One True Friend

by Joyce Hansen

Uncomfortable in his new surroundings with his foster parents, the Smiths, and with his little brother who doesn't remember him, Amir begins writing to his friend Doris, who lives in his old Bronx neighborhood, and soon learns that he must come to terms with his family's past and discover the true meaning of home.

Genres: Fiction

154 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Joyce Hansen has been writing books and stories for children and young adults for over twenty years. Joyce was born and raised in New York City, the setting of her early contemporary novels. She grew up with two younger brothers and her parents in an extended family that included aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents, all living nearby in the Morrisania section of the Bronx.

Attending Bronx public schools, she graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in 1960. While working secretarial jobs during the day, Joyce attended Pace University in New York City at night, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree. She then began her teaching career in the New York City public schools and earned a Master of Arts degree from New York University. She also taught writing and literature at Empire State College (State University of New York).

Joyce’s first children’s book, The Gift-Giver, published in 1980, was inspired by her own Bronx childhood and by her students. She continued to teach and write until retiring from teaching in 1995. Joyce Hansen presently lives in South Carolina with her husband and writes full-time.

Reviews

[Nataysia]

I just finish reading a book called One True Friend. The author is Joyce Hansen and the Genre is Fiction.The setting of the book is in New york. The main character is Amir. He is trying to find his real family because he is a foster child. He was my favorite character because he was determined to find his famliy.I really like this book. It was interesting because it was almost like a mystery. while i was reading the book i kept asking myself "will he ever find his real family". This book is similar to a lot of foster children. They all want to find their real mom & don't enjoy living with their foster parents.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy books with life situations like this.

[Demi]

This is about a boy who is trying to find his brothers and sisters who are living with their aunt. He lives with his foster parents who are very nice people and determined to help him. Only one of his brothers live with him, but his brother was too young to even know what happen to their parents. He thinks his foster parents are his real parents. Their real parents died and the children were split up. He stills write letters to his best friend Doris and she is the only one who keeps his motivation high.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer]

A teenage girl in Brooklyn writes to her friend, a boy who is having problems adjusting to life with a foster family in Syracuse, New York.

[James Weakley]

Hansen closes out her trilogy with a look at life from Amir's perspective in the final novel in The 163rd Street Trilogy. As much as the other two novels, this book finds Amir and Doris in situations that might be very familiar to students in the classrooms. Amir finds himself considering the nature of family, whether or not it needs to be blood that forms the bond itself. His resource for advice and consolation is his friend Doris, who is confronting rumors about her new friend, only to find an unexpected truth. Hansen is a masterful author for young readers.

[Linda]

One True Friend is about a boy who pen pals with his old neighborhood friend. Both teenagers share their joys and sorrows, and remind each other of what true friendship means. A very touching, frank story.

[Shyanne]

This book was boring to me at first and I never finished it but now im going to finish it to tell my real review. I was too young to understand.....