The Top-Secret Journal of Fiona Claire Jardin [Hardcover]

Robin Cruise (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

In this humorous, heartbreaking--and hopeful--novel, a young girl struggles to come to terms with her parents’ divorce. Funny, poignant, and above all, honest, Fiona’s journal entries reveal a roller coaster of emotions as she tries to cope in a world that’s been turned upside down. This story is sure to strike a chord with anyone--young or old--who has experienced the comfort and turmoil of family life.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Robin Cruise lets us peek inside the journal of Fiona Claire Jardin, an exceptional girl who is hilariously honest about her likes and dislikes, her friends, her teachers, and the ups and downs of having divorced parents. Back and forth, back and forth--Fiona shares her crankiness at having to shuttle between her parents' houses. It's hard to keep track of her things. It's hard to keep track of the rules at each house (no fingernail polish at her mother's house; no jumping on the bed at her father's house--or is it the other way around?). Most of all, it's hard to feel as though part of her life is missing, as if the last piece in a jigsaw puzzle will never be put in place. Frankly, with all of the fuss and confusion, Fiona has forgotten how to laugh. She hates writing in her journal a lot of the time, and she's not shy about saying so; the whole thing was her mother's "brilliant" idea. She thinks it might help Fiona better understand her feelings, but Fiona just wonders if all this writing will help her remember how to laugh. Delightful and wise beyond her years, Fiona will knock your socks off and remind you that good families, the kind you can trust and love, come in all shapes and sizes.

From Publishers Weekly

Cruise's first novel, written in journal form, gives a painfully realistic account of life after divorce. Ten-year-old Fiona does not understand why her parents started fighting or how they drifted apart. She only knows that their divorce (which she spells with a capital D) has brought a series of unwelcome changes. Now Fiona gets stomachaches and keeps losing stuff (even her dog has disappeared) as she and her six-year-old brother shuttle back and forth between her mother and father. Worst of all, Fiona has forgotten how to laugh. Visits to a therapist, a "darn snoop," are a waste of time in Fiona's opinion, as is keeping a diary (Fiona has promised her mother she will write for 20 minutes three times a week and thus avoid additional trips to the therapist). While the heroine's voice is undeniably honest, her pervasively bitter tone overshadows subtle, yet nonetheless essential, signs that her life is getting better. Her journal is more of a sounding board for complaints than a vehicle for sorting out problems, and because readers get no other point of view, it may be hard for some to follow Fiona's meandering path. At the end of the novel, it is evident that Fiona has developed a healthier, more optimistic attitude, but only the most perceptive readers will be able to track the stages of her improvement. Ages 9-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st edition (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152013830
• ISBN-13: 978-0152013837
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,334,718 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite books, January 31, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Top-Secret Journal of Fiona Claire Jardin (Paperback)

I have very few favorite books, and this one is in my all-time favorite list. I bought this book as a fifth or sixth grader, I can't remember. Anyway, I've read it about 20 times and I love it. I've never had my parents go through divorce, so it was very interesting to find out what it's like to have your parents go through a divorce and live in two different houses through the eyes of a person my age at the time. The book, Fiona's Private Pages, I plan to read because I loved this book so much. I'm now in 8th grade and still read it when there's no other books to read. I highly recomend this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshingly real, January 7, 2001

By 

"ladyothelake" (Long Island) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Top-Secret Journal of Fiona Claire Jardin (Hardcover)

I gave this book five stars, not because I believe it is the greatest book of all time, or because I believe there is anything exeptional about the writing style but because it is so real,vivid and gut-wretchingly-run-over-a-toad-on-the-highway-peanut-butter-and-jelly honest. I confess, one of the things I like best about this book is that Fiona's diary doesn't quote whole conversations. This is something that is very common in the Dear America series. It annoys me very much because I think there are VERY few people who can recall whole conversations and recall exactly what was said. It's not realistic! It also annoys me because people don't really write journals and letters with conversations in context. You might as well be writing from a narrative point of view then. This is the kind of "realism" that I find so delightful in this story. Fiona's tale doesn't stand out as a milestone in literature, or a groundbreaking life lesson. It's about an 10/11 year old who struggles through day-to-day life, someone all girls can really relate to. At the same time Fiona's unique character and busy life brings sparkle to the page. The people in Cruise's book are all wonderfully sketched. They have shape and dimension and just breathe with life. This book is a very good read for adolescents. The story deals a lot with family and the divorce of Fiona's parents. The book can help kids to realize that therapists are okay people, and it's okay to have problems as long as you don't keep them hidden forever. In Fiona's world, many things are not fair and many things are not right but life is never boring. If you read this book and liked it, I recommend Fiona's Private Pages, a sequel which I found equally good. I personally also like the covers on these books, they are collages of little bric-a-brac and objects from Fiona's life.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Top-Secret Journal of Fiona Claire Jardin, May 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Top-Secret Journal of Fiona Claire Jardin (Paperback)

This is a great book about a girl growing up and having to deal with changes in mainly family and friends. These are all her journal enteries. I would recommend it to everyone. It's fantastic.