lighthearted title, the novel takes a fairly grim look at dysfunctional families, hard responsibility and the solid value of pursuing one's dreams. Cannon writes about weighty concerns for young people, but with a humorlessness that keeps the characters at arm's length. Her strengths here lie in describing Gracie's maturation and in offering a realistic sense of hope even in the face of serious difficulty.
Personal Comments/Biases, and/or Things to Consider When Using This Book With Children:
This book provides a story teenagers can identify with. A little sad, but real.
Type or emotional/crisis issue addressed: mental ilness emotional instability of parent
Year of Publication: 1993
Publisher and Location: Laurel Leaf
# ISBN-10: 0440215706
# ISBN-13: 978-0440215707
Target Age Level: young adult
# of Pages: 224
Quality of Illustrations: no ilustrations
Brief Summary: Ever since Gracie was seven and her mother's severe depression caused her to go to the state hospital, it seems the girl's chief function is to keep her mother from being sad. So Gracie should be delighted that her mother is going to marry Pete, but he often seems extremely irresponsible. When Pete moves Gracie, her mother and his own obnoxious son Sinjin from their hometown to Salt Lake City, Gracie's mother sinks into unhappiness, and Gracie must watch after Sinjin and be the adult in the family. Despite its lighthearted title, the novel takes a fairly grim look at dysfunctional families, hard responsibility and the solid value of pursuing one's dreams. Cannon writes about weighty concerns for young people, but with a humorlessness that keeps the characters at arm's length. Her strengths here lie in describing Gracie's maturation and in offering a realistic sense of hope even in the face of serious difficulty.
Personal Comments/Biases, and/or Things to Consider When Using This Book With Children:
This book provides a story teenagers can identify with. A little sad, but real.
Activity: Charades
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