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Watching Jimmy (2012)

by Nancy Hartry(Favorite Author)

3.55 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

1770493603 (ISBN13: 9781770493605)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Tundra Books

review 1: I struggled with rating this book, but like another reviewer mentioned, I had to come back to the uneasy feeling I got by the end of the story that comes from the suggestion that it's ok to hide being abused from those you love. Besides that, I felt no sympathy for the character you're meant to have sympathy for in the end, even after his backstory was revealed. All that is still no excuse for his behaviour throughout the story. Also, I wasn't sure I bought into the claim that the costly surgery would make Jimmy better in the end, and that's where the last ray of hope lies... A quick and easy read, but I think it would be pretty dark for a grade 4-6 audience! And I'm not sure I can agree with the messages that come out at the end.
review 2: This was a heartbre... moreaking story that was ultimately hopeful. I ended up reading a lot of books about the mentally ill, and this was another one. The difference with Watching Jimmy is that Jimmy is ill because of abuse, and Carolyn witnessed the incident during which Jimmy was injured. After that, Carolyn takes on Jimmy as her responsibility, almost as a penance for witnessing his abuse at the hands of his uncle. I liked the family dynamics, although there may have been too many complex family ties for such a short novel. But the characters were good, and Carolyn is the kind of girl that I would have wanted to be a young age.The history is mostly background, and while it affects the story is not overwhelming. This reads more like contemporary realistic fiction, and I think that many readers will be able to identify with Carolyn. There are some tough topics in this book, so younger or more sensitive readers may need some guidance on the way through. Child Abuse. Drinking. Teenage pregnancy. Sexual innuendo. less

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