Promises to Keep - Softcover

Wojciechowski, Susan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0679832793 ISBN 13: 9780679832799

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers, 1992

Synopsis

Tired of being the junior high goody-goody, Patty Dillman joins the in-crowd led by popular, wealthy Penni Pendleton, but Patty soon discovers that friendship with Penni has a very high price. Reprint.

About this title

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-8-- Eighth-grader Patty Dillman has a lot going for her: a warm family, a patient best friend, and a coveted co editorship of the school literary magazine. But, alas, she wants more and decides that being friends with spoiled, rich Penni Pendleton will give her a sense of belonging and the chance to reunite with handsome, athletic Tim. All she needs to do is give her friends the brush-off, endure abusive parlor games, and write Penni's literary submissions. Patty was first introduced in And the Other Gold (1987) and developed further in Patty Dillman of Hot Dog Fame (1989, both Orchard). As in the previous books, meaningful explorations of the nature of friendship are sandwiched between funny plot developments. Wojciechowski also parallels Patty's errors in chasing false friendship with similar, yet more disastrous, mistakes made by the protagonist's convict pen pal. She has tried to cover a lot of ground, and perhaps that's why the rich-girl character is so flat and stereotypical; Penni's absent and demanding father is much too simplistic an explanation for her behavior. The solid character of Gary, Patty's true admirer, is more carefully drawn. This is sure to be popular with young teens.
- Cindy Darling Codell, Belmont Junior High School, Winchester, KY
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Patty, first met in And the Other, Gold (1987), is tired of being ordinary--especially after being dumped by boyfriend Tim, who's now enjoying parties given by rich newcomer Penni. While trying to ignore the attentions of Gary, her coeditor on the literary magazine, Patty makes New Year's resolutions aimed at joining Penni's inner circle and sets out to change her image; her funny failures include a disastrous experiment with straightening her hair. Penni soon has Patty wrapped around her finger, encouraging her to write a column airing Penni's gripes and conning Patty into writing a term paper for her. But when Penni threatens social ostracism unless her piece is accepted for publication, Patty is true to herself and says no. In the meantime, she's discovered that Gary isn't so bad after all. Except for Penni, an outdated stereotype of a spoiled rich girl, the characters here are likable and believable. Plenty of good-natured gags and insults help move the story along, but leave little room to deal adequately with the well-trodden themes of popularity and peer pressure. Humorous but slight. (Fiction. 9-13) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Edition details

• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0679832793
• ISBN 13: 9780679832799
• Binding: Paperback