Still There, Clare [Hardcover]

Yvonne Prinz (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 11 and up | Series: Clare

Clare has 13-year-old problems — a crush on her gym teacher, an issue with her underdeveloped breasts, well meaning but clueless parents, and, oh, an imaginary friend named Elsa. The lonely daughter of two career-track lawyers, Clare invented Elsa when she was five years old. Clare and Elsa are opposites: Clare's idea of style is her Superman T-shirt and torn blue jeans, while Elsa wears trendy outfits with matching accessories. Clare's sense of humor is dark and ironic; Elsa's is bright and clever. When Clare worries that she's too old to have an imaginary friend, chic and witty Elsa leaves for Paris.

Throughout the novel, Clare shares her woes in letters to her best, albeit imaginary, friend. "Dear Elsa," she writes, "I went to school without you today. For the first time in my life I felt totally alone." By corresponding with Elsa, Clare gains a stronger sense of herself and begins to make new friends, but will she be able to let Elsa go forever? In Still There, Claire, Yvonne Prinz depicts a quirky adolescent girl's world with sophistication, charm, and brilliantly offbeat humor.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6–Clare has two friends: Paul, her nerdy pal who shares her love of comic books and horror films, and Elsa, the imaginary companion she invented when she was three. As Clare's 13th birthday approaches, she realizes that it is time to say good-bye to Elsa, which is not easy. When Paul announces that he has to spend the summer with his grandparents, and her beloved aunt, the only person who knows about Elsa, begins dating her gym teacher, Clare is angry and upset. Matters improve when her mom, who has given up her workaholic ways to stay at home, helps Clare with her dream of competing in the school track meet. Through running, the girl meets Allison, with whom she shares many common interests, and she realizes that she just may be able to survive without Elsa. The idea of a preteen with an imaginary friend is a bit of a stretch, but the author convincingly creates a believable case for Elsa's existence. While Clare grows and develops throughout the story, the supporting cast of characters is a bit predictable, but they complement her story. With its combination of humor, sadness, and preteen angst, this story will appeal to many readers.–Linda Zeilstra Sawyer, Skokie Public Library, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. Seventh grade can't end fast enough for Clare. She is the tallest girl in her class and still completely shapeless. She has a crush on Mr. Bianchini, her gym teacher (who never notices her unless she does well at track meets). And her only friends are nerdy, comic book-loving Paul; her aunt Rusty; and Elsa, who is actually imaginary. Despite that, summer looks promising--until the traitorous Rusty begins dating Mr. Bianchini, Paul must move away, and, determined to sever ties to her imaginary buddy, she sends Elsa away. Now she's completely friendless. Prinz's breezy story succeeds on many levels: it's funny; the characters, including the adults, are appealing and interesting (Elsa is a hoot); Paul's leave-taking is bittersweet; and Clare's changing relationship with her parents and her efforts to make friends are realistically paced. Suggest this to reluctant readers and their friends who want a sweet, satisfying read about a summer transformation. Chris Sherman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Raincoast Books (March 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551927675
• ISBN-13: 978-1551927671
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,130,755 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Yvonne Prinz, the daughter of a musician, grew up on the wild prairies of Canada with an insatiable hunger for music. She worked in a record store and a recording studio when she was seventeen and eventually found her way the San Francisco Bay Area where she co-founded AMOEBA MUSIC in Berkeley with her husband, Dave. Amoeba grew to giant proportions and, as single celled organisms are inclined to do, it divided and opened in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
After all that time spent in record stores, it was almost impossible not to write a book about it.
Visit The Vinyl Princess Blog and website at: www.thevinylprincess.com

Yvonne's collection of vinyl is big and scary.

Also authored by Yvonne is a series of books about a crazy knucklehead of a girl named Clare. For more information on those books visit www.stillthereclare.com. or buy them right here on Amazon.

Yvonne's next book, "All You Get Is Me" (Harper Teen) will be out in January 2011.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE MOST AWESOME BOOK EVER!!!!!!, April 5, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Still There, Clare (Hardcover)

I finished this book in two days because I couldn't put it down. Clare is so much like me and I loved reading about someone out there who has the same problems as I do. This book is also hilarious and taught me not to take myself too seriously. I especially loved Aunt Rusty and Elsa. I hope there's another one out soon. I can't wait to read what happens next in Clare's life!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alexis, Age 13
San Francisco, California

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW, It was Amazing!, April 19, 2005

By 

Emily B. (Danville, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Still There, Clare (Hardcover)

WOW it was amazing!! Meeting
Clare would be like meeting my twin. We have so much in common
it's scary- everything from Manga comic books to rootbeer
floats!! I can't wait for more of Clare and her wacky
adventures!!!!!

-Emily B.
Danville, CA

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended novel for young readers ages 12 through 14, November 3, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Still There, Clare (Hardcover)

Twelve (almost thirteen!) year old Clare is the total opposite of her best friend Elsa. Clare prefers t-shirts and jeans, Elsa is a trendy dresser complete with accessories. Clare's humor is dark and ironic while Elsa is bright and witty. But the unusual thing about their friendship is that Clare invented Elsa when she was five years old. She was an imaginary friend! But now Clare decides that because she's becoming a teenager, it's time to abandon her imaginary best friend -- but will Elsa go along with this idea? Still There, Clair is written by Yvonne Prinz with wit, originality, and a flare for engaging the reader from first page to last in superbly crafted and highly recommended novel for young readers ages 12 through 14.