Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this book is about a 13-year-old girl facing challenges and trying to fit in. There is discussion of stuffing bras, belly-button rings, crushes on and kissing boys, body changes or lack thereof, annoying siblings, parents who don't "get it," and vicious popular kids. Evyn Linney is a likeable, relatable character who is also funny, sassy, and at times, sad. There are passages of her talking to her dead mother and desperately wanting her comfort. She steals money and tries to run away. Also, there are adults, specifically her father and girlfriend/new wife, who have sex and get pregnant.
Families can talk about Evyn's challenges. Her situation is specific, but are her challenges somewhat relatable to all kids in middle school? Where does she find her strength? What is likeable about Evyn? Is there good communication among daughter, father, and brother? What characters do you relate to most in books and movies?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Pam Gelman
The middle school years are full of challenges for most kids. So stories of teens struggling and surviving are bound to strike a chord with them. BOUNCE, the third novel by Natasha Friend, a former middle school teacher and camp director, delivers another relatable, likeable, struggling character for young teens, Evyn Linney.
Evyn, who lost her mother when she was just 1, has a lot going on at once: a move to a new town, a new stepmom, SIX stepbrothers and sisters, a new school -- all-girls' school at that -- and a dad and brother adjusting to their new life much faster than she is. Like many teens she's sarcastic, sassy, and uses this humor to hide her pain of not feeling accepted by peers and her trouble relating to her new and old family. No wonder she looks to conversations with her dead mother for comfort and tries to run away. And no wonder you root for her to work through it all.
This is a quick, satisfying read by a popular author who really understands the age. Teens who liked Natasha Friend's other books will take to it immediately. But unlike Perfect, where the main character's battle with bulimia can be tough stuff for young readers, here Evyn's support system -- her dad and her new mom -- are strong models who help keep Evyn grounded. It's what allows Evyn to get back to more typical teen problems like peer pressure, romantic attractions, and body changes (or lack thereof). And it's what tells you that Evyn's life turned upside down will right itself again.
From The Book
"Ev." Now his face is serious. "You don't have to be like her. All you have to be – all I ever want you to be- is you."
"Uh-huh."
His hand is on my hand. "Your mom was a wonderful person – an extraordinary person- but she wasn't perfect. She had flaws, just like the rest of us. There were things about her that drove me nuts."
"Really?"
He nods.
"Tell me," I say.
Plot Summary:
When 13-year-old Evyn's widower father gets married to a woman with six kids, she, her father, and her older brother move from Maine to Boston to live with them. It's torture from the start. While her father starts wearing different clothes and shaves his beard and her geeky older brother gets the lead in the high school musical, she has to share a room with twins and go to an all-girl middle school.
Feeling miserable, she turns to her old best friend in Maine for support, but finds her distant. She even talks to her dead mother, seeking her comfort. Slowly she learns more about her new stepmother, her siblings, her father, and even herself and begins to move towards acceptance and growth.
Related Books:
Also by Natasha Friend:
Perfect
Lush
More Teen Girls Coping:
Cures for Heartbreak by Margo Rabb
Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham
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Sexual ContentYoung teens fantasizing about kissing boys; discussion of the size of breasts on girls; father and new girlfriend have sex; father and new wife caught by teen in shower together. |
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Violence |
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LanguageJust words like "boobs" and "crap" typical in teen dialogue. Friend uses profanity, but it's "bleeped." |
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Social BehaviorSingle father is a strong role model. The new stepmother is caring and understanding. |
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CommercialismMention of stores: Gap, Kmart. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoTeens mention smoking cigarettes. |
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