Saying It Out Loud

by Joan Abelove

Book Overview

With the help of her best friend, sixteen-year-old Mindy sorts through her relationships with her solicitous mother and her detached father as she tries to come to terms with the fact that her mother... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0141312270
• ISBN13: 9780141312279
• Release Date: August 2001
• Publisher: Puffin Books
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 4.4" x 7.2"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Gone but not forgotten

Mindy has just realized that her mom has a brain tumor. Throughout the book, Mindy reflects on the past events with her mom, and how much she has ignored her mom throughout her life. Mindy has to learn how to live with her mom's brain tumor and her dads neglectance. Gail, Mindy's best friend, helps her through many rough times, and helps her feal as if she belongs. Even though Midny is supposed to be concentrating on collage applications, she can not get her mind off of what is happening in her life. Saying It Out Loud makes you think about how much you would miss someone, and how you only miss some people when they are gone. This book relates to life by showing the ups and down of life. Through out my life I have not liked my mom being in my life, but and having second thoughts about it.

Changed the way I think of my mother

I was having a lot of conflicts with my mother when I bought this book. I am glad I got it. It made me laugh and cry. I have read it many times! It is easy to read and best of all it makes you think twice about people you dislike.

Perfect!

This is such a surprising and wonderful book. It's about Mindy's search for solid ground while her mother is dying. I cried and I laughed, but more than that, I marveled. No sentimentality, but plenty of real feeling, real heart, and real insight. I was stunned when I read about Mindy, combing her mother's hair in the hospital while worrying about jiggling her mother's brain tumor. I was delighted by the report by Mindy's friend's younger brother about "The Three Told Sloth." There are dozens of perfect moments like these woven through SAYING IT OUT LOUD. I'm richer and wiser for having read this book, and you will be too.

A realistic, different story of death & family interactions.

Mindy's mother has been diagnosed with a brain tumor,andsuddenly Mindy finds her world changed. Alienated from her fatherand separated from her mother, Mindy's supposed to be thinking ofcollege applications - but can't accept her mother's illness and demise. A realistic, different story of death affecting family interactions.

Excellent -- moving, funny, very real.

I read Go And Come Back and was excited to discover Abelove's second novel. It is surprising what a departure this book takes from her first in terms of setting and subject; but like her first book, Saying It Out Loud is a wonderful read. It shifts back and forth between current and past memories, despair and hope, pain and humour. I found myself smiling through my tears at many points in this book. Although the plot, a mother dying of cancer, is decidedly dark, the story manages to be sweet and funny and tender and sad without being maudlin. Saying It Out Loud definitely has a lasting impact.