Picture a Girl - by Jenny Manzer (Paperback)

About the Book

In this middle-grade novel, Addie has to draw on all her resilience to look after herself and her little brother, Billy, when their mother, who struggles with depression and alcoholism, leaves unexpectedly.

Book Synopsis

Addie's mom is good at two things (three, if you count making French toast): surfing and telling stories.

Addie and her brother, Billy, live with their mom in a shabby rental cabin in the tourist town of Cedarveil, BC, right off the beach. Their lives are a little different than some--they often visit the food bank, and they don't have a phone or TV. For entertainment, their mom tells them stories before bed...if she's in a good mood, or home at all. Sometimes Mama copes with her depression by drinking; sometimes, she just disappears.

When Addie wakes up one Monday, she senses a stillness that tells her Mama's gone again. Addie knows it's up to her to take care of everything until her mom gets back. It's either not let on that anything's amiss or she and Billy will be separated from one another. Once again she makes it through until her mom's return a week later, knowing that she's strong enough to survive alone--but she's hoping this will be the last time.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Review Quotes

"Author Jenny Manzer captures her reader from the first sentence...Picture a Girl is a page-turner covering Addie's abandonment, deception, struggle, and surfing attempt in just over a week's time...encourages self-reflection and discussion, encouraging youth to consider how they would face similar challenges."

-- "Canadian Teacher Magazine"

"Told skillfully...Manzer details in an age-appropriate way how a young girl copes with responsibilities and situations that no young person should have to."

-- "BC BookWorld"

"Excellently written...The reader will be captivated by the intertwining of storytelling within the story...This book is an excellent choice for librarians to have on their shelves as an offering for individual selection or for teachers or counsellors to initiate discussions about some of the complex topics woven into the story. An excellent choice for group book discussions."

-- "Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD)"

"This story of children being abandoned by parents, siblings fearing separation if the abandonment is revealed, has been told before but seldom with this emotional intensity, honesty and candor found in Picture a Girl. Highly Recommended."

-- "CM: Canadian Review of Materials"

"An incredibly well-written and beautiful portrait of a girl facing difficult problems."

-- "Young Adulting Review"

"Manzer fills this title with lyrical prose and an engaging story to keep readers locked in until the very last page. Readers will root for Adelaide to catch a break and be able to return to the life of an 11-year-old instead of an overwhelmed person with adult responsibilities. Recommended."

-- "School Library Journal (SLJ)"

"This heartbreaking but uplifting middle-grade novel about the power of the stories we tell ourselves and others transports readers to a coastal Canadian town...This is a timeless tale of resilience in the face of not only poverty but substance abuse...Manzer's writing is crisp but flows like the waves Addie yearns to ride."

-- "Booklist"