My Abnormal Life [Mass Market Paperback]

Lee McClain (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2005

Fifteen-year-old Rose Graham has never been to school. She's never had a date. She certainly never knew she was gorgeous. She's been too busy shoplifting food, keeping Social Services off her family's case, and taking care of her little sister.

Now, plunged into a foster family in affluent Linden Falls, she's supposed to act normal. But high school parties, first kisses, and writing for the school newspaper just seem trivial when all Rose wants is to get her family back together. At least she has the Altlives computer game to help her cope. And Brian Johnson's broad shoulders to drive her crazy . . .

Editorial Reviews

Review

McClain is dedicated to empowering foster kids and teaching others about their lives. -- RT Book Club Magazine, March, 2005

From the Author

The Altlives series came out of my curiosity about what my daughter's life would have been like had she been raised by her birth parents in China. One day I imagined a magic computer game that could show foster and adopted teens what life would have been like with their birth families, and the Altlives series was born.

Why teens? Because they, more than anyone else, wish for alternate lives and have many alternative futures in front of them. Their choices today determine their lives tomorrow.

Actually, as my protagnists discover, finding out about your alternate life isn't all sweet. There are losses in the lives of all those involved in foster care and adoption . . . losses and great joy as well. I hope my books help adopted and foster teens explore their identity issues. And I hope any teen who's ever longed for an alternate life will find something to enjoy in my books.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 181 pages
• Publisher: Smooch (March 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0843954663
• ISBN-13: 978-0843954661
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,433,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lee McClain grew up in Columbus, Ohio, attended Ohio State University, and earned her Ph.D. at the University of Colorado. She teaches in the MFA program at Seton Hill University. Her tween daughter and niece keep her up-to-date on the eye-rolling YA world. Visit her online at www.leemcclain.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Fabulous Novel From Lee McClain, February 24, 2005

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Abnormal Life (Mass Market Paperback)

Fifteen-year-old Rose Graham has never experienced luxuries in life. In fact, she hasn't experienced much, thanks to the fact that she's spent her childhood and teenagedom taking care of her younger sister - a sufferer of Down Syndrome - shoplifting food, and keeping Social Services away from her family. It's not really fair. After all, how many girls have never had the chance to go to school, date, kiss boys, or get dolled up for a night on the town? Not many. But Rose isn't complaining. That is, not until she's pulled out of her element, and tossed into a foster home in the affluent Linden Falls. Everyone expects her to act normal, but the problem is that she's not normal. Rose wants nothing more than to get back to her old life, where her only problem is trying to figure out whether she'll be able to shoplift enough food for dinner; and to leave the life of first kisses, being gorgeous, high school parties, and writing for the school newspaper. At least she has Brian Johnson's gorgeous shoulders to take her mind off of tthings, as well as the chance to visit her family via the Altlives computer game. But maybe that's not enough...

It's hard to find a book that is too entertaining to put down, but Lee McClain has accomplished that feat once again with her novel MY ABNORMAL LIFE. Rose is a fabulous character, whose kind personality shines through on every page. It is wonderful to see an author take the initiative in creating a book series that showcases teenage girls who don't have the easiest lives, yet who make it through anyway, much like Lee McClain has done with MY ALTERNATE LIFE and now MY ABNORMAL LIFE. I only hope to have the opportunity to read more from Lee McClain in the near future, as she presents a fresh new voice in teen lit that will be received by teenagers with open arms.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Think I'm Hooked on Lee McClain, July 21, 2006

By 

Beth O'Malley "Adoptee & 'Older Adoptive Mom'" (Winthrop, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Abnormal Life (Mass Market Paperback)

Fantasy yet surprisingly realistic

in terms of what teens living in foster care go through.
A quick and funny read ( LOL type of funny).

Could be a fabulous tool for therapists, case managers, adolescent out reach workers, or anyone working with teens or tweens experiencing family problems.

I plan to buy the rest of her books and start sharing them with teens on my caseload.

Thanks for this cool tool.
Beth O'Malley
social worker in the foster care system

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even better, March 30, 2005

By 

L. Gerling "abinathra" (North Dakota) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: My Abnormal Life (Mass Market Paperback)

Without giving anything away, not all stories have happy endings. Life is like that. It's also about choices, consequences, and being willing to take steps. While Rose knows nothing about being normal, she knows what she wants, and she's not afraid to try to get it. She'll stand up to her peers, her foster parents, the witch, and her mother to make sure that her family stays together. The story is a wonderful read.