Fifteen (Avon Camelot Books) (Paperback)

by Beverly Cleary (Author) "Today I'm going to meet a boy, Jane Purdy told herself, as she walked up Blossom Street toward her baby-sitting job..." (more)
Key Phrases: masculine flowers, steak bake, beetle juice, Doggie Diner, Sir Puss, Jane Purdy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

It seems too good to be true. The most popular boy in school has asked Jane out -- and she's never even dated before. Stan is tall and good-looking, friendly and hard-working -- everything Jane ever dreamed of. But is she ready for this?

Suppose her parents won't let her go? What if she's nervous and makes a fool of herself? Maybe he'll think she's too young. If only she knew all the clever things to say. If only she were prettier. If only she were ready for this...

With her usual warmth, perceptiveness, and humor, Beverly Cleary creates the joys and worries of a young girl's first crush.

About the Author
Beverly Cleary was born in McMinnville, Oregon, and, until she was old enough to attend school, lived on a farm in Yamhill, a town so small it had no library. Her mother arranged with the State Library to have books sent to Yamhill and acted as librarian in a lodge room upstairs over a bank. There Mrs. Cleary learned to love books. When the family moved to Portland, where Mrs. Cleary attended grammar school and high school, she soon found herself in the low reading circle, an experience that has given her sympathy for the problems of struggling readers. By the third grade she had conquered reading and spent much of her childhood either with books or on her way to and from the public library. Before long her school librarian was suggesting that she should write for boys and girls when she grew up. The idea appealed to her, and she decided that someday she would write the books she longed to read but was unable to find on the library shelves, funny stories about her neighborhood and the sort of children she knew.

After graduation from junior college in Ontario, California, and the University of California at Berkeley, Mrs. Cleary entered the School of Librarianship at the University of Washington, Seattle. There she specialized in library work with children. She was Children's Librarian in Yakima, Washington, until she married Clarence Cleary and moved to California. The Clearys are the parents of twins, now grown. Mrs. Cleary's hobbies are travel and needlework.

Mrs. Cleary's books have earned her many prestigious awards, including the 1984 John Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw, for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children in 1983. Her Ramona and Her Father and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 were named 1978 and 1982 Newbery Honor Books, respectively. Among Mrs. Cleary's other awards are the American Library Association's 1975 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, the Catholic Library Association's 1980 Regina Medal, and the University of Southern Mississippi's 1982 Silver Medallion, all presented in recognition of her lasting contribution to children's literature. In addition, Mrs. Cleary was the 1984 United States author nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, a prestigious international award. Equally important are the more than 35 statewide awards Mrs. Cleary's books have received based on the direct votes of her young readers. The Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden for Children featuring bronze statues of Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and Ribsy, was recently opened in Portland, Oregon.

This witty and warm author is truly an international favorite. Mrs. Cleary's books appear in over twenty countries in fourteen languages and her characters, including Henry Huggins, Ellen Tebbits, Otis Spofford, and Beezus and Ramona Quimby, as well as Ribsy, Socks, and Ralph S. Mouse, have delighted children for generations. There have been Japanese, Spanish, and Swedish television programs based on the Henry Huggins series. PBS-TV aired a ten-part series based on the Ramona stories. One-hour adaptations of the three Ralph S. Mouse books have been shown on ABC-TV. All of Mrs. Cleary's adaptations still can be seen on cable television, and the Ramona adaptations are available in video stores.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380728044
• ISBN-13: 978-0380728046
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #297,609 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fifteen Review, February 24, 2001

By	Megan (Seattle, WA, USA) - See all my reviews

I first read this book when I was only 11, and at the time, I had never read a romance book before. I absolutely loved it! The book is about a 15-year-old girl who meets a guy named Stan who is cute, responsible, has a great smile, and can drive! She is thrilled when he asks her out on a date, and the rest of the book goes from there. I am 14 now, and have read this book 8 times! I think part of the reason I love it so much is because it is very realistic and I can completely relate to Jane. Her thoughts and worries are often like my own. Plus, romance novels always effect me, because dating and guys are a part of a teen girl's life, and I am a teen girl. This book does not have sex or heavy kissing in it, which was quite refreshing since all of the teen novels these days contain that. That was nice because it showed there was a much more important aspect to Jane and Stan's relationship than sex (plus, at their age, they are WAY too young to be doing that anyway). If you are a teen girl, you will be able to relate to this book, especially if you have had a first date. The experience is scary, thrilling, joyful- so many emotions. The book shows this, through the lovable character Jane. So you will be able to relate! Plus, I fell in love with Stan and you will too! Besides being good-looking, he is courteous, kind, respectful, polite, funny, and responsible- every girl's dream. Also, it was quite interesting for me to read this because the book was set in the 1950s, so I got a glance at what life was like back then. All of the girls wore dresses all the time and did different things for fun. You will be so curious to know the ending. I know I was! I recommend it to anyone over the age of 10. This is truly my all-time favorite book! If you haven't read Fifteen, honestly, you are missing out on a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful experience! Please do yourself a favor and read it! :)

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic from a Simpler Time, March 9, 2002

By	W. Kaplan "calyndula" (Wynnewood, PA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I was so happy when I saw that preteen girls are still reading this book! I didn't think it could still be as sweet, as heartwarming, as absolutely perfect in this modern day of bras at 8 and significant others at 12.

"Fifteen" was my hope when I was a gawky preteen girl, positive that I would never have a date in my life. So thinks Jane Purdy, our heroine, a nice, ordinary (in her eyes) babysitter who gets good grades and has a reasonable enough life--except at 15, she has yet to date, yet to be kissed, yet to unlock the mysteries of just what one is supposed to do on a date!

Along comes just about the most popular boy in the entire class, Stan, who not only asks her out, but who TAKES her out. Jane is excited beyond belief, but so nervous, she is sure she has flubbed her chances of every seening Stan--or any boy--again. I could relate completely when I was a preteen, and even now, Jane's anguish rings so true!

I won't give away the ending, but suffice to say that it is absolutely perfect. If there is a young girl in your life, buy her this book. She might make noises about "old-fashioned" and "in YOUR day..." but I'll bet she reads it--and loves it.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For the "Hopeless Romantic" in each of us, December 16, 2000

By	F. Carter (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Fifteen" takes us back to 1959 - back when milk was delivered to your door and dogs ate horse meat and girls didn't call boys on the phone. Babysitter Jane Purdy resolves that "Today, I will meet a boy."

And, by golly, she DOES! Stan Crandall, doggie meat delivery boy, strolls into her life as she's having a nightmarish time babysitting an eight-year-old monster (actually, I know kids like that one -- not much has changed since the fifties).

How many 16-year-old boys today can date a girl for months without even asking for a kiss? How many 16-year-old boys today (or 30-year-old men, for that matter) are gentlemen enough to wait for the young lady to be seated before sitting down himself? Stan is perfect. And after some miscommunication and misunderstandings, they finally connect. And it's absolutely beautiful. A "must read" for all romantics, ESPECIALLY the hopeless ones.