Just Like a Friend - Hardcover

Sachs, Marilyn

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525445242 ISBN 13: 9780525445241

Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers, 1989

Synopsis

Patti finds her relationships with family and friends changing as she comes to new understanding about herself, and her young lighthearted mother

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 5-9-- Patti, 13, considers herself lucky. Her friends envy her because her mother Vi is "just like a friend." She can shop, giggle, flirt innocently, and party continuously. Her entire life centers around looking attractive for her husband and being a pal to Patti. When Patti's father has a heart attack, it is his daughter whom he awakens for help, for he has long known that vivacious Vi has nevered matured enough to handle life's major bumps. During his long recuperation, Patti must take care of many problems. She struggles to acclimatize her mother to her father's new needs, and deftly deals with a well-intentioned, but sometimes overbearing grandmother. As Patti realizes she has outgrown her previous relationship with her mother, she wonders to whom she should turn to find a more meaningful mentor. Simply written, with an interesting plot and strong characterization, the book has the added attraction of contemporary detail and smooth dialogue. The ending, however, is a bit abrupt.
- Cindy Darling Codell, Belmont Junior High School, Winchester, KY
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

Although 32-year-old Vi Carmichael has been accused of not acting her age, most people are charmed by her youthful exuberance. She is more of a friend than a mother to 14-year-old Patti. The mother/daughter relationship seems enviable at first, but conflicts soon arise when the family faces a serious challenge. After Mr. Carmichael suffers a near-fatal heart attack, it is Patti and her grandmother who shoulder the responsibility; Vi is unable to accept her husband's weakened condition, and remains childish and selfish. For the first time, Patti finds herself criticizing her mother's behavior and questioning her own values. Sachs ( Almost Fifteen ; Fran Ellen's House ) offers a sensitive glimpse of a teenager's awakening as she traces Patti's growth toward independence. The characters in this tender novel are complex and thoroughly developed. If readers cannot identify with Patti, they will at least be able to sympathize with her predicament, understand her feelings and admire her strength. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 1989
• ISBN 10: 0525445242
• ISBN 13: 9780525445241
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 154