Girlhearts

Sarabeth #2

by Norma Fox Mazer

One minute, her mother is waking her in the middle of the night to dance with her in the rain. The next, Sarabeth is pulled out of class and told that her mother has died of a heart attack. All of a sudden, Sarabeth faces unanswerable How could this happen? Where will she go? Will she ever find a place she truly belongs? This is Norma Fox Mazer's long-awaited sequel to her best-selling novel Silver.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary, Middle Grade, Young Adult Contemporary, Womens

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 24, 2001

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

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread November 2015:
Well Past Self called it because I reread this and am bumping it from 3 stars to 4. If I read it again, I'll probably give it 5.

One, Sarabeth's friends are in it more than I remember and they are lovely. Yay, Patty. And Leo is there at important times and says things that make me love him.
Two, there are so many sad and beautiful moments in this book. God, my heart broke reading about how much she misses her mom--remembering her last moments with her in the rain, hearing Cynthia talk sweetly to Darren and feeling angry.

"And then, when Chester Jay stopped in front of my house, I remembered something else, not from long ago, but from yesterday morning. How Mom had almost had to beg me for a kiss. How I had bent over and stingily, for an instant only, let my lips touch her cheek."
Then later: "[Cynthia] started kissing Darren again on his neck, his fat little arms, his cheeks, his nose. Kisses and love. From the couch, though I could hardly bear to watch, I did. I watched, grinding my teeth, as if my envy was a piece of old dry bread." My heart.
The swing pushing scene. Walking around with Darren. Oh, Sarabeth!
"I was jagged now; I had sharp edges. I was righteous, too, ready to shout through the fire in my heart at anyone who crossed my path. Do you know how lucky you are, or are you too stupid to know?"
"And that last night came back to me again so vividly. Mom in her red dress, the two of us running through the rain, hand in hand. She'd been laughing, and I kept telling her to be quiet, and neither of us knew that with each moment that passed, she was already dying, her heart starting to fail her, her body getting ready to separate from her life, from me."
God.

Original review, November 2013, 3 stars:

Holy shit, a sequel to Silver!!!! This is next on the to-read list!

***
...Aaaaaaaand now I've read it. Oh, Sarabeth, I missed you. But also, oh, this was hard for me to read. I felt like I knew Sarabeth and her world so well from reading Silver 10,000 times. It's surreal to be back in that world. But only kind of. Because right away Sarabeth's mom dies. And everything changes. Sarabeth's voice and character are the same, but definitely lost, sad, angry, everything she should be, of course, without her mom. But I remember Sarabeth, yes, being innocent, but also so strong, and it was hard for me to read her like this. Adrift. I guess it's stupid to say but Sarabeth...I don't know...was kind of my friend. My book friend. And I didn't like her going through this. There. I said it. Sarabeth Silver is my friend and I didn't like that we put her through this, Norma Fox Mazer. (Even though I love you too, Norma Fox Mazer. So much. RIP)

I also really, really missed all of her friends! I loved her friends! I loved Sarabeth discovering them and becoming part of their group and their secrets and jokes and friend rituals. I loved that they called her 'Silver'. I loved Sarabeth's cat and mom and mom's boyfriend and all of their relationships. And now we have...Sarabeth trying to move on from her mother's death, living with her mom's best friend, not having a space anymore, feeling confused and left out. No cat even! Hardly any Leo! And her friends are barely in the book because that's not the focus anymore.

Sarabeth is still strong and you know she'll have a happy ending. She's already on her way there when the book ends. And I'll probably reread this book and like it and it probably deserves more stars from me. But I'm just sad. So there. Only 3 stars for you, Girlhearts.

Fun fact, though. I completely devoured this book on my birthday. Happy birthday to meeeeee!!!! Hanging out with my best book friend forever.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just a beautiful book. It’s very simple, and not much happens, but it continues Sarabeth’s story very nicely with appearances from all the older characters. I don’t like how some of the people in Sarabeth’s life treat her after her loss, but I like how most of them rally around her and support her. The writing is strong, and I really connected with all the characters again, especially Sarabeth. I felt for her and enjoyed her perspective.
I recommend this book to people who enjoyed Silver and to people who like middle grade stories about real life.
Triggers: death, grief, loss, mentions of abuse and other difficult topics, the “r slur,” though not used derogatorily but as a medical term (outdated though it is)

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sequel to Silver, a book I discovered when I was a pre-teen and read so often that I memorized most of it. The characterization in this book is superb, especially the adults. They were flawed and interesting and real. Unlike Silver, Girlhearts concentrates less on Sarabeth's relationship with her friends and more on her relationship with the adults in her life. There is a semi-love interest in this, but he's not given much book time, and he's really not at the center of the narrative. I would've actually liked him to be more present, or not have been there at all.

I thought the writing was simple yet powerful, and packed quite the emotional punch. There were a few slang terms that seemed to be outdated, but it wasn't so bad that it took me out of the story. Also, since this book is set in the east coast maybe the slang is different there, I don't know.

Though not my favorite of Norma Fox Mazer's books, this was still a great read and a great continuation of Sarabeth's story. In fact, I would've loved to read more about Sarabeth as she gets older and starts high school because she's a great character. Mazer is such a great storyteller. I want to get my hands on all of her older novels.

[mads · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute, easy book. loved the ending

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: https://hiplibrariansbookblog.com/200...

[melhara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea that this book was a sequel before searching it up on GR to post this review. I don't think it matters though, because it can certainly be read as a standalone novel.

I quite enjoyed this depressing book, although there were a few things that bothered me.

Let's start with the good:
This book did a fantastic job of capturing the various stages of grief of a 13-year-old girl, Sarabeth Silver, whose mom suddenly died of a heart attack. For as long as Sarabeth could remember, it's always been just her and her mom, against the world. Now, she's orphaned and all alone. Although Cynthia (Sarabeth's mom's best friend) has offered to take care of Sarabeth, Sarabeth can't help but feel like an unwanted burden and starts acting up because of it.

The writing was so good - simple, straightforward (no fluff and flowery prose), and full of emotion. My heart ached for Sarabeth and I could feel the grief pouring from the pages.

What I didn't like:
The fact that this book was first published in 2001 does mean that there were certain outdated word choices that were used, such as the word 'retard' to describe someone with an intellectual disability. In one of the earlier chapters, Sarabeth's friends completely reject the notion of cultural appropriation... This did not sit well with me.

Finally, my other criticism of this book is that Sarabeth's friends should have had a larger role in the novel. Their relationships were a bit strained as Sarabeth continued to work through her grief and we never really see the relationships improve or develop any further which is quite a shame.

----------------------------------------------
Part of a personal challenge to read all of my boyfriend's and his sister's childhood books before we donate and give them away.

[Kaitlyn McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really shows how life takes twists and turns, some for the worst and some for the best. Personally I enjoyed the book very much, because it kept me hooked and I wanted to keep reading and enjoying it. 13 year old Sarabeth faces a lot of struggle in her life after her mother dies of a sudden heart attack and leaves her alone with no family. The whole book is based around Sarabeth being so young and realizing how quickly she has to grow up after the horrific tragedy she is put through. The strength it took that girl to get through life everyday knowing she had no mother and nobody that really loved and cared about her was amazing and unlike