Rosey in the Present Tense [Paperback]

Louise Hawes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2001

Six months have passed since Rosey Mishimi's fatal accident. But Franklin still can't adjust to being without her. Every day he feels as though he's moving underwater, just going through the motions. Remembering Rosey is the only thing that brings him any relief.

He is used to having conversations with her in his head, but when Rosey starts to talk back to him one night, Franklin can't believe his ears. Is she really there with him, or just a figment of his imagination? At first Franklin doesn't care as long as it means having his Rosey back. But as the days pass it becomes clear that Franklin's sorrow is bidding Rosey to a life she can no longer have. He knows he must find it in his heart to free the girl he loves so she can find her own destiny. But it is so hard to let go of someone he needs so desperately.

For anyone who has ever been in love or experienced loss, Louise Hawes has crafted a haunting tale of devotion and sacrifice that readers will take to their hearts.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It's been six months since his girlfriend died in an automobile accident, but Franklin can't consign Rosey to the past tense, as his mother, his best friend and his psychiatrist all urge him to do. He doesn't want to forget Rosey, not for one momentAher love for oldies rock-and-roll, the one-liners she attributes to her Japanese ancestors, the way she nestles in his arms, her legs intertwined with his. So deep is his need for her that his anguish draws her back from the deadAnot as a living human, but as a ghost. Alternating between third-person narration in the present and Lin's first-person journal, which recounts his memories of Rosey, Hawes (Tales from the Cafeteria) generally skirts the maudlin and the melodrama inherent in her plot. But here the conceit of a ghost interacting with living characters has none of the subtlety of, for example, Adele Griffin's The Other Shepards; the characters are not fully fleshed out, so the psychiatrist and all the other adults, including Rosey's grandmother (the only person besides Lin who can see Rosey), come off as stereotypical. While Lin and Rosey are better realized, Rosey as a ghost strangely reverts into a somewhat childish state, lacking the sophistication that made her so attractive in life. The perspective here seems more adult than adolescent, making some of the dialogue strained. While there are some nice moments between Lin and Rosey, the novel misses its mark. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-9-Last summer, 17-year-old Franklin lost "his girl" Rosey in a fatal car accident and he is inconsolable. Six months of time, counseling, and medication have left him no better. As the miracle of true love would have it, Rosey returns as an apparition, visible only to Lin (as she calls him). She is caught between two worlds. She has returned to console her grief-stricken boyfriend, yet she yearns for her natural place in some peaceful unknown. Franklin tries to ignore her inexplicable longing for something out of his world. He masks his disappointment that she's reduced to shattered light particles when he tries to touch her. Although he is able to see Rosey, he remains blind to the obvious-she is weaning him of his dependency on their past, awakening him to the life that surrounds him, and introducing him to the possibilities in his future. Readers learn about the couple's past relationship from journal entries that Franklin keeps for his psychiatrist. There's a light-handedness to this story that's reminiscent of a tepid teen version of the movie Ghost. This book is not about mourning; it's a sweet (if artificial) tonic to temper the loneliness of loss. Marion Dane Bauer's On My Honor (Clarion, 1986) and Peter Pohl's I Miss You, I Miss You! (Farrar, 1999) are more realistic novels about the gaping hole that sudden death exacts.
Alison Follos, North Country School, Lake Placid, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (March 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802776035
• ISBN-13: 978-0802776037
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,739,200 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've written more than a baker's dozen books -- novels and short stories for adults, teens, and children. I wake up each morning grateful to be where I am, who I am. How many people get paid to do what they would give almost anything to do?!!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I cried from the start!, February 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Rosey in the Present Tense (Hardcover)

Not because the book was unrealistic or overly romantic, but because it centered on such a genuine relationship. This short book was funny, touching, rich. One more example of what fine writing is being done for young adults in this country! I'd recommend it to anyone of any age.

4.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for a pre-teen dealing with grief--or an adult!, June 10, 2008

By 

Rhonda S. White "Rhonda Browning White" (Lake Mary, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rosey in the Present Tense (Paperback)

This quasi-fantasy tale relates the story of 15 year-old Franklin whose Japanese-American girlfriend is killed in a car accident, then returns to him in spirit form to guide him through his grief. Hawes' young adult story would be bibliotherapuetic for a young teen who has experienced the loss of a loved one. The story also speaks to intercultural relationships and tolerance. Franklin's mother is raising him alone, and begins dating; which is another emotional challenge for Franklin, who is already dealing with more than a fair share of problems. The writing itself makes use of poetry and beautifully descriptive prose, providing young adult readers with a lesson in descriptive writing.

5.0 out of 5 stars Awww,beautiful, August 6, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Rosey in the Present Tense (School & Library Binding)

I so loved this book. I'm a big fan of what I guess you could term supernatural romances and this is one of the best I have ever read.This book shows that true love never dies, not even after death.It lives on. The book is fiction, but I was still so deeply touched by it.It could have been real. Pick this book up. You will love it.