Breaking Up is Hard to Do (Paperback)

by Lynda Sandoval (Author), Niki Burnham (Author), Ellen Hopkins (Author), Terri Clark (Author) "I am, without a doubt, the luckiest guy in the entire West Rollins High School junior class..." (more)
Key Phrases: ginger grass, clique lines, Lake Bash, Paige Knox, Fair Grounds (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Although-or perhaps because-these four stories about love gone wrong bear little resemblance to real-life heartbreak, they are likely to go over big with teens in search of solace for their own romantic misadventures. Burnham's protagonist, the lone male narrator, lets readers know right away that he's no "scumbag who only wants you-know-what from a girl"; when he gets pressured by his girlfriend on their one-year anniversary to have sex, he's not ready, and his refusal triggers a breakup. The reversal of typical gender roles could be amusing, except that the author wraps up the story with the tidy entrance of a girl who values the narrator's personality. The other stories send similar messages of empowerment, as in Ellen Hopkins's verse entry about a plain girl whose first boyfriend engineers a makeover, dumps her when she refuses to have sex, then lets her know she was a "practice" girlfriend; she recovers enough to tip off the next girl he approaches. And how many gay girls publicly humiliated by their girlfriends find an ally in the high school football captain, like Lynda Sandoval's heroine? Even so, readers will enjoy the stylish scenarios, projecting themselves into situations they can only wish were true. Ages 14-up.
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From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up—These four short stories center on falling out of love. The first story dumps stereotypes on their ear by featuring a romance rocked by a high school junior who is reluctant to "go all the way" with his gorgeous girlfriend. The second has a fantasy twist—a teen's head injury allows her to "hear" the thoughts of others, and it is readily apparent that there is a huge disconnect between her boyfriend's thoughts and what he says. The third selection is told in verse, revealing a girl's coming to terms with the changes she has made in herself to please her new boyfriend. Finally, the last features a lesbian relationship ruined by the fear of being outed. None of these stories is outstanding, but as a collection, they work well together. Basically, they're like reading only the most exciting parts of a chick-lit novel and leaving all the extraneous narrative behind.—Leah Krippner, Harlem High School, Machesney Park, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Graphia (May 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0547014996
• ISBN-13: 978-0547014999
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #378,261 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Really Enjoyable, Different Stories, October 25, 2008

By	Shooting Stars Magazine (Ky,Ma,) - See all my reviews

Interviews/Reviews/Contests/More: www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com


Breaking Up Is Hard To Do is a collection of four short stories all about the angered, pained, and revenge-seeking broken-hearted. First up is Burnham's story about Toby, who is always trying to please everyone else, but when he puts his foot down with his girlfriend, things don't quite work out. Terri Clark's Dee thinks she scored the social lottery when her goth self hooks up with a major jock, but when the two get into a car accident, Dee starts hearing people's thoughts and realize her boyfriend is one great actor!

Next we have Ellen Hopkins, who gives us a short story a la poetry, like her previous work, about a girl named Lisa who feels that she's just plain, but what happens when she scores her first real boyfriend? Last, Sandoval delivers us a great story of Mia, who falls in love with straight girl Paige. Except, all summer long...Paige was in love with her too, right? When things blow up in a very public way, how will Mia face her peers, let alone Paige?

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do took me awhile to finish, but it wasn't because it was a bad book. I actually enjoyed the stories immensely, and felt that even though you knew going in that they would all experience a break up, they still left much to be surprised by.

I was also happy by the authors they chose to contribute, giving each story their own unique twist. Burnham focused on the only guy, Clark dealt with the unreal, Hopkins wrote in a unique way, and Sandoval dealt with the only same-sex couple.

The book was an impressive collection of breaking up stories that will perhaps have you agreeing in sadness, but in the end, cheering with victory!

4.0 out of 5 stars The Compulsive Reader's Reviews, August 25, 2008

By	The Compulsive Reader (Big Rapids, MI, USA) - See all my reviews

Breaking up: something no one ever really wants to do, but is sometimes inevitable. And four of the best authors out there sure can empathize. Niki Burnham, Teri Clark, Ellen Hopkins, and Lynda Sandoval regale readers with the breaking up woes in their uniquely different and realistic stories. There's Tobey, who breaks it off when his girlfriend pressures him to have sex with her, and Dee, who, after a nasty bump on the head, is now able to read minds. She calls it quits when her newly acquired powers reveal her boyfriend's true colors. Lisa experiences heartbreak when she finds that she was merely "practice" for her inexperienced guy before he moved on to prettier girls. And Mia experiences anguish and humiliation when she's betrayed by the pretty, popular girl.

Each of these characters will speak to the reader as their story unfolds. The writing is straightforward and perceptive, from Clark's funny and fast paced style to Hopkins's beautiful and striking poems. This is one book that holds a powerful message between its two covers: heartbreak happens, and along with it is something better if you can let go and continue to move forward.

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, April 8, 2008

By	TeensReadToo.com "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

First love is the greatest thing in the world. Until it ends. When it does, you wonder if you'll ever make it. Or maybe you decide that guys are jerks and you pretend that it doesn't bother you. The truth is that breaking up sucks, especially the first time. No one likes to grow through it, but everyone loves reading about it.

BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO is the perfect short story collection to read about, well, breaking up.

Four short stories, each by an amazing author, tell the stories of Toby, who loses his girlfriend because he won't have sex; of Dee, who realizes that her relationship was nothing but research for a book; of Lisa, who's changed by her boyfriend and then dumped because she was "practice" and not pretty enough; and of Mia, who realizes her girlfriend can't decide whether she's straight or gay and ends up hurting Mia in more ways than one.

I don't read short stories very often, because I always want more -- but I loved each of the stories in this collection. Each story was unique and written in a very different style (one was even written in verse), but they all went great together. If I had to pick my favorite of these stories, it would have to be the story about Mia. I loved reading about the acceptance club at school and Wade was just amazing.

I would definitely recommend getting this book as soon as it comes out. It's awesome.

Reviewed by: Harmony