My Girl 2: A Novel [Paperback]

Patricia Hermes (Author), Laurice Elehwany (Author), Janet Kovalcik (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1994

When you're an undertaker's daughter, life's not exactly normal to begin with.

Vada Sultenfuss is being kicked out of her room because her stepmother, Shelly, is about to have a baby. Her friend Judy's in love with a jerk. And even though Vada's best friend Thomas J died two years ago, she still misses him. But it's not just the outside world that's changing. Suddenly, Vada's beginning to wonder whether she'd rather write a really good poem -- or get a really good kiss.

Then Vada gets the chance to visit her Uncle Phil in Los Angeles -- and maybe find out more about her mother, who died when Vada was born. Her only guide to the sprawling city is a boy with an attitude problem -- Nick, her Uncle Phil's almost-stepson who acts like it's pure torture to show her around L.A. But in this strange land of sun and palms, Vada will make some amazing discoveries....

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

When you're an undertaker's daughter, life's not exactly normal to begin with.

Vada Sultenfuss is being kicked out of her room because her stepmother, Shelly, is about to have a baby. Her friend Judy's in love with a jerk. And even though Vada's best friend Thomas J died two years ago, she still misses him. But it's not just the outside world that's changing. Suddenly, Vada's beginning to wonder whether she'd rather write a really good poem -- or get a really good kiss.

Then Vada gets the chance to visit her Uncle Phil in Los Angeles -- and maybe find out more about her mother, who died when Vada was born. Her only guide to the sprawling city is a boy with an attitude problem -- Nick, her Uncle Phil's almost-stepson who acts like it's pure torture to show her around L.A. But in this strange land of sun and palms, Vada will make some amazing discoveries....

About the Author

Patricia Hermes is the author of many highly acclaimed novels for children and young adults. Among her many awards are the California Young Reader Medal, the Pine Tree Book Award and the Hawaii Nene award. Her books have also been named IRA/CBC Children's Choices and Notable Children's Trade Books in the field of Social Studies. Her books have been praised for their "recognizable vitality" (Kirkus Reviews) and "rhythmic, homey text and genuine characters [that] resonate with authenticity" (School Library Journal starred review).

Minstrel Books publishes Kevin Corbett Eats Flies; Heads, I Win; and I Hate Being Gifted. Archway Paperbacks publishes Be Still My Heart and My Girl.

Born and educated in New York, Patricia Hermes has taught English at the High School and Junior High level and has taught Gifted and Talented programs in the grade schools, She travels frequently throughout the country, speaking at schools and conferences, to students, teachers, educators, and parents.

The mother of five children, she lives and works in New England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 179 pages
• Publisher: Simon Spotlight Entertainment; FIRST EDITIION edition (February 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671888285
• ISBN-13: 978-0671888282
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,090,174 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Patricia Hermes is the author of almost fifty books for readers from early middle grades through young adult, as well as two nonfiction books for adults. Her books have won many awards and recognitions: American Library Association Best Book, Smithsonian Notable Book, C.S. Lewis Honor Book, Ira Children's Choice, as well as many state awards, four of them for the novel,You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye.

As a lecturer and speaker at schools and libraries, she engages her audience with her lively presentations, underscoring key qualities of good writing, and, of course, good rewriting. (She has been known to revise her books ten times!) She has researched and written six historical novels in the Scholastic Dear America/My America series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MUST READ!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!, September 18, 2001

By 

An 11-year old reader (Union, New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Girl 2: A Novel (Paperback)

