The Suitcase Kid [Paperback]

Jacqueline Wilson (Author), Nick Sharratt (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 24, 2006 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Andrea West’s parents are divorced, and her tiny stuffed rabbit, Radish, seems her only comfort in the world. She must leave the home she loves with the mulberry tree in the front yard and deal with parents who still fight, stepparents, step-siblings, two different bedrooms (neither of which is really hers), loneliness, and an acute longing for the past. Her grades sink, her friends drift away, and she's not quite sure how to fix any of it. Eventually, though, a new equilibrium begins to settle on her life. Honest and true-to-life, Andy’s story shows that dealing with divorce is never easy.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Although there are many children's books about divorce, few move beyond bland therapeutic preaching into the realm of well-told stories. This one does. A hard look at joint-custody life, The Suitcase Kid follows Andrea West and her tiny stuffed rabbit, Radish, through the painful adjustment of being a kid with divorced parents. She must leave the home she loves with the mulberry tree in the front yard, and deal with parents who still fight, step parents, step siblings, two different bedrooms (neither of which is really hers), loneliness, and an acute longing for the past. Her grades sink. Her friends drift away. And she's not quite sure how to fix any of it.

Wisely, Jacqueline Wilson doesn't offer instant solutions; rather, she chronicles Andy's journey to the beginning of equilibrium in her new life. Things will never be the way they were, but, as the book suggests, they'll get better over time. And because it's well written and honest, The Suitcase Kid will appeal to any child who enjoys realistic fiction, not just those who "need" to read a book about divorce. (The publisher recommends the The Suitcase Kid for ages 8-12, but it could easily serve kids who are a couple of years younger or older.) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

When Andy's parents get divorced, she finds herself spending alternate weeks at Mom's house, then at Dad's, and longs for the days when they were all at home together. Ages 9-12.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Transworld Publishers (October 24, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440867738
• ISBN-13: 978-0440867739
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.4 x 7.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,623,188 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When the parents split up, where do you fit in?, March 19, 2001

By 

Mary G. Longorio "Texasbookgirl" (Eagle Mountain, UT) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Suitcase Kid (Paperback)

Andy West's parents have divorced and have started new lives with other partners. Andy is to spend one week with her mother and the "Baboon" and his miserable children. While there, she is forced to share her step-sister Katie's room, and Katie goes out of her way to make Andy miserable. On the weeks Andy stays with her dad and his "new agey" wife Carrie, she shares a room with 5 year old twins Zen and Crystal, and their mess. To add to the misery, Carrie is pregnant. The only one who understands's Andy's confusion is her constant companion Radish, a tiny toy rabbit. Radish understands how Andy misses the tiny cottage she and her parents shared. Radish understands how hard it is to make people you barely know, your family. Radish understands how hard it is to remember all your schoolwork and belongings when you stay at two places. All Andy wants is a place for her and Radish to feel at home. One day she and Radish discover a tiny, hidden garden, that they long to make their own. This is a sensitive story of divorce and one child trying to cope with events out of her control. Once again, Jacqueline Wilson has displayed an uncanny understanding of the needs of a child, and a true ear for dialog. This is a sweet book and a must read for anyone you know who has been touched by divorce.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Suitcase Kid, December 1, 1999

By 

Rosie Walshe Scarr (aged 9) (London, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Suitcase Kid (Paperback)

This story is about a girl called Andy who tells how her parents split up. She now spends one week living with her Mum and the next with her Dad. She used to live in a place called Mulberry Cottage, which was her dream cottage. Her step-parents both have children but she hates her step-Dad's kids. He has got this really mean daughter called Katie who just picks on Andy non-stop. And then there's Graham who is very quiet and just sits in his room playing on his computer. And eldest one (? ) just hangs out at bars with her mates all the time. Her step-Mum has two twins called Crystal and Zen. Crystal is quite nice but Zen is just annoying. This books covers many different themes - anger, jealousy, meanness - as Andy tries to cope with her two new families. Some of it is quite sad but most of it is funny. Most of it is based on Jacqueline Wilson's life when she was a kid, and I think it is the best of her books. It appealed to me because it is a bit like my family.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's my favourite book in the world, May 18, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Suitcase Kid (Hardcover)

I am Kate Roberts aged 8, from Wellington, New Zealand.
I felt sorry for Andrea when she moved. She didn't have many friends. It was an exciting book because Andrea went from one place to another and I thought her rabbit, Radish, had good adventures which kids would like to read about.