A, My Name Is Ami

My Name Is #1

by Norma Fox Mazer

Best friends for four years, Ami and Mia worry that growing up will change their friendship

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Norma Fox Mazer was an American author and teacher, best known for her books for children and young adults.

She was born in New York City but grew up in Glens Falls, New York, with parents Michael and Jean Garlan Fox. Mazer graduated from Glens Falls High School, then went to Antioch College, where she met Harry Mazer, whom she married in 1950; they have four children, one of whom, Anne Mazer, is also a writer. She also studied at Syracuse University.

New York Times Book Review contributor Ruth I. Gordon wrote that Mazer "has the skill to reveal the human qualities in both ordinary and extraordinary situations as young people mature....it would be a shame to limit their reading to young people, since they can show an adult reader much about the sometimes painful rite of adolescent passage into adulthood."

Among the honors Mazer earned for her writing were a National Book Award nomination in 1973, an American Library Association Notable Book citation in 1976, inclusion on the New York Times Outstanding Books of the Year list in 1976, the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1978, an Edgar Award in 1982, German Children's Literature prizes in 1982 and 1989, and a Newbery Medal in 1988.

Mazer taught in the Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Children & Young Adults Program at Vermont College.

For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/norma-fo...

Reviews

[Grace Chan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ami and her BFF Mia stalk some red-headed dude from their class/Ami's mother moves out of their home for a trial separation from her dad/Ami misses her mom/Ami takes out her family woes on her BFF/Ami and Mia fight and make up And THE END.

This book was so boring!! Other than the fun and realistic teen dialogue between the two girls, there was absolutely nothing captivating about this book. I know author Norma Fox Mazer was quite the prolific YA author so here's hoping there are other reads I will enjoy from her. But this one ain't it.

[Madame Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ami and Mia are best friends, but when Ami's mother leaves the family, Ami is thrown in an emotional roller coaster and takes her anger out on Mia and her family. A heartfelt portrayal of realistic friendship and family life.

[Reading with Cats · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not great. The characters stay exactly the same from start to finish except one of them is dating the BOY! they’ve been creepily stalking (seriously, they pick up AND SAVE this kid’s *used gum* from off the ground 😳) and the other one has a new BOY! to obsess over. I can’t believe this was an actual series that lasted for more than one book.
1.5 stars

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was an okay read. Kind of shallow and lacked much closure. It is the start of a series, so that my provide some closure but since each book is about a different person, we'll see. Overall, a good message for kids struggling with life as it comes. Clean and fun to read.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book about best friends and their changing relationship. I don't remember this very well because it's been ages since I read it, but I remember parts of it and I did like it.

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book could have had more excitement. Usually, it doesn't take me long to read a book. Especially this short, but it just so happens, it was pretty boring to me.