Josie's Beau - Hardcover

Honeycutt, Natalie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0531057186 ISBN 13: 9780531057186

Publisher: Orchard Books, 1987

Synopsis

Josie's summer is busy as she tries to help her friend Beau buy the skateboard of his dreams and they both have trouble from a bullying peer.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 5-7 A charming story about the summer adventures of two 12 year olds, Josie and her best friend, Beau, who have grown up together. While Josie is aware that her feelings for him are changing, Beau is more concerned with the love of his life, his skateboard, which he is paying for on time. As a result of Beau's obsession, Josie and Beau are looking for jobs and walking everywhere to save bus fare. This leaves Beau open to attacks by bully Matt Ventura. Beau's mother is opposed to violence, and she threatens Beau with the loss of his skateboard if he does not stop fighting. Beau then lies and claims Josie is hurting him, which causes Josie much pain and makes her re-examine her friendship with Beau. All ends well, with Beau standing up to Matt and becoming aware that he is more than a friend to Josie. Told from Josie's point of view, this is a much better story than the typical young teen romance. Josie and Beau have many interests, and the plot is well developed, with interesting secondary characters. It is a good choice for readers who are on the edge of growing up and want to read a story about boy-girl relationships but are not ready for older romantic fiction. Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, Mo.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

Josie and Beau live in a two-family building, a flight of stairs apart, and their parents are friends. They've known each other most of their lives and Beau has confessed that he loved Josie in fourth gradefor awhile, anyway. But this is junior high, and Josie is suffering from what she considers an extraordinary lack of talent while Beau just wants a skateboard. He's plagued by a bully, and his mother will revoke her financial help for the skateboard because she thinks he's picking fights. So Josie lets him tell his mother that her own adolescent exuberance has led to aggressive behaviorthat Josie's hitting Beau. The plan backfires, but not before Josie has gained a little self-esteem from simple acts of independence from Beau. Honeycutt's book celebrates ordinariness; readers will enjoy this for Josie's sakebecause she's so realrather than for any message it has to offer. A Richard Jackson book. Ages 11-13.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Orchard Books
• Publication date: 1987
• ISBN 10: 0531057186
• ISBN 13: 9780531057186
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 153