Natalie Armstrong has all a girl could want: beauty and intelligence, a loving family and a great boyfriend. But something is missing; the answer t...
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Nov 30, 2009
Sophia
rated it: 
Q5/ I think the back ground of Natalie is very good because she is adopted child, why can she have a good and wealthy family and everyone is kind to her? If she isn't adopted from good and wealthy, maybe her life will be different, so I want the story to change by putting the main character, Natalie, into the controversial family that don't let her do anything which she wants to do. Also, I would change the personality of Natalie's real mother because i think she's kind of slowly person. why cou
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May 01, 2010
Melody
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A thoroughly enjoyable book about a bright, beautiful, successful girl's search for her birth parents. The search for one's self is perhaps universal to teens, and more so for teens with holes in their history for whatever reason. Lowry handles the topic of adoption with grace and sensitivity. The characters just sing- they fairly jump off the pages. Tallie is one of my favorite characters ever, and I can forgive Lowry the execrable The Willoughbys on the strength of this and of course, Anastasia Krupnik
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Feb 05, 2012
Kricket
rated it:
another piece of teen fiction resurfacing from my youth! natalie armstrong loves her parents and sister, but can't help but wonder about her birth mother, who gave her up for adoption when she was just days old. when natalie graduates from high school, her parents give her the resources to begin her search. but will what she finds answer her questions?
this book is so dated that all the outfits sound awesome again. i think they should re-release it with a snazzy new cover, although th More...
this book is so dated that all the outfits sound awesome again. i think they should re-release it with a snazzy new cover, although th More...
Oct 27, 2010
Emily
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This is one of those books that I read when I was actually the intended audience and it has stayed with me. Seventeen-year-old Natalie has it all, but she feels like something is missing. Adopted when she was 5 days old, she knows nothing of her birth parents. Her loving family agrees to let her search. I always loved her eccentric family, and I go back and re-read this one from time to time. It may seems a bit outdated, but I like it, and for the time, difficult topics were handeled quite
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May 10, 2011
Christina
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A Lois Lowry book I hadn't read yet, so I read it. Interesting to read her earlier work. Some things didn't capture me as much (we get it, the protagonist is BEAUTIFUL and has AMAZING parents) but even so I really liked the protagonist and really loved her amazing parents and extraordinary grandma Tallie. In fact, her parents and Tallie were more interesting to me than some of the main storyline. I'd like a whole book about them, I think.
Nov 18, 2009
Pinky
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This was a really interesting book I read about a 17 year old girl graduating from high school with a perfect future ahead of her. But she is living with the parents that adopted her and she is fixed on finding her biological mother and while she is at it she learns so many new things about life and what its worth, and she finds out all about the story of her adoption. It's a great story i recommend this book to everyone.
Sep 19, 2009
Michelle
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It's interesting to read older books of Lowry's and see how much her storytelling has matured. This is a good story, but not nearly the caliber of most of her books. It spelled out the moral of the tale a little too explicitly. She even openly acknowledged the cliche of getting pregnant after only one time, but yet it was still there. The characters were strong, but overall the plot was a bit slow.
Nov 10, 2010
Sarah
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This book is talking about who and what a person is, and that finding your past and present can make you feel good, and can tell you a little bit about where you came from. This book is great, but you have to read it for yourselves because it's too hard to explain. If you have a working heart, then read this and you will understand about why knowing where you came from makes a difference.
Feb 07, 2010
Melanie
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I've been doing a bit of research into Lowry's writing and I decided to read this YA novel that I missed when it first came out. This is the story of a young woman's search for her birth parents. It isn't as compelling as The Giver or as moving as Number the Stars but it is a good read and would be great for a mother/daughter discussion about dating, chastity and choices.
