Angels Turn Their Backs [Paperback]

Margaret Buffie (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up

In this novel by Margaret Buffie, Addy's parents have just split up and her one real friend is a thousand miles away. Where can Addy turn when she feels as if she's falling apart?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-9-Addy Jarrick, 15, thinks she is going crazy. Her mother has moved the two of them from Toronto to Winnipeg to take a new job, leaving her husband behind. After a horrible day at her new school, the teen develops panic attacks and becomes afraid of the outside world-what she calls "Out There." She continues to find excuses to stay home. She meets the landlord, Harmon; Page and Josh, who live in the building; Sean, Harmon's son; and Victor, a ridiculously intelligent parrot that once belonged to Lotta Engel, the woman who owned the building until her recent death. Throughout the book, Addy tries to cope with her fear of Out There without letting her mother catch on. There is a good combination of internal emotions with external happenings in Addy's life, but the characterizations of the girl's parents are two-dimensional. A parallel story involves Lotta Engel's ghost, who speaks through the parrot as she tries to convince Addy to finish her angel needlework. With the help of the people she has met and through appeasing Lotta's ghost, Addy is able to take the first step toward healing. References to Alanis Morissette and the X-Files will date the story in just a few years, and the Lotta Engel plot line is a bit silly, but the fear of failure and the pain of separation will keep readers interested.
Karen Hoth, Marathon Middle/High School, FL
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

On her first day at a new school, Addy, 15, has a panic attack and races out; without understanding what is happening to her, she finds herself unable to leave the safety of her home. Everything in her world first changed when her parents separated and Addy moved from Toronto to Winnipeg with her mother. Now Addy convinces her mother (a bit too easily) to let her home-school; while she spends the days in the confines of an apartment house, she meets new and strangely fascinating people, and attempts to unravel a mystery of the former owner of the house. The atmospheric, introspective prose moves slowly, as does the plot, but readers gain a realistic sense of Addy's state of mind; a sensitive portrait of a troubled girl coping with abrupt changes emerges. The mystery of the agoraphobic needlepoint artist who died in the house bogs down Addy's story; it is the least compelling element, relayed mostly in the screeching taunts of a very talkative parrot. (Fiction. 12-14) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Kids Can Press (August 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1553370988
• ISBN-13: 978-1553370987
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,908,290 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My new blog/website is at http://margaretbuffie.com

It is both a blog and a website. For teachers and students, you just have to click on the tabs which indicate my books. I also have a FAQ (frequently asked questions) section on the site. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Biography:

Award winning author, Margaret Buffie, was born and raised in the west end of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the U of Manitoba. An artist for many years, Margaret began writing a story that had intrigued her for a long time - and two years later, "Who is Frances Rain?" was published and quickly became a bestseller. Margaret has published nine more books for young adults. Her new novel is "Winter Shadows".
Margaret works at her home in Winnipeg during the winter and on the veranda of her cottage in north western Ontario in the summer months.
Her books have been published in the United States, Norway, Italy, Sweden, Australia, Great Britain, Germany, China and other countries.
Margaret is the recipient of the prestigious Vicky Metcalf Award for Body of Work (For writing inspirational to Canadian Youth); The Young Adult Canadian Book Award; is a two time winner of the McNally Robinson Book for Young People award, and has been shortlisted for many other awards and honours.

From Margaret: I'm pleased to say that my latest novel WINTER SHADOWS has won The Silver Nautilus Award, May 2011. This award is awarded to "distinguished literary and heartfelt contributions to spiritual growth, conscious living, high-level wellness, green values, responsible leadership and positive social change as well as to the worlds of art, creativity and inspirational reading for adults, children, teens and young adults."
Silver Nautilus Book Awards Winners are carefully selected in a unique three-tier judging process by experienced teams of book reviewers, librarians, authors, editors, book store owners, and leaders in the publishing industry.

WINTER SHADOWS was also nominated for the Canadian Library Association's Book of the Year award, as well as The McNally Robinson Book for Young People award.

Five of my books are now available on KINDLE: They are, "Winter Shadows", "The Watcher", "The Seeker", "The Finder", and "Angels Turn Their Backs".

Once again, my new website/blog is at http://www.margaretbuffie.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Colourful but Unrealistic, July 16, 2001

By 

A.Niles (Toronto, ONT CANADA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Angels Turn Their Backs (Hardcover)

This was an....interesting book. The story is well enough-- a 15-year old girl (Addy Jarrick) is sent all to the way to Edmonton (much to her dismay) when her parents split up and her mom pursues a film making career. Tending to spend a lot of time to herself, Addy isn't exactly one to write the book on making friends, so her first day at school wasn't exactly that enjoyable. Later in the book she develops agoraphobia --- a strong fear of going outside.

Yeah, that's basically the whole plot. Though a little..er.. simple, Ms. Buffie pulls it off with a various assortment of characters. The characters are mostly humourous, if not sometime moody, but somehow I felt the book lacked a sense of reality. I mean, Sean was a little too cocky and Addy a little pessimistic.

But, just because I pointed out some bad parts doesn't mean this isn't a good book. I found it strangely colourful (even if it isn't truly realistic) and well, your typical happily ever after ending story(kind of). So all in all, this book is worth a read!

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my personal Favs!, April 20, 2010

By 

Crystal "Crystal" (Elizabeth City, NC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Angels Turn Their Backs (Turtleback)

I read this book when I was in school, we had to read something & to be honest at first the only reason I picked it up was because compared to the very other few books the class offered, it was the only book that was colorful & looked interesting from the cover. Once I started reading, I could not put it down! I read it everywhere until I finished it. This book also helped me a lot at that time in my life because my parents had just separated & I also was going through the same kind of things: not wanted to go to school & such. I still have this book & I know the unwritten rule of read it & pass it on, but I couldn't bare part with this one because it touched my life so well at the time. I even read it again a few times back then & might read it again now. :o)

5.0 out of 5 stars Angels turn their backs, July 15, 2008

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Angels Turn Their Backs (Paperback)

Addy has always been afraid of things; but ever since she and her mother moved she has been afraid to leave her own house. She can't find the nerve to tell her brave mother.
Addy has also been hearing voices and then she starts seeing things. She thinks she is insane.
But once Addy is able to come to terms that she isn't crazy she is able to solve more problems then her own.
It is a wonderful book about: strength, fear, friendship, family, and speaking up.

If you liked this book you should also read: Dark Garden, The