I just LOVE this book! A great sequal to the first book. It's mainly about a thirteen year old girl, Vada Sultenfuss, who has been assigned to do a project on someone she admires but never really met. Naturally, she chooses her mother, who died because of birth complications. Her dad's an undertaker, who remarried to Shelly, the lady that does the make up on the...uh, deceased people. Now Shelly's pregnant. It's not one of those fairytale stories, where Shelly's the evil wicked fairy stepmother, or anything. Really. Vada actually likes Shelly, but has mixed feelings about it. She doesn't mind there's a baby, but she feels bad about the fact that she'll have to give up her room, something her mom had chosen. Another thing is that she's afraid that Shelly might die too. In the mean time, she has her new friend Judy to think about, whose currently dating the oh-so-cool-and-totally-snott-faced...(drumroll, please)Kevin Phillips. Soon, she decides to go to L.A., her mothers bithplace, to find out more for her report. Once there, she meets up with her Uncle Phil, his girlfriend, and his almost stepson, Nick. It starts out as a bribery thing, really, with Uncle Phil paying Nick five bucks to take Vada from the airport, and ten to take her around the place. Vada finds Nick incredibly disagreeable and wonders why he tags along anyway, if he dislikes her so much. She finds out more about her mother, though usually dissapointing bits, but eventually confides in Nick pretty many things, such as her mood ring and Thomas J.They become friends, really good friends. Really, REALLY good friends. Dare I say, a little more? Then, she finds out about some guy her mother had already been married to, and begins to worry that this Jeffery Pommery guy could actually be her father. She finds out once she meets him, though, that she's wrong. Totally, completely, embarrassingly wrong. She even got to keep a vidio tape of her mother singing and acting. So, in one little Spring Vacation, she finds out about her mother, gets her ear pierced(barbaric customs, Nick calls it) and gets a sort of couisin, once Phil proposes. Not that they want to be couisins, they'd rather be... well, Vada doesn't say, but you know. Now, at the airport, she gets her first kiss. Second, actually, afterall, Thomas J. kissed her first in the first book, but that's another story. Anyway, guess who does it? Nick, of course. On her way back on the airplane, she finds a tiny box with the chandeleir earrings that she wanted, along with a note saying, "In memory of barbaric customs. Love, Nick." Intrigued by the "love" part? Too bad for you, that's basically the last we ever heard of Nick. Once home, she rushes to the hospital to find that she is now a sister. Stepsister. Whatever, you know what I'm talking about. I'm not about to tell you the end- okay, I already told you most of it, but still, it's REALLY worth reading!! Since most people will probably see how long this review is, they'll probably skip it. Well, there goes twenty minutes writing to a waste. Oh well. Just one last thing: YOU...MUST...READ...THIS...BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Girl 2, September 5, 2000

By 

Tichiba (Bolivia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Girl 2: A Novel (Paperback)

A project another project, but this one is about someone she knew nothing about. Vada Sultenfuss is in English and the day is almost over. In the last few minutes of class, she was told that she had to do a project. When the teacher asked who she was going to do it on she said she would do it on her mother.When she sais that, the class was silent. The next week was spring break, so she wanted to go to L.A. to see if she could find anything out about her mother's life. After, finally persuading her dad to let her go, she was of to L.A. When, she got to the airport she was supposed to find a boy named Nick who would take her to her uncle. Lucky for her she finds him. Unlucky for her he has a bad attitude. Nevertheless, the two of them get a taxi and are off to her uncle's house. For the next five days of her search for information about her mother, nothing but misfortune cane her way. These adventures create an enjoyablebook that I think any girl who likes adventures will have trouble putting it down until the last page.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An exciting Book!, March 26, 2000

By 

Tanice (EL CAJON, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Girl 2: A Novel (Paperback)

This Book Is about a girl Named Vada. Her mother died before she could know her mom. She has a stepmother Shelly. Now she is pregnant and Vada is being kick out of her room for the baby on the way. She had a best friend Thomas that died two years ago. She got a necklace from him before he died. Vada had a chance to find out about her mother by visiting an Uncle Phil in Los Angeles. Her uncle had a stepson Nick, that showed her around Los Angeles. They found out a little bit of information about her mom due to the fact that the Highschool that her mother went through was burnt down. Nick and Vada were looking all over for A guy named Jeffrey Pommeroy address and they got the address that made them so happy! Vada and her Uncle Phil were driving close to Jeffrey Pommeroy's house suddenly, they found the house and then Vada went in and Talk to Jeffrey. He told Vada about her mother's past. Vada asked Jeffery If he had any Pictures Of her Mother but he said no. I have something better, it was a movie about your mother. He asked Vada If she would like to keep the movie of her mother and she said, that she wouldn't mind at all. Jeffery gave her a hug and then gave him a hug back. Well This book Is a really good book! You have to read what will happen to Vada and everything else. So Read the ending of My Girl 2 It's a great book!