Lily has settled into life in Connecticut after her parent's divorce but it's been harder on her eight-year-old brother Michael. After their mother...
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Dec 21, 2011
Jennifer
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Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
Blended families, a deadbeat dad, religion, sibling rivalry, abandonment. These are all issues that Caroline B. Cooney tackles, quite deftly, in A FRIEND AT MIDNIGHT.
When eight-year-old Michael decides to go live with his father, it's a strain on the entire family. His mother pretends as if it's not happening. His stepfather, Kells, attempts to placate his wife. His oldest sister, Reb, doesn't have a lot of time to deal with it, as she' More...
Blended families, a deadbeat dad, religion, sibling rivalry, abandonment. These are all issues that Caroline B. Cooney tackles, quite deftly, in A FRIEND AT MIDNIGHT.
When eight-year-old Michael decides to go live with his father, it's a strain on the entire family. His mother pretends as if it's not happening. His stepfather, Kells, attempts to placate his wife. His oldest sister, Reb, doesn't have a lot of time to deal with it, as she' More...
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Dec 16, 2009
Erin
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15-year-old Lily gets a phone call one night from her brother Michael. Their father dropped Michael off at the airport, after indicating that he is not the son he wanted; Michael is left alone with no luggage, no money, and no ticket. As their mother and stepfather are out of town, Lily makes the ultimate decision - to board a plane with their infant half-brother and meet Michael at the airport.
Michael makes Lily promise that she won't tell anyone...and Lily finds herself losing fa More...
Michael makes Lily promise that she won't tell anyone...and Lily finds herself losing fa More...
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Oct 14, 2009
Jill
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Lily is watching her baby brother when she gets a call from her other brother, Michael. Their father just dropped eight-year-old Michael off at the airport in Baltimore without money or a plane ticket. Michael begs Lily to help him get home and to keep what Dad did a secret. Lily risks everything to rescue her brother. She can’t believe that her dad would abandon his son in such a way. And after everything that Dad said and did to Michael, how can Michael still love him?
This book was More...
This book was More...
Feb 04, 2012
Karen
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Lily's family is like many these days. Her parents are divorced and her mother has remarried, and Lily has a toddler half brother along with her 8-year-old brother Michael and older sister Rebecca. Lily does what most kids do -- try to deal with the family, go to school and church and hope to figure it out eventually. Lily questions everything around her, especially after Michael goes off to live with their father in Maryland ... and not long after calls her to tell her he's been dumped at th
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Feb 28, 2008
Jean
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Caroline Cooney really knows how to make her characters live. I know these people. The book made me think about some things I thought I already knew. Am I a friend at midnight? Or am I just knocking at the door waiting for the Lord to rescue me?
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Mar 02, 2011
Ellie
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I really like this book and how everyone dealt with the situation. Like the real dad and how he didn't care about how his son would get home and he just dropped him off with no money and he hadn't packed anything, he just left him there with no intention of helping him get home what-so-ever. This was just one of those books that I would sit down and read again if I had the time to do so.
Dec 18, 2008
Sherrie
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I got this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers group. The beginning is very compelling (an 8 year old boy is abandoned by his father in an airport), but it really doesn't keep rolling from there. The remainder of the book explores forgiveness and religious doubt. Fans of Caroline Cooney's work will want to read this book, but it is far from her best.
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Dec 17, 2008
Carey
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I think that this book is a good example of how what parents do does affect their children. Lily, the main charactor, has a little brother named Michael who moves out of his mother's house to go and live with his dad. On the way to his dad's house, his dad leaves him at the airport with no ticket and no money, not even his backpack full of belongings. The only this he says to his eight-year-old son is: "You're not the son I had in mind." Michael is heartbroken. Even after his sist
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Jan 13, 2009
Alyssa
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It was an okay book, but not the greatest. I wouldn't recommend this book if you wanted an exciting, adventurous book. This book's genre is mainly fiction.
Dec 26, 2008
Margaret
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It took me a long time to read this in its entirety because some parts of it are so tragic and heart-wrenching that I couldn't bear it.
Feb 26, 2011
Arielle
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I honestly wouldn't recommend this book this book because it was confusing and it didn't really interest me.
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Apr 02, 2009
Dani
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I didn't really like ths book. Very slow and boring. I am dissapointed with Caroline B. Cooney. :(
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May 03, 2010
David
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While the story seemed promising at first, it did not develop into something meaningful for me.
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Dec 24, 2009
Rachel
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The plot was interesting. I would probably give this book somewhere between 3 and 4 stars.
Feb 09, 2009
Connie
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Lily comes to terms with her hatred of her father who deserted her brother and herself.
Jan 26, 2011
Amber
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Great page turning--compelling writing, but I felt like it lagged then got very preachy.
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Nov 21, 2010
Michelle
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Not what I expected. Didn't flow well, characters weren't well developed,etc. Not one of her better books.
Feb 13, 2008
bjneary
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Lilly, 15, now lives in a blended family. Her parents are divorced. She and her siblings live with their mom, new stepfathers and new baby brother. Lilly is adjusting to her new life, but her 8 year old brother, Michael, is struggling and goes to live with their father. After 2 short weeks, Michael is back and only Lilly knows the reason and is sworn to secrecy. Lilly's faith is tested, her family is tested, and Lilly carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. Lilly has very strong
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Mar 20, 2008
Lotte
rated it:
I would never have heard of this book except from my friend Jean's list - and it is a youth book. I also found myself considering the passage Luke 11:5-13 (friend at midnight) and how that translates to my everyday choices. That reminded me of Proverbs 3:27-28 (Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thine neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee).
Dec 16, 2008
Meadow
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What would you do if your father took your brother to an airport leaft him without anything and took of. For this girl. she is fighting with anger and fear. Who is this man that is her father. she must find a way to fly across the country and save her brother without her mother knowing.
Oct 31, 2008
Sheila
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I learned from this book that when your young you have a great capacity to love a wayward parent and that kids from divorced homes just really want to see both parents even a small amount even it they are bad
Jun 21, 2008
Rachel
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It was really good and I really saw a side of divorce that I have never seen before. Especially since I have never experienced it. You can really see into the character's heart and feel what she feels.
Feb 03, 2012
