May 31, 2004
In a perceptive slice-of-life novel, Dowell (Dovey Coe
) knowingly portrays the changing dynamics of middle-school relationships. Neighbors Kate and Marylin, who have been best friends since nursery school, find themselves drifting apart at the beginning of sixth grade. Marylin suddenly focuses on her appearance ("As much as Marylin hated to, she had to admit it: She was the sort of person who cared about toes"). Kate pays more attention to other issues, like the health of her father, who suffers a heart attack early on ("Her dad would probably never got to eat another sausage pizza in his life. For some reason, that seemed like the saddest thing Kate had ever heard"). Alternating Kate's and Marylin's points of view, the novel progresses episodically, with large gaps of time separating "milestone" incidents in the girls' movement along different paths. Marylin makes the cheerleading squad and becomes popular, but happiness always seems just beyond her grasp. Meanwhile, Kate feels abandoned by Marylin and strives to develop new friendships with other classmates at school. Much of the plot matter is familiar—both girls fall in and out of love, sample different social circles and end up realizing that they miss each other—as Dowell offers insight and evenhandedness, not novelty. Girls will recognize their own dilemmas here and feel encouraged by the author's honest and sympathetic approach. Ages 8-12.
May 1, 2004
Gr 4-6-Kate and Marylin have been best friends forever. The 11-year-olds begin to drift apart, however, when manipulative Flannery moves into the neighborhood. Partly motivated by unhappiness and insecurity, the older girl influences the passive Marylin to turn against Kate. Marylin joins the cheerleader crowd while Kate eventually gravitates toward classmates who don't follow the herd. Told from various points of view, including those of characters closely involved with the events as well as others on the periphery, the story follows these girls as they struggle with hurt feelings, peer pressure, acceptance, and self-image. Although Marylin believes Kate to be totally immature, it is ironically Kate who ends up romantically involved with a slightly geeky boy who appreciates her kindness and growing sense of self-worth. Flannery grows increasingly disconnected, but Kate learns to stand up to peer pressure. Her hard-won self-possession serves her well when she is the target of a mean prank in which Marylin participates; the tide turns, and kids will admire Kate's handling of the situation. Perhaps a bit unbelievably, the book ends with the repentant Marylin phoning her ex-best friend. Excellent characterization, an accurate portrayal of the painful and often cruel machinations of preteens, and evocative dialogue will make this tale resonate with most readers, who will see themselves and some of their peers in its pages.-B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Library, Sag Harbor, NY
Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2004
Best friends Kate and Marylin go their separate ways in sixth grade--Marylin heads for cheerleading and the popular crowd, while Kate sets a more individualistic course. Dowell's development of this familiar situation is refreshingly nonjudgmental: she continues to explore the inner lives of both girls, keeping both equally sympathetic. A cut above the usual story of negotiating middle school.
(Copyright 2004 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
July 1, 2004
Longtime best friends Kate and Marylin go their separate ways in sixth grade--Marylin heads for cheerleading, the popular crowd, and eyelash-curling, while Kate sets a more individualistic course. Dowell's development of this familiar situation is refreshingly nonjudgmental: she continues to explore the inner lives of both girls, keeping both equally sympathetic. Along the way, she imparts much audience-appropriate wisdom. When Kate shies away from her first, too-public romance, new friend Paisley asks her: "Why don't you quit thinking about love and boyfriends and girlfriends? Why don't you just think about Andrew O'Shea, the human being?" At a party, Marylin plays spin-the-bottle and gets kissed--but not by the boy she likes. "She was starting to think lips didn't have much to do with kissing...Kissing was about hearts. As far as Marylin was concerned, she was still waiting for her first kiss." In the end, when Marylin turns to Kate in a crisis, the reader is glad but unsurprised: they've both grown, but not really apart. Dowell balances the novel's introspection with supersonic pacing (weeks go by between chapters), a perspective that swings freely between Kate and Marylin, and vivid characterization (of an overbearing seventh-grader: "Flannery always voiced her opinions as though they were facts you could look up in an encyclopedia"). Definitely a cut above the usual changing-friendships, negotiating-middle-school story.
(Copyright 2004 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)