Face Value - Hardcover

Johnson, Catherine

3.35

62 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 080278920X ISBN 13: 9780802789204

Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers, 2006

View all copies of this ISBN edition:

Two lifetimes. Two rising stars. One common danger.

As a daughter starts her rise in the glamorous London fashion scene, she begins to uncover secrets and clues about the mother she never knew -- a beautiful teenage model who became a victim in the high stakes, high pressure world where international fashionistas and mobsters intersect.

The fast cars, flashy parties, and easy money can be so enticing. But in a world where everybody is taken at face value, there is always a high price to pay for such fleeting fame.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

About the Author:

CATHERINE JOHNSON was brought up in North London by her Welsh mother and Jamaican father. She says that growing up mixed race in London has shaped a lot of her writing. She has two children and lives in London Fields, England. This is her first
book published in the United States.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 9 Up–Though Lauren never knew her mother, Paula, she is haunted by the story of the rising model who died so young in prison. When she is scouted by a London modeling agency, Lauren sees an opportunity to understand a part of her mothers promiscuous life that led to violence and abuse, and she is surprised to learn that her guardian, Nessa, is supportive, if cautious, of Laurens interest. Her newfound recognition, though, brings them to the attention of a person from Paulas past who is a danger to them both. Alternating chapters tell the stories of 15-year-old Lauren and of Nessa 16 years earlier. As both stories develop, readers learn more and more about how Nessa came to raise Paulas daughter, and how the choices that she made as a teenager shaped both her life and Laurens. Though this is a suspense story, and a good one, Nessa and Laurens relationship is what really makes it stand out. Young adult novels seldom let readers see how their teenage protagonists turn out. Seeing the adult Nessa through Laurens eyes, however, allows them to do so in a unique way that will be appealing to teens.–Stephanie L. Petruso, Anne Arundel County Public Library, Odenton, MD
Copyright � Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.