Just Read

SUMMARY:
Mary Lou Finney has written a complete, secret journal the summer of her thirteenth year. The journal begins as a summer assignment to be handed in to her English teacher in September.

Mary Lou has nothing exciting to write about until her cousin Carl Ray comes to stay with her family, her best friend goes boy crazy, her neighbour dies, and the cutest guy in school wants to be her boyfriend! Her boring summer is suddenly quite exciting and she has enough to say that she fills 6 journals. Only trouble is, now she doesn't want the teacher to read her private thoughts.

Throughout the journals, Mary Lou shares her thoughts on her family, her neighbour’s death, her strange and quiet cousin Carl Ray, and her summer reading list for school. She inserts interesting little summaries and facts about the novel “ The Odyssey,” as she goes through her own adolescent “journey” in the pages of her writing.

WHO WOULD LOVE THIS BOOK? A kid who...

enjoys books about family drama, friendships and teen relationships
likes books written in the first person, in a journal format
is a reluctant reader
likes an easy – interesting read
is a girl or likes girlie stories
is into teenage angst/issues
likes a hint of mystery and scandal
is sarcastic
appreciates bright, observant protagonists

WHAT ELSE?
This is a story from the award-winning novelist, Sharon Creech, and features a character introduced to readers in the Newbery medal-winning “Walk Two Moons.” It has a slow beginning but really warms up in the middle. Mary Lou has a mature voice and wonderful insights into herself, her friends, her family members, and life in general. There’s a subtle mention of sex, but she herself is quite chaste in her new relationship. Readers with a sarcastic sense of humour will enjoy Mary Lou's interesting life observations.