SuitabookJoy school
Elizabeth Berg
- Reading
- Consider reading together or checking in as Katie’s feelings for Jimmy develop. Let the young reader set the pace, and make space for discussing what makes a relationship feel caring, mutual and appropriate.
- Themes
- Katie and Jimmy: Katie becomes infatuated with Jimmy, a married adult much older than she is; one account says he wants friendship, and another describes the love as one-sided. Notice how Katie’s feelings and Jimmy’s response are presented, and whether their different ages and circumstances are addressed.
- Loss and family life: The book addresses loss and family life; the detail of how it is developed remains unclear. Consider how Katie experiences her home life and whether she finds support from other people.
- Finding a place among peers: Katie moves to Missouri, struggles to fit in and encounters rejection from children nearby before making friends. Notice which friendships feel accepting to Katie and how she responds when peers treat her unkindly.
- Worth knowing
- Katie’s mother has died, her father is described as distant and occasionally abusive, and her love for Jimmy brings considerable emotional pain. These strands may be worth discussing if they feel close to home.