When JFK Was My Father [Hardcover]

Amy Gordon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 26, 1999 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

It's 1963 and thirteen-year-old Georgia decides to pretend that JFK is her father, certain that he won't let her down - unlike her own father, who is too busy with work and a love affair to pay much attention to her. Georgia's world is turned upside down when she and her mother leave their home in Brazil and return to the United States, where Georgia is immediately packed off to a boarding school. At school Georgia fails almost all of her classes and feels as if she'll never fit in with the other girls. But as time passes, and with the help of her English teacher, some friendly voices, and her own growing self-awareness, Georgia begins to realize her self-worth and the true significance of her three most treasured possessions: a pebble from her friend Tim, her stamp collection, and her photograph of JFK. She also discovers many truths about the people in her life.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-It's 1963, and 13-year-old Georgia Hughes, feeling neglected by her wealthy, divorcing parents, imagines that President Kennedy is her warm and caring father. Georgia has been living in Brazil with her mother and father, whom she calls La and Winter; they are as cold and superficial as those names imply. When La discovers that her husband is having an affair, she returns to Washington, DC, with Georgia and places her in a Connecticut boarding school. Arriving in October, Georgia finds it difficult to fit in until her active imagination conjures up the ghost of the school's former headmistress, who gives her advice. When Tim, a friend from Brazil, turns up in Georgia's school's boathouse as a runaway from his boarding school, Georgia realizes that she no longer wants to leave. She has found a home, a place where people care for her and she for them. The poignancy of the book is heightened for those readers who realize that JFK will be assassinated in November. When that event occurs, Georgia has matured enough to stop pretending. The '60s setting, enhanced by some slang, will appeal to readers. Georgia's voice shines clearly in the narrative and especially in the series of letters she writes to JFK. She is a likable and well-drawn character, with a wonderful voice. Readers will empathize with her and cheer her coming-of-age.
Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

When 14-year-old Georgia Hughes' mother finds out about her husband's other woman, she whisks Georgia from Brazil back to the U.S. and the Beard Boarding School. With her world turned upside down, Georgia can cling to a few things: the moonstone given to her by a special boy named Tim and a picture of John F. Kennedy. Georgia decides that JFK is her real father and spends much of her time in an intense, imaginary relationship, which keeps her from paying too much attention to nasty classmates and clueless teachers. When Tim appears at Beard, wanting her to run away with him, Georgia must decide how unhappy she really is and what course she wants her new life to take. Gordon writes in a vivid, defining style that allows Georgia to emerge as a fresh, fully realized character. Her relationships with both JFK and the long-dead founder of Beard seem as honest and true as the more problematic relationships she has with her fellow students. The plot turns will hold readers, but Georgia's reasons for those turns are not always developed. Although the 1960s setting does not play a prominent role in the book, Georgia's affection for JFK captures some of Kennedy's magic and accurately mirrors what so many felt for their young, handsome president. Ilene Cooper

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 202 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children; F edition (April 26, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395913640
• ISBN-13: 978-0395913642
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,426,038 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very interesting story, July 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: When JFK Was My Father (Hardcover)

This was a really good book , about a kid who pretends JFK is her father , to ecscpae the reality of her life. I read it all in one day.! Read it!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read book, April 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: When JFK Was My Father (Hardcover)

I think this book is excellent! It is about a thirteen year oldnamed Georgia. The story begins when her family left Rio for a smallfishing village called Buzios. Along with her, she brought her stamp collection. Georgia met a friend named Tim who was interested in Georgia's stamp collection. They spent a lot of time together, collecting items on the beach. On new years eve, Tim gave her a pebble that looked like the moon. The next day, she went back to Rio. After failing many school interviews, finally, a boarding school accepted her. One day, when she was looking in a Life magazine, she saw a picture of JFK. That was when she decided that JFK would be her father. JFK always comforted her, and would talk to Georgia. Although these conversations wern't real, Georgia heard them in her mind. When she went to The boarding school, JFK tells her that he needs her to keep an eye on things about gunrunning happening near the school. One day while ditching sports class, Georgia finds Tim in a boat house. What will happen? Will she stay and help JFK spy? Or would she runaway with Tim? Read the book to find out. Amy Gordon has done a good job on this book.I liked it because it was interesting. I just had to read it all in one night.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Book, March 20, 2006

By 

Sam Yang "S. Yang" (Cerritos, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: When JFK Was My Father (Hardcover)

This fun book is about a girl named Georgia Hughes. She lived in Brazil but hings soon got out of hand. She met a boy named Tim, they become really good friends. A couple of months after she met him, her mother sends Georgia to a private school in North America. After along time of searching for a school, they find a private boarding school. She meets lots of friends there and imagines talking to the ghost of the person that founded the school and imagines talking with JFK. It sounds weird but it's actually really fun.

I liked this book because it's very creative and very fun. This book is kind of realistic, if you have imagination. Georgia struggles with real life problems, the problem that relate to her parents. Her parents are all over the place, her father is with another woman, and her mother can't stop smoking. It reminds me that there are lots of people who have problems and suffer from it. This book would be fun to read if you're looking for a good book.

My favorite part in this book was the good ending. She could have gone with Tim and forget about everything in the past, but instead she stays at her school. It took her a lot of love for the school to not go with her best friend. At the end she says that the school is her home and doesn't want to leave it. If I were in her shoes I would just run away and never look back. This book is very good and I rate it a 9.5 out of 10.