Dear Nobody: The True Diary of Mary Rose

"A rare, no-holds-barred documentation of an American teenager's life." ―Publishers Weekly

Told through the actual diary entries of a real teenage girl, Dear Nobody chronicles Mary Rose's struggles with drug addiction, bullying, and a deadly secret in this raw, authentic book. Her story will inspire you―and remind you that you're not alone.

They call me a freak.

I'm sick of it. It makes me want dangerous, bad things. Drugs―hard drugs―and people who are bad for me, but I don't care, because I'm so lonely and no matter what their intentions are at least they're talking to me…

They say that high school is supposed to be the best time of your life. But what if that's just not true?

More than anything, Mary Rose wants to fit in. To be heard. To be loved. And she'll do whatever it takes to make that happen.

Even if it costs her her life.

Compelling and unflinchingly honest, Dear Nobody is perfect for readers looking for:

• contemporary young adult nonfiction
• true stories about drug addiction
• books like Go Ask Alice and Lucy in the Sky
• stories that spark conversation about issues teens face

Gr 9 Up—In this actual, posthumously published diary, the teenager is brutally honest about her problems with her mom and her mom's abusive boyfriend, her sexual encounters, and her addictions to alcohol and drugs. Lonely and looking for relationships, the girl begins every entry with "Dear Nobody." Readers learn early on about Mary's stints in rehab, but it is a third of the way into the book when it is revealed that she has cystic fibrosis. Mary Rose has been in and out of the hospital all her life with this disease, but she doesn't dwell on it. Like the fictional Go Ask Alice (Prentice Hall, 1971), this is a first-person account of a girl detailing the poor choices she has made. Though a depressing picture emerges, the writing style has a beautiful lyricism. Teens may not understand Mary Rose's decisions, and they may dislike how those who care about her treat her, but readers will appreciate this unflinchingly honest work.—Elizabeth Kahn, Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy, Jefferson, LA