Bon Voyage, Connie Pickles (Connie Pickles, 2)

Durrant, Sabine

ISBN 10: 0060854839 ISBN 13: 9780060854836

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2008

Synopsis

Here is the sidesplitting diary of Connie Pickles, age fifteen, on her way to Paris for a school exchange program. She has glamorously big plans to reunite her long-lost French grandparents with her mother, get over a crush on her best friend, William, and make herself très chic. But nothing seems to be going right! It's just Connie's luck to end up on the wrong train, get stuck living with an angry Goth girl who enjoys making her miserable, and wind up with a horrible haircut. Connie's trip to Paris is turning out to be quel désastre!

But plucky Connie isn't going to give up so easily. Through candid and hilarious diary entries in this sequel to Cross Your Heart, Connie Pickles, you can't help but root for Connie as she navigates her way through each wacky, often touching adventure—with only her friends, her sense of humor, and her limited French vocabulary to guide her.

About this title

About the Author:

SABINE DURRANT writes for the Sunday Telegraph and is a contributor to The Guardian. She is the author of the novels Having It and Eating It and The Great Indoors, as well as two books for teenagers. She lives in London.

TWITTER: @SABINEDURRANT

From School Library Journal:

Grade 6–9— Londoner Connie Pickles, 14, achieves her dream of a two-week exchange visit to France in this second adventure. She imagines meeting her mother's estranged parents and effecting a reconciliation. A self-styled nerd, Connie also envisions staying with a family that's more sophisticated than her chaotic one. Instead, the daughter, Pascale, is a shoplifting Goth, her father a tyrant, and quiet Madame Blanc is having an affair with a driving instructor. Although Didier, the older brother, seems kind, Connie falls for the younger one, Philippe, who emits more charm than substance. Much of the book's humor stems from Connie's wry observations as her expectations crumble. Rather than visit the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, she parties with her friends, their hosts, and Pascale. Her plot to reunite her mom and grandparents ends up with her mom in tears but also with hope for future developments. Connie is thoroughly relieved when her old friend William shows up even though it's at the invitation of her London neighbor and friend, Delilah. Of course, William prefers Connie. She survives her disappointments with good nature and a firm knowledge of who she really is. Even though practically nothing goes the way she wants, the teen sensibly sees the fun in it all and manages to make readers feel that way, too. Although this book stands on its own, reading Cross Your Heart, Connie Pickles (HarperTempest, 2007) first will add to its enjoyment. Reluctant readers may be deterred by its British tone, but middle school girls looking for a light read will find much to like in Connie.—Tina Zubak, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
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About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0060854839
• ISBN 13: 9780060854836
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 240