The Pursuit of Happiness review by Little Willow
The Pursuit of Happiness
by Tara Altebrando
Age Range - 12 and up
Genre - Chick Lit
Five Star Award

LitPick Review

Profile Picture
Age at time of review - 14
Reviewer's Location - North Hollywood, CA , United States
View Little Willow's profile

In this dramatic and engaging story, a teenage girl named Betsy is grief-stricken when her mother loses her battle with cancer. Though Betsy typically gets along well with her younger brother and father, her mother's death causes the family members to pull apart quietly, each dealing with the loss in his or her own way. Summer has a lot of other changes in store for Betsy. Her boyfriend dumps her shortly after her mother's funeral. Her best friend Mary may not be her best friend any longer. Her job at the colonial village, where she has to dress up and play the part of the dutiful daughter, becomes more intriguing due to her co-workers Liza (complete with piercings and a bad reputation) and James (apprentice by day, surfer by night). She also finds herself with a new hobby: cutting silhouettes out of paper. As Betsy struggles with the five stages of grief, she occasionally falters, then later regrets what she said or did. Altebrando infuses her main character with a strong spirit. Betsy never stops trying to get back on her feet, and readers will cheer her on.

Opinion: 

This book moves along at a steady pace, with a first-person narrative enabling the reader to get inside Betsy's head. The coming-of-age tale greatly benefits from the summertime setting. The realistic dialogue will meet the approval of teen and adult readers. Tara Altebrando has written a wonderful tale about love, loss, family, and finding yourself. This is definitely one of the best books I've read this year, and I highly recommend it. If you enjoy The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen, The Alison Rules by Catherine Clark, or Good Grief by Lolly Winston, you will undoubtedly enjoy The Pursuit of Happiness.

 

Rating:
5
Content Rating:

Content rating - nothing offensive
KEYWORDS

CHARACTERISTICS AND EMOTIONS: 


Read more reviews by this Litpick Book Reviewer: Little Willow
Recommend this book and review to your friends on Facebook