Missing Pieces [Hardcover]

Norma Fox Mazer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1995

Wondering at her mother's stories that her father, who deserted the family when she was a baby, was a leather-clad hero, fourteen-year-old Jessie Wells becomes determined to learn the truth and meet the man she has never known.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Mazer (After the Rain; Taking Terri Mueller) demonstrates her continued mastery of YA themes and concerns with this densely packed story about a 14-year-old girl searching for the father who abandoned her in her infancy. Jessie admires her hardworking single mom and is devoted to her great-aunt Zis, but wishes her family were "whole and perfect," made up of "four sides, a square, not a triangle." The geometry of her relationships-her friendships, her place within her family-undergoes major reconstruction as Jessie begins questioning her father's disappearance and sets about locating him. Neither wistful nor self-pitying, Jessie, a spirited and witty narrator, is also trying to balance her attentions to her girlfriends, one of whom is jealous of the other, and to a boy, whom one of her friends also likes. Between snappy dialogue and tangy insights, Mazer thoughtfully explores issues of loyalty, compassion and forgiveness. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-8?James Wells, strong as a horse, clothed in silk ties and driving a BMW, a prince of a fellow; that's the picture 14-year-old Jessie has always had of her father, whom she refers to as "the disappearing dude." When she was small, the story of his vanishing seemed amusing; but now, she finds it vaguely disturbing and definitely incomplete. When a school assignment about family history launches Jessie on a search for more information, her mother resists fiercely. Although this plot has been done numerous times, Mazer's skill at characterization, her intricate weaving of subplots, and her ready understanding of teen dialogue and concerns make this book special. Jessie's black friend Diane pursues perfectionism in a defensive mode because she has an emotionally brittle family life and the additional challenge of facing a middle-class, white world. Beloved Aunt Zis raised Jessie's mother and used to be on top of everything; now she gets lost in familiar places. Jack provides a sensitive love interest. And there is the common decency of strangers who respond to Jessie's vulnerability. Through it all, the young woman pursues James Wells, an apparently emotionally blocked, abusive man who has himself been victimized. A brilliant and subtle portrayal of a teen seeking her father and finding herself.?Cindy Darling Codell, Clark Middle School, Winchester, KY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 196 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers; 1ST edition (May 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688133495
• ISBN-13: 978-0688133498
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,011,288 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

NORMA FOX MAZER is the award-winning author of many novels for young people. She has been honored with the Christopher Award, a Newbery Honor, the Edgar Allen Poe Award, and a National Book Award nomination. She and her husband, novelist Harry Mazer, divide their time between Jamesville, New York, and New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Missing Pieces found, June 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Missing Pieces (Paperback)

This was my first NFM book, and it made me a fan of her other stories as well. It's about a strong teenage girl named Jessie who was searching for her father that abandoned her family years ago. She had a mostly good life otherwise- a loving mother, aunt, friends, and a boyfriend- but she was missing that one important person. This problem affected her other relationships, for better or worse. I liked the book, except for two problems. First, Jessie went steady with her best friend's crush. I really felt for Meadow on that one. Second, the eventual reunion between her and her father wasn't as I'd expected. But everybody makes mistakes, and we know she'll find her dad again. Overall, I reccomend this book to other teenagers who love to read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It was very interesting and a good read., May 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Missing Pieces (Hardcover)

It was a very catching book, I only put it down when I had to.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fourteen year old girl learns about her true feelings., December 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Missing Pieces (Hardcover)

Missing Pieces was a good book overall. Norma Fox Mazer did a wonderful job describing real-life scenarios that many children experience. I recommend this book to children who can relate to the many feelings kids of one parent families feel. The book addresses many feelings and situations that are very real to today's teenager. One thing I did notice, however, was that throughout the story, Jessie seemed to be doing the same thing over and over again. Actually, that took away from the story. I found the story enjoyable enough to keep me turning the pages, but it didn't have cliffhangers or some other elements I like to find in stories.