Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this book deals with the death of a parent. A teen works through grief that leaves her angry, sad, depressed, and at times, mean to those around her. A dead body is described and suicide is briefly contemplated. There is a period of obsession with death and mentions of various ways to die.
Families can talk about losing a loved one and the different ways grief expresses itself. How did Frannie's family and friends react to her throughout the book? How do you identify with different characters?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Terreece Clarke
FRANNIE IN PIECES is a wonderful, moving, and honest book about the emotions of one teen struggling with losing her father and dealing with everything that follows.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants screenwriter Delia Ephron really understands the mind of a teenage girl. The typical angst and exasperation with adults and the opposite sex is present, compounded by the overwhelming grief Frannie feels. Ephron weaves a very real, very current story with laughter and tears and then sprinkles in a little fantasy courtesy of the puzzle Frannie finds, handmade by her father.
The exploration of the puzzle's picture got tedious with long and multiple descriptions of villa roofs and what-not; perhaps artistic readers will appreciate it, but that's it. That aside, teens will love and identify with Frannie and her quirks while parents will identify with Laura, Frannie's mom and the "less fun parent." Readers will cheer over Frannie's breakthrough while appreciating the long road that is grief.
From The Book
Do you know what it says on a tube of toothpaste? In small print? You have to read the small print because they never tell you anything scary in large print. Large print is what they want you to see. Here's what the large print says: FOR BEST RESULTS, SQUEEZE TUBE FROM THE BOTTOM AND FLATTEN AS YOU GO UP. But the important stuff is small. Tiny. If more than used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
You can die from toothpaste.
Plot Summary:
After the death of her father, teenage Frannie starts pondering deep, philosophical questions and worries about death all the time; She's surprised that everyday things could kill you. But her life begins to take on a new obsession, a mysterious puzzle that was handcrafted by her father.
Frannie tries to put the pieces together; pieces of her life, her father's death, and the strange puzzle that makes her think of her father and foreign lands.
Related Books:
Other Books by the Author:
How to Eat Like a Child: And Other Lessons in Not Being a Grown-up
Other Books on this Subject
Sun and Spoon by Kevin Henkes
Deadline by Chris Crutcher
Related Web Sites:
Author's Site
Reviewed: 11/10/2007
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentA couple talks of a romantic time in which their child was conceived. Teens kiss, flirt, and fantasize; one boy takes his shirt off flirtatiously. |
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ViolenceA man dies of natural causes and his body is described. Several household items are described in ways that they could kill a person. A girl puts a poison berry on her tongue but doesn't eat it. |
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LanguageOccasional teenage swearing, including "s--t." |
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Social BehaviorA teen going through grief lashes out frequently at her family and friends while realizing the behavior is wrong. Characters throughout the book are shown as caring and supportive. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoAdults are shown drinking wine. |
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