Dear Mrs. Ryan, You're Ruining My Life [Paperback]

Jennifer B. Jones (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2000 | Age Level: 10 and up

What do you do when your mother takes embarrassing moments from your life and includes them in books read by kids all over the country? If you're Harvey Ryan, you hatch a plan to focus your mother on something, or someone else. So Harvey decides to set his mom up with the only eligible man he knows, the school principal. But when his plan works, Harvey quickly realizes having his mother date his principal is even worse than her being a famous author. One mother can sure cause a lot of trouble in a boy's life.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The eponymous Mrs. Ryan in Jones's light-hearted debut novel is fifth-grade narrator Harvey's mother, a children's book author who shamelessly mines his experience for her plots, then announces precisely how during visits and assemblies at his school. Hoping to distract her from writing and therefore to stave off further humiliation, Harvey and his best friend, Seal (Cecilia), play Cupid between his mother and their principal, Mr. Stevens, but then Harvey must deal with his classmates' teasing and the reality of a suitor. Harvey's voice as a baseball-mad, stamp-collecting elementary student is occasionally inconsistent, at times lapsing into old-fashioned exclamations (e.g., after considering scratching the principal's car, Harvey muses, "How could I even think such a thing?" and then "Get a grip, Harvey old boy"). While the author plumbs well-worn themes of divorced parents, disappointing fathers and the discomfort of watching a parent fall in love, ultimately none of the subplots assume primary importance. The funniest moments arise when Harvey turns the tables on his scribbling mother, eyeing her every move with pen in hand and jotting down notes when she spills her coffee. However, their confrontation after his entry in a writing contest, for which she is the judge, seems belated and too neatly tied up. Ages 10-up. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-Harvey Ryan's divorced mom is not purposely ruining his life. It's just that she is a children's book author and her annual trips to school mortify him. If only she would stop revealing her inspiration for her writing (his mishaps). His best friend, Seal, suggests that his mother needs romance in her life, to take her mind off of her son. The children select their principal as a romantic target, but when their plan actually works, Harvey finds himself trying to sabotage the budding relationship. Subplots involving his efforts to secure his unreliable father (a former minor-league baseball player) as his baseball team's coach and confrontations with his archenemy, Bart, keep the pace moving. This lighthearted debut novel will engage and amuse reluctant readers as well as any child who sympathizes with Harvey's angst at being embarrassed by his mother. The adult characters are genuinely nice and it is a pleasure to read about an intelligent and caring principal. Only Harvey's father is a bit one-dimensional; but even he shapes up as the story's threads come together. Other titles for children having trouble accepting potential stepfathers are Anne Fine's My War with Goggle-Eyes (Joy Street, 1989; o.p.) and Mary Jane Auch's Mom Is Dating Weird Wayne (Holiday, 1988; o.p.).
Marilyn Payne Phillips, University City Public Library, MO
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Walker Childrens (March 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802787282
• ISBN-13: 978-0802787286
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,364,267 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars My 8 yr old LOVES this., July 27, 2011

By 

L. Medinnus "music connoisseur" (Colorado Springs, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dear Mrs. Ryan, You're Ruining My Life (Paperback)

As any parent or educator will tell you, getting a child to read over the summer is immensely valuable, but it is also sometimes a daunting task. My son is no different. The majority of the time he truly does not care about what he is reading. Rarely can he even relate to me what the story was or who the characters were. Sadly, his favorite stories typically involve characters from some TV, movie, or video game. There is no real imagination needed there. This was certainly not the case with Dear Mrs Ryan, You're Ruining My Life. From the first paragraph on, the characters, dialogue, and attitude of the book hooked my son's attention. He read through the first three chapters in less than an hour, laughing as he went. When I checked on him before bed, he enthusiastically reported in detail the events and characters and some particularly funny lines that he enjoyed. Thank you for reminding my son that reading is FUN and not just some chore.

5.0 out of 5 stars Good read, May 7, 2009

By 

K. Smith (La Canada, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dear Mrs. Ryan, You're Ruining My Life (Paperback)

Not only is the story good, but it's funny! My 10-yr-old son and I both enjoyed it.

4.0 out of 5 stars Bryan's Book Review, February 11, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Dear Mrs. Ryan, You're Ruining My Life (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (School & Library Binding)

When Seal and Harvey try plans to get Mrs. Ryan (Harvey's Mom) with Mr. Stevens (Principal) Harvey is tired of his mom writing stories about him so seal sits there so Harvey wanted to be by each other. Seal says he goes to the bakers in the morning. Harvey asks his mom if they can go sometime when they went he seen Seal was there ans she sat by him. They had a long conversation. Harvey can't get them to stop seeing each other. Kids are making fun of him and saying their parents are going out. Now he tries to stop them.