Fourteen-year-old Pamela Collins is struggling to come to terms with her mother's death.
Somewhat shy, Pamela is thoughtful, full of passion, often funny, and sometimes tearful as she learns to cope with the emotional overload the tragedy has brought to her life. Her favourite things include walking alone in Lynn Canyon Park, the art of Emily Carr, and a certain boy with a "wicked grin." At the moment she dislikes her English teacher, shopping, and being singled out for special treatment because of her motherís death. Pamela is tall and slim and mostly uncomfortable with her rapidly changing body. She is unsure of herself and unsure of the loyalty of her friends.
"Authentic and insightful."
– Publisher's Weekly
"Full of sharp, funny observations and up-to-date references."
"Holubitsky shows real talent for writing about the world of teens and the slow road to emotional healing."
– KLIATT
"Holubitsky has successfully caught the nuances of adolescent life with its mercurial highs and lows."
"Highly recommended."
– Children's Literature
"Sometimes funny, sometimes tragic and always powerful."
– Resource Links
"In this gentle and introspective look at the emotional overload of a teenage girl, younger readers will find themselves relating to and caring about the realistically drawn characters."
– VOYA
"Deals with complex issues with great honesty; it ends with resolutions that answer our questions while leaving the door open for more possibilities. All in all, a wonderful book."
– The Observer
"Holubitsky deftly captures the clumsy sulkiness that hides adolescent heartbreak."
"This is a story that manages to avoid traps of obvious confessionality while still compellingly revealing the pain and labor of adjustment to loss."
– Center for Children's Books
"This is a YA novel to watch come awards time."
"The subject is dark, of course, but Holubitsky writes Pam's diary entries with a rollicking lightness 12- to 16-year-olds will relish."
– The Georgia Staight
"A novel whose strength comes from the way in which it leads us to recognize the contemporary world of the teen herd while it applauds those who are determinedly their own people."
– Edmonton Journal
American Booksellers Association (ABA) Pick List | 1999 | Commended
American Library Association (ALA) Best Books for Young Adults | 2000 | Commended
Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Quick Picks | 1999 | Commended
CBC "This Morning" Book Panel Selection | 1999 | Commended
Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Our Choice, starred selection | 1999 | Commended
Canadian Library Association (CLA) Young Adult Book Award | 1999 | Winner
The National Chapter of Canada IODE Violet Downey Book Award | 2000 | Winner
Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award (MYRCA) | 2001 | Nominated
New York Public Library (NYPL) Best Books for Teens | 1999 | Commended
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Readers Choice Award (YRCA) | 2002 | Nominated
Young Readers' Choice Book Awards of British Columbia (YRCABC) Red Cedar Book Award | 1999 | Nominated
Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards - Young Adult / Middle Reader | 1999 | Nominated
Ontario Library School Association (OSLA) The Teaching Librarian - Best Books for You | 1999 | Commended
Tiny Torgi Literary Awards for Books in Alternative Formats | 2001 | Short-listed
