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Diary #7
Passion Flower
The seventh title in Jean Ure’s acclaimed series of humorous and poignant stories. There’s trouble ahead when Steph and Sam’s father embarks on a spot of kidnapping.
Of course, Mum shouldn’t have thrown the frying pan at Dad. The day after she threw it, Dad left home…
Parents! First they’re together, then they’re apart. For Stephanie, a hip fourteen year old, and Samantha, her ten-year-old sister, being stuck in the middle of their parent’s problems is just what they need. Not. When Dad decides that what the girls really need is a summer holiday with him in Brighton, they jump at the chance. No rules, no hassle, no worries. But things never turn out the way you think, and Steph and Sam soon discover there’s a lot more to being a family than they thought…
Jean Ure’s diary series includes: Pumpkin Pie, Shrinking Violet, Skinny Melon and Me, The Secret Life of Sally Tomato, Becky Bananas, This is Your Life! and Fruit and Nutcase.
Of course, Mum shouldn’t have thrown the frying pan at Dad. The day after she threw it, Dad left home…
Parents! First they’re together, then they’re apart. For Stephanie, a hip fourteen year old, and Samantha, her ten-year-old sister, being stuck in the middle of their parent’s problems is just what they need. Not. When Dad decides that what the girls really need is a summer holiday with him in Brighton, they jump at the chance. No rules, no hassle, no worries. But things never turn out the way you think, and Steph and Sam soon discover there’s a lot more to being a family than they thought…
Jean Ure’s diary series includes: Pumpkin Pie, Shrinking Violet, Skinny Melon and Me, The Secret Life of Sally Tomato, Becky Bananas, This is Your Life! and Fruit and Nutcase.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
6 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Jean Ure
266 books121 followersProlific English children and young adult author.
Had her first book published while still in high school, then studied theater at Webber-Douglas in London. Her most well-known work is the Point Crime novel Dance with Death. Others include Plague 99, After the Plague (previously "Come Lucky April"), Big Tom, Family Fan Club and Shrinking Violet, as well as the fantasy The Wizard In the Woods.
Today, Ure is very popular with British female teenage readers with novels such as Shrinking Violet, Family Fan Club and Passion Flower.
Ure has also translated Danish writer Sven Hassel's WWII novels to English.
Had her first book published while still in high school, then studied theater at Webber-Douglas in London. Her most well-known work is the Point Crime novel Dance with Death. Others include Plague 99, After the Plague (previously "Come Lucky April"), Big Tom, Family Fan Club and Shrinking Violet, as well as the fantasy The Wizard In the Woods.
Today, Ure is very popular with British female teenage readers with novels such as Shrinking Violet, Family Fan Club and Passion Flower.
Ure has also translated Danish writer Sven Hassel's WWII novels to English.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 16, 2016
This book showed the story of a young teenager who learnt how life is more different in her father's presence than her mother's. It teachers younger readers that sometimes fun things aren't always fun in the end. An amazing lesson taught! :)
November 19, 2011
i love this book anyone who reads jean ure books should read this but dont read shrinking violet of bannana becky there boring
December 10, 2013
want to reread this!!
August 4, 2025
This was a really fun little teenage read. Can't wait to get my hands on other books from Jean Ure!
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July 19, 2014Book I read when I was a preteen
December 29, 2010
makes me fells grateful for my mother's too protective attitude
April 5, 2013
this book was soo unbelievable. who would through a prying pan at your husband? weird. but overall i enjoyed it. due to the facts that this incident happened dad left home. but after a while dad decides to take them for a holiday. they had soo much fun, going around cities,playing games. with dad their is no rules but just normal. everything turns out to be good and fantastic. Samantha bought a cat. Stephanie met boys and they became friends but bit much more to that. because dad was in deep trouble and Samantha wanted to take her cat with her, their dad abounded them, left them on a deserted beach. when their mum finds out what had happened, they go to her and live with her. Samantha and Stephanie both have cats not.(which i want) and Stephanie will always remember the flower on her head and the tattoo done . passion flower!!!
i found this book sad as-well as good.
i found this book sad as-well as good.
May 10, 2025
Different from some of the other teen books I've read but very good!
This is one of the first Jean Ure books that I ever read and probably one of my favourites so far (my top favourite being "Boys On The Brain")
Steph is a very likable character and very well-written: I've read lots of books about teenagers (particularly girls) and they aren't very realistic. Steph is one of the more realistic characters that I have ever read about.
The cover of the book is very eye-catching: on the version I own, the cover is bright blue with a passion flower on the front (with the book's title) although there is also another funky cover which shows Steph and her sister against a yellow background.
I have to say that this book is very mature for a teen book (not in an explicit way!) and it has a bittersweet ending. I would definitely recommend to other teenage girls (aged 14-17)
This is one of the first Jean Ure books that I ever read and probably one of my favourites so far (my top favourite being "Boys On The Brain")
Steph is a very likable character and very well-written: I've read lots of books about teenagers (particularly girls) and they aren't very realistic. Steph is one of the more realistic characters that I have ever read about.
The cover of the book is very eye-catching: on the version I own, the cover is bright blue with a passion flower on the front (with the book's title) although there is also another funky cover which shows Steph and her sister against a yellow background.
I have to say that this book is very mature for a teen book (not in an explicit way!) and it has a bittersweet ending. I would definitely recommend to other teenage girls (aged 14-17)
July 6, 2020
Very good book.Abit dark tho he likes kidnaps them.
April 3, 2017
I wanted to read something light & picked this off my shelf. A young adult novel, pre-teen actually, didn't expect much. But surprisingly this book proved engrossing & although i finished it in 2 hours flat, it made for a good read. It's a bit dark if you consider that it's supposed to be a kids' novel. But it's funny & relatable too.
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January 14, 2018I think that this book was ok. The ending of the book was rushed I think and didn't;t give a lot od details. I would rate this book an 8/10.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews