Tomorrow, Maybe [Turtleback]

Brian James (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2003

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY.

--This text refers to the School & Library Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-10-Gretchen, nicknamed Chan, is a 15-year-old runaway living on the streets of New York City. She left home two years earlier when her recently widowed father married an abusive woman. She has learned how to survive, finding places to crash with people she hopes are friends. One night, as she and her friend Jef are settling into a new squat, a child shows up. The others try to make her leave, but Chan takes the 11-year-old in, and she and Elizabeth start to save money from their begging forays so that they can leave town. One night Jef invites them to a rock show, but it is a trap that will send them into enslaved prostitution. They barely escape, and the next day Elizabeth runs off with their money. Devastated, Gretchen breaks down and calls her father, who is overjoyed to hear from her and comes to get her. James has created a believable world for these two girls, a harsh and scary yet often tender place. The language is raw yet poetic; Chan's voice is appropriate and fresh. The author has done a fine job of presenting the issues surrounding teen homelessness.
Angela J. Reynolds, Washington County Cooperative Library Services, Hillsboro, OR
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Turtleback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Demco Media (December 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0606296115
• ISBN-13: 978-0606296113
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,056,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I grew up outside of Philadelphia, a town I portrayed all my thoughts and feelings about in Pure Sunshine and the short story Filthadelphia. When I was eighteen, I moved to New York City where I stayed for ten years. You can read about my impressions of that city in both Tomorrow, Maybe and Thief. For the suburban experiences of my life, check out Perfect World and Dirty Liar.

Needless to say, ten years in Manhattan is more than enough. It was time to pack up and head for the peace and quiet of the middle of nowhere. Alas, I ended up in the Woodstock area of upstate New York. An area aptly portrayed in my book Zombie Blondes.

My fascination with writing started in childhood with the notion of making up stories. I loved action figures as a kid. Actually, I still do and still collect them. But as a child, I would set up my entire bedroom like the stage for one epic story that I would play out for days. I didn't know it at the time, but it was the basis for what I do now. I was also a stuffed animal kid. I had dozens and they all had names and they all personalities. Basically, they were characters. Writing isn't very different than playing. It's just a grown up way of doing it.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating, March 7, 2005

By 

MG (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tomorrow, Maybe (Paperback)

It's not easy being fifteen and living on the streets of New York. It's especially not easy when you have a little girl to take care of too. Chan thinks she has it made until young Elizabeth wanders into her life. Chan instantly takes Elizabeth under her wing, protecting her as if she was her own child. The two develop a bond like no other, relying on each other for everything, but what happens when you start to grow up? What happens when you fall in love? What happens when it is time to let go? Is there bond truly strong enough to last forever? This page turner will keep you up all night long pondering love, family, and life. This is truly a book you do not want to miss.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars what?, January 29, 2008

By 

Amanda Vivian (OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tomorrow, Maybe (Paperback)

I'm really surprised that this book has received only positive reviews. I found the writing/punctuation style to be incredibly stupid and annoying. It looks like this: Today I woke up and took a shower. with hot water. at four in the morning. and it was fun. I don't understand why he would do that, it just looks weird and makes the narrator sound kind of airheaded.
In addition, I thought the author was insecure about writing female characters or something; I thought he would just randomly put in sappy/wimpy-sounding lines because he thought he had to.
I was super disappointed by this book because Pure Sunshine is awesome and beautifully written.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, May 29, 2008

By 

Trixie "Trixie" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tomorrow, Maybe (Paperback)

This book is very unique. To start off with the format is very different, as Brian James does not use quotes or other normal grammar and punctuation. He also manages to successfully pull off a novel written in the present tense. (This is something VERY hard to do) He creates a realistic and captivating story about street kids, and the relationship that develops between a 15 year old girl who takes a younger girl under her wing to protect and essentially raise her. The book teaches a few good lessons, and has a surprise, twist ending that was one of the few that ever made me cry.