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lazyzog's review against another edition
5.0
Even as an adult, the story of how Marion came into April's life made me go "oh!" in surprise.
victoria_mh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
I think I first read this when I was the protagonist's age (14) and recall reading it more than once as a teenager. Found it at a book swap recently and thought I'd read it again. Didn't think this book would still make me cry in my 30s! It's definitely for older readers; I recommend it but there is a lot of gut-wrenching stuff around abandonment, abuse, internalised guilt, the search for identity and autonomy - huge trigger warning for suicide in one part. I really feel for the main character.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Alcoholism, Bullying, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Child abuse
aleksandranowacka_x's review against another edition
4.0
i remember this book traumatising me in primary school, so i reread it today in one sitting. i love jacqueline wilson so much. while the plot isn’t the most realistic, the feelings and memories were explored so well
shanny's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
kaz_brekkerrr's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
xahra__'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
aotora's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This one was surprisingly heavy for a kids book, and especially for Jacqueline Wilson book. It talks about kids stuck in the system and it has a pretty heavy and dark theme.
The protagonist is April, who we meet on her 14th birthday. She is living with her pretty old fashioned foster mom who doesn't want to buy her a mobile phone but buys her earrings instead. She is upset and she runs off to go on a journey.
The entire book takes place in a single day, on her birthday. She was found as a baby in a dustbin behind a pizza place and then moved from home to home until she lands where she is now. She starts by going to the first home she was taken to when she was still a baby. She meets Pat the woman who had her for the first few months of her life and she meets Tanya, a new friend that is temporarily living there. She then goes to the graveyard where her second foster mother is - and that story was pretty dark. The couple was on the brink of the divorce so they decided to adopt her to fix their marriage. It didn't work as the father was out drinking a lot and he leaves- so the mothr commits suicide by slitting her wrists in a bathtub when April is five. We get a pretty graphic description - she goes to live with her dad but that doesn't work out so she is back in the system. She gets put in another home where she is bullied relentlessly by another girl until she pushes her down the stairs, and because of that she is sent to a special home for troubled kids. She starts stealing and finds a friend that makes her steal but who also loves and protects her and is motherly towards her. She goes back to that home and she reunites with the friend who meanwhile did complete 180 and changed her life around. She stopped stealing and is now a positive influence on those kids in that home. Last but not least she goes to the pizza place and she finally meets the man who found and saved her. It's a heartwarming ending as she learns that she has a lot of good supportive friends and that her foster mom loves her. I loved the book, I loved the darker topics but I wasn't a huge fan of the abrupt ending. I wished that the book continued just a bit longer instead ot hat sudden abrupt ending we got. But yeah, pretty dark children's book about a pretty serious but important topic.
The protagonist is April, who we meet on her 14th birthday. She is living with her pretty old fashioned foster mom who doesn't want to buy her a mobile phone but buys her earrings instead. She is upset and she runs off to go on a journey.
The entire book takes place in a single day, on her birthday. She was found as a baby in a dustbin behind a pizza place and then moved from home to home until she lands where she is now. She starts by going to the first home she was taken to when she was still a baby. She meets Pat the woman who had her for the first few months of her life and she meets Tanya, a new friend that is temporarily living there. She then goes to the graveyard where her second foster mother is - and that story was pretty dark. The couple was on the brink of the divorce so they decided to adopt her to fix their marriage. It didn't work as the father was out drinking a lot and he leaves- so the mothr commits suicide by slitting her wrists in a bathtub when April is five. We get a pretty graphic description - she goes to live with her dad but that doesn't work out so she is back in the system. She gets put in another home where she is bullied relentlessly by another girl until she pushes her down the stairs, and because of that she is sent to a special home for troubled kids. She starts stealing and finds a friend that makes her steal but who also loves and protects her and is motherly towards her. She goes back to that home and she reunites with the friend who meanwhile did complete 180 and changed her life around. She stopped stealing and is now a positive influence on those kids in that home. Last but not least she goes to the pizza place and she finally meets the man who found and saved her. It's a heartwarming ending as she learns that she has a lot of good supportive friends and that her foster mom loves her. I loved the book, I loved the darker topics but I wasn't a huge fan of the abrupt ending. I wished that the book continued just a bit longer instead ot hat sudden abrupt ending we got. But yeah, pretty dark children's book about a pretty serious but important topic.
galaxyattacker's review against another edition
dark
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I remember reading a bit of it and watching the movie where April says to miss bean who is Marion "you can't make me you stupid big fat beanie baby" very familiar with that!
cheekycherry05's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75