Customer Reviews

I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read this book for a college lit. class and was disturbed by the emotional affect I felt. This is a great book about race relations and children who loose a parent but the subject of sexual abuse does not provide an answer for children who might be experiencing the same abuse as Lena. The book is rated at a fourth grade level however I am not sure that an average fourth grader would understand the problem of sexual abuse. A good understanding of the whole social issue of sexual abuse must be explained to a child before reading this book. I would hate to see a child who is experiencing sexual abuse read this and come up with the solution of running away from their problems. This could be a good starting point for discussion on possible solutions for Lena's problem.

Daringly confronting the issues of sexual abuse, death, divorce, pain, racism, and relashionships, this eloquent novel was deeply affecting. It reads easily, holds your attention, and leaves you crying with a new look on the world. I recommend it to all.

Jacqueline Woodson has used good taste in confronting the issue of child abuse. She presents two girls from very different backgrounds and bring them together to form a beautiful friendship.

Maria and Lena share a common bond of the lost of their mothers. The book is a must read for young adult audiences.

I really enjoyed reading this book, but wished Marie would have told someone Lena's secret. I feel that some children who read this book would get the impression that keeping secrets from adults can be a solution to the problem. Lena was sexually abused by her father and Marie kept that secret. Lena is a poor white girl and Marie is a middleclass black girl. These two girls establish a wonderful friendship and share the loss of their mothers. Lena's mother died from breast cancer and Marie's mother left the family two years ago. I feel the author did a nice job with racial relations and reaching children who have lost a parent. However, I would like to have seen her describe deeper feelings and solutions for children who experience sexual abuse. I was hoping for Marie to eventually tell the secret to an adult and Lena realizes that she was a true friend for doing so. In the end Lena finally decides to leave with her younger sister Dion so her father cannot touch either of them ever again. Marie is very upset Lena is leaving and tries to convince her to stay and tell the cops and things could be different. Lena says she cannot and will write her soon. The bond that Marie and Lena established will last forever. This book is rated for 4th grade to junior high level. Due to sexual abuse not be explained in depth, I feel fourth and fifth grade may be too young to understand the book unless the teacher does beforehand.

The books is set in Ohio about two girls one white(Lena) one black(Marie). The tables have change in which the black girl is the one who is well off and the white girl is very poor. The book is written from Marie's view. She met her through school where the first day she sat next to her. Both girls soon realize they have a lot in common both their mothers are no longer around. Marie's mother abandoned her and her dad and Lena's mother died of cancer. The book deals with a very sensitive subject about sexual abuse which Lena's dad does to her. The abuse though is slightly touched upon.I believe the author really touched the heart with this book it was very sad but yet it's stuff that happens every day highly recommend great for book discussion for children pertaining to race relation and possible an introducion to knowing about abuse.

I liked the book and everything, but I as expecting a little more. It didn't really tell you anything. You'd want to know exactly how Lena and Marie must've felt, but it didn't really tell you in much detail. It did have a lot of questions that annoyed me as well because it didn't seem "real". You'll know what I mean when you read it. There are other books out there that'll tell you a lot more idea and feeling, so I only rated it 3 stars.

As an adult, I enjoyed this book for its full development of character and the bond shared between the girls. But also, I was extremely bothered that Marie didn't decide to tell an adult about Lena's abusive father. This, to me, seems like the kind of secret that one must tell in order to really be a friend. Running away just doesn't solve it. Lena and her sister needed professional help (as did Marie, in my opinion) and I would hate for a young adult to follow in Marie's footsteps and keep a secret such as this private.

(...)This is such a masterpiece of a book,the reason I gave it a five was because I can't rate it higher.If I could no number on earth could be 'just right' for it,it will be lesser than what it deserves.Now this is the book that should be heard about on news,unfoutunetly people don't really see the value of it.

Marie is an african american girl,she has a pretty nice life,and is acepted by many people at school.Although she might seem like she has the perfect life,she doesn't she hardly knows her mother.This lets her down alot.She has tons of friends and all,but one day a girl name Lena appears which Marie's friends call 'whittrash'since she's whit,and where Marie lives there are not many people who are white.I need to say that Marie was rude to Lena at first.After a while they become great friends which is when Lena tells Marie a horrifing secret.Marie must decide if she is really helping her by keeping it.

Lena,however did tell Marie that she was leaving because of this secret,in the end she does,but Marie learns a very valueble lesson,she remembers when she treated Lena bad,and what Lena told her,whci is something unforgettable.

Recomended!

Marie is a popular and well dressed black girl living a good life alone with her father. Her mother left years earlier to experience life and to find herself. She only corresponds by postcards sent from locations around the world.

Lena is a sad and very poor white girl who moves into town in the middle of the school year. Marie is asked to show her around a bit. Marie is shocked to find that she actually likes Lena, even though her best friends make fun of and shun the poor girl. Lena also has no mother; her mother died of breast cancer, leaving Lena and her little sister alone with their father.

In spite of herself, Marie finds herself drawn to Lena. She overcomes the prejudices her father has planted in her about white people, and she overcomes the ridicule of her friends in order to become close to this new girl who so desperately needs her friendship. But then Lena tells Marie a terrible secret, and Marie must decide whether to keep it or not.

This book has a couple of interesting twists--first, a girl living with her single father, when it is more common for the mother to be the single parent in stories. The reversal of racism was also intersting, with the black characters looking down on the white characters. I liked the evolution of Marie, as she became more confident and realized she didn't need her old friends.

I didn't like that Lena's situation was never portrayed as a crisis. The girls should have known that something should have been done, and Marie should have known better than to keep Lena's secret.

I read this book three times in one day. It touched my heart so deeply that I began to feel the pain of losing a parent. I absolutely loved this book. It just shows how judgement of character is not about looks.