Turns on a Dime (Goldstone Trilogy) [Paperback]

Julie Lawson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1998 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: Goldstone Trilogy (Book 2)

Jo's world is spinning too fast. She's so far out of it she might as well be in orbit with that new Russian satellite, Sputnik. Her best friends have left her behind. All they care about is Elvis, rock n' roll, and boys. And Mack, her wonderful, loyal, beautiful friend Mack, has used her friendship terribly. If it wasn't for Michael, the new boy on her street, Jo wouldn't have a freind in the world. But when faced with a choice between Jo and the cool crowd, will Michael stand up to her? Something like terror tells her what the answer is. The worst is yet to come. When Jo accidentally learns a carefully kept secret, nothing is the same--not even herself. Feeling betrayed by everyone, it takes near crisis, a special family story, and a mysterious goldstone necklace to guide Jo to acceptance and the future that is hers. Although Turns on a Dime stands perfectly on it's own, it is Part Two of the Goldstone trilogy. Look to Goldstone and find out more about the pendant and the people who have worn it.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 5-8In this sequel to Goldstone (Stoddart, 1998), set in British Columbia, a family heirloom is passed from one generation to the next. Jo, 11, feels out of sync. Her classmates are swooning over Elvis and boys, and her beloved baby-sitter, Mack, is absorbed in romance. Jo finds solace in friendship with a new boy in her neighborhood whose humor, interests, and anxieties seem to match hers until peer pressure threatens to pull them apart. Jos world turns upside down when she learns that Mack is pregnant, and then Mack tells Jo that she is adopted. In shock and anger, Jo rejects her friend and her devoted parents and flees in distress to her grandparents. They comfort her with their own stories of harsh family realities and tragedies and encourage her to treasure the relationships that have brought her happiness. From her deceased aunt, Jo inherits the goldstone pendant that links her to her adopted family and the past. Numerous references to the 1950s add to the setting and give a historical framework to the story. The solid characterization, well-paced plot, and Jos journey of discovery will appeal to readers. Jo is markedly naive and impetuous in keeping with the conservative but changing tenor of the times. While the mystique of the goldstone pendant continues from the first novel, Turns on a Dime can stand alone as a complete, satisfying coming-of-age story.Gerry Larson, Durham Magnet Center, Durham, NC

Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

Turns on a Dime stands alone as a complete, satisfying coming of age story. --School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 173 pages
• Publisher: Fitzhenry and Whiteside; 1 edition (July 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0773759425
• ISBN-13: 978-0773759428
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,652,177 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Page Turner, April 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Turns on a Dime (Goldstone Trilogy) (Paperback)

Turns on a Dime is one of the most interesting and wonderfulbooks I've read. Being a reader of Young Adult books, I rarely find abook that combines a true to life story and a page-turning plot. This is one of these books. Relating adolesence, mystery, and romance, Turns on a Dime is at its best. Great work Julie Lawson!