 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Imaginary Enemy
- By Julie Gonzalez
- Genre: Family Life
Common Sense Media says
Main character is hard to like in disjointed tale.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that, for a book aimed at teens, this is pretty mild: a little kissing, some references to drinking and smoking. The main character is proud to be a slacker, but learns better by the end.
What's the story?
Less a story than a series of loosely related moments through the years, this follows Jane from second grade through high school, as she tries to avoid work, avoid learning, and avoid taking responsibility for her own actions. She more or less accomplishes this last by blaming them on an imaginary enemy named Bubba, to whom she writes nasty letters.
Is it any good?
There are two glaring flaws here. The first is that the main character, Jane, simply isn't very likable. Often books about kids who seem to be brats on the outside make them likable by letting readers see them from the inside. But Jane isn't very likable inside either. She's not horrible -- she's just the kind of person you'd rather not spend much time with.
The second is that this is not a story. It's a fairly disjointed series of vignettes that don't really lead anywhere, and are only loosely held together by the gimmick of the imaginary enemy, which doesn't seem to have any real purpose other than to show another unpleasant side of Jane. Between these two flaws, there's not really much to draw readers in and keep them reading.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the process of growing up. How does Jane change over the years? What causes the changes? How does having an imaginary enemy help or hinder her?
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AGE
Loved it.
i loved this book. i thought it was very enjoyable to read. it never got boring.
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AGE
(I think) The best book I ever read!
One of the best books I read, you never want to put it down! I REALLY want a sequel. It is charming and funny yet touching. GREAT BOOK! P.S. SEQUEL!!!
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AGE
Love it!
I liked this book a lot! Mostly because Jane acted just like me, but I didn't want to put it down. These PEOPLE are obviously making something out of nothing. FYI; most kids these days, do act like slackers. So, deal. It was a good book. Parents should read some other books their kids are reading if they're concered about this book. Get lives.
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AGE
Really Good!
I get in trouble a lot, so in a way I relate to Jane. I really liked her charecter and her neighbores. Its a really funny book, and a great read. I would reccomend it to people looking for a laugh.
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| Author: | Julie Gonzalez |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Family Life |
| Publisher: | Delacorte Press |
| Publication date: | March 23, 2008 |
| Number of pages: | 241 |
| Hardcover price: | $15.00 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 12 - 12 |
| Read aloud: | 12 |
| Read alone: | 12 |
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