Losing Forever [Hardcover]

Gayle Friesen (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

In this novel by Gayle Friesen, normal life for Jes is slipping away. Her mother is getting married again and is totally preoccupied with planning the perfect wedding. And if one fool in love is not enough, Jes's best girlfriend has fallen for a complete jerk. To make matters worse, Jes also has to deal with Angela, her soon-to-be stepsister, who has come to stay for a month before the wedding. A half-crazed mother, a lovesick friend, a perfectly evil stepsister -- could things for Jes get any worse?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 7-10. Stories about teens struggling with parental divorce are commonplace, but this one, from an author who lives in Canada, is particularly well crafted. Ninth-grader Jes Miner-Cooper knows that she isn't responsible for her parents' divorce; their marriage started to fail after her little sister, Alberta, died. What bothers is the perception that her folks are hiding something from her. Her father spends most of his time fishing and reading Russian novels; her mother is absorbed in plans to remarry. Jes' friends aren't any help: one is involved in a new romance; another, Sam, wants to be more than just a friend. Then along comes beautiful Pamela, the daughter of Jes' mother's intended. In short order, Pamela takes over Jes' room, Jes' best girlfriend, and Jes' wannabe boyfriend. When Jes is accused of shoplifting, she's sure her old world is gone forever. Friesen evokes a strong sense of the messiness and unhappiness that come with divorce as well as the difficulties of acceptance and reconciliation. But it's the dance between the sturdy, troubled Jes and her soon-to-be stepsister that will pull readers in. They'll want to know if Pamela is as perfect as she seems. Jean Franklin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Particularly well crafted (Booklist )

[This is an above-average novel with spirited dialogue and well-developed characters. (School Library Journal )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 248 pages
• Publisher: Kids Can Press (August 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1553370317
• ISBN-13: 978-1553370314
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,118,952 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!!, April 7, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Losing Forever (Paperback)

This book is one of the best books I have ever read in my whole entire life. The plot is good, the characters are good, the set is good, everything is good.
I seriously think that Gayle Friesen is one of the best authors. Her books are just so real and understanding. And what I think I like best about them is that they are modern, contemporary books, but they're not like "The Princess Diaries" or anything.

So, basically, I really like this book and I really think everyone, from young adults to old adults, should read this book. I think you will be satisfied.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the best!, November 11, 2003

By 

stephanie (toronto, ontario, canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Losing Forever (Hardcover)

losing forever was a really great book and one of the best ive read. this book is impossible to put down once you start. i really got into the story and felt like i was there and im sure youll do the same. i even felt a bit of envy towards the story and i really hope that gayle friesen continues this story.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Losing Forever: The Big Picture, Rachel Lanier, April 22, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Losing Forever (Paperback)

In Losing Forever, a teenager named Jess loses all of the things that she thought was going to be forever. She loses her parents marriage, and her little sisters life. Jess is still struggling to get through each day when she finds out her mother is dating another man, named Cal. She decides to write it off as a phase, until her mother announces they`re getting married! Now, she hates Cal. Now she has to realize that the slim hope she had that her parents would get back together was nothing but an illusion. She can`t turn to her friends because Dell is caught up in her first love, and Sam is seeing her with different eyes. She fears that if they become boyfriend and girlfriend and break up, their friendship wont survive. Then, Angela comes into the picture. She`s the perfect little girl, and introduced a Jes`s new sister. She starts going out with Sam, and Jess, no matter how hard she tries not to, becomes jealous. Later, Jess takes a big chance, and tries to make things right again. Will she succeed? You`re going to have to read the book to find out! I recommend this book to anybody who wants to read a heartwarming, believable story about a young teen, trying to adjust to the changes that life assures.