Just for You to Know

By Cheryl Harness

As her family noisily slurps root beers at a drive-in stop, Carmen longs to be invisible -- especially when Clark and Larry shout out the news about Mama. Can it get any worse than this? Carmen imagines she's been kidnapped -- how else did she wind up as one of the Cathcarts. . . . At almost thirteen she's the oldest, with five noisy little brothers, a dreamy mom, and a sometimes reckless dad. When she's a famous artist, she'll get away from them all! This wonderfully honest and bighearted first novel mirrors life. Carmen Cathcart becomes a friend as, with a voice that is deeply moving yet often funny, she shares the importance of holding on to your dreams and what it means to be a family.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060783133
• ISBN13: 9780060783136
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: HarperColl
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 1.0" x 5.5"
• Age Range: 10 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 9

Customer Reviews

Excellent

I think the age range on this book is off the mark. My daughter read it for Senior honor's English and recommended it to me. I am very particular about what I read and I liked it very much. It is a very real story. My daughter said some students thought it was too sad, but she really liked it because it is so real and it does have a nice ending. I have recommended it to my mom. I sure hope there will be other novels to come. Students can learn a lot about life from this book.

A Harness fan from MN

I loved this book. I laughed and cried. It was tender, mischievous, funny and at times a little harsh...very realistic! It definitely was one of those books that I had to keep reading till I was finished!! The author's words are woven together so cleverly that I found myself wondering how she could spin such a wonderful tale. Bravo.

A Great New Voice for Young Readers (or Even Old Ones!)

Others have already mentioned what a fine family tale this is--virtually transporting the story-telling talent of Laura Ingalls Wilder into the early 1960s--but another aspect of this great debut novel I love is the work of Harness the historian, weaving the important events of the era and even the westerns on TV into the fabric of her tapestry of a tale.

Wonderful!

Cheryl Harness' unique voice shines through in this novel. Carmen is funny, sad, kind, confused, and so very honest about her feelings. Readers will immediately identify with this spunky gal.

I loved it!!

Carmen Cathcart, a thirteen year old girl with a dream of her own is sure to capture the hearts of both young and adult readers! Heartbreaking, warm and funny, the book is one you cannot put down. Brilliantly narrated and sure to touch your heart!