Dec 27, 2009
Sophia
rated it:
Q5/ I think the back ground of Natallie is very good because she is adopted child, why can she have a good and wealthy family and everyone is kind to her? If she isn't adopted from good and wealthy, maybe her life will be different, so I want the story to change by putting the main character, Natallie, into the controversial family that dont let her do anything which she wants to do. Also, I would change the personality of Natallie'real mother because i think she's kind of slowly person. why cou
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Jan 03, 2012
Brooke
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Lowry, as always, is able to get into the nitty gritty things of life and explore them on whatever level you are willing to put into it. This book is about a girl who is looking for her birth mother. A simple story that discusses some of life's most meaningful questions whether you are adopted or not.
Jun 17, 2010
Etta
rated it: 
Lois Lowry has crafted a fine book about a difficult subject, and in the process, has created a loving and personable family. When I began reading it, I feared I would regret my decision to not search out my birth mother, but at the end, it was ok. An outstanding book, but I wonder if only adopted children would appreciate it.
May 31, 2009
laaaaames
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One of the better books I've read regarding adoption. Funny reading about a search for someone set in 1977, when so much of this plot would be taken care of on the internet these days.
Also, Tallie is awesome, and Kay Armstrong may be my favorite mom in YA lit.
Also, Tallie is awesome, and Kay Armstrong may be my favorite mom in YA lit.
Oct 13, 2007
Julie
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When Natalie Armstrong graduates from high shcool, she decides that she wants to go on a search to find her birth mother and learn about her adoption. Her curiosity takes her to the small town of Simmon's Mills. There she meets old Dr. Therrian the man who helped arrange Natalie's adoption. While talking to this dying man she finds out her mother's name. Her real mother's name. But there Natalie is at a dead end. Later, after careful searching Natilie decides to go to New York. This book holds y
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Jan 06, 2011
Kyla
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An extra star just for being Lois Lowry and an older books of hers that shows the road she's taken. But I really like how she handled adoption here and the summer quest and also - her Mom is one of the best in YA fiction.
Dec 09, 2010
Ariana
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I really enjoyed this book. Maybe because of my own feelings with adoption. It was finally an adoption story where my feelings matched the characters of Natalie's.
Aug 29, 2011
A wonderful, gentle take of an adopted girl and her journey to find her natural parents...If i had adopted children, would want them to read this book...
Jul 06, 2009
Amanda
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one of my favorite books growing up...maybe the one book i have read over and over the most.
Jun 09, 2009
Trina
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While this book is aimed more a the teeny-boppers, I still LOVED reading it!
Mar 11, 2009
Audrey
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I got to page six. I found out that I didn't like it for many reasons... Anywho... Yup!
Aug 12, 2009
Ashlie
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I was very disappointed in this book. I love love love Lois Lowry! I've just eaten up everything she's ever written. This book was one of her first novels, so I suppose she hadn't found her niche-- and her niche is a very reputable one--unsurpassable. The basis of this story is still the same as most of Lowry's novels (one trying to find themselves, their purpose)-- but it just wasn't qualifiable.
Jul 14, 2008
Rachel
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Natalie is an adopted 17-year-old girl who decides she needs to find her biological mother. It's about her search and what she does with the things she learns, both about her past and about herself.
The characters are great! Funny, unique, quirky, enjoyable. The adventure her mom has with getting dandelions to make dandelion wine was hilarious... and the purple tub! I'd read this one again.
The characters are great! Funny, unique, quirky, enjoyable. The adventure her mom has with getting dandelions to make dandelion wine was hilarious... and the purple tub! I'd read this one again.
Sep 17, 2007
Wendy
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This is a really entertaining and thought-provoking book--it makes the reader think about family, adoption, and teenage relationships. The diary entries are excellent. In many ways it's very dated now, and it reads to me more as historical fiction than contemporary fiction. Natalie's kind of a Mary Sue. Four stars for sheer compelling-ness.
Aug 28, 2007
Megan
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Another well-written book about a delicate situation by Lowry. In this novel, a teenager, about to graduate from high school, finds her birth mother. Highly recommended.
Aug 22, 2011
Elena
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Hmmm, just not really my kind of book. About a girl searching for her birth mother. Maybe I was expecting something different, but I just wasn't too impressed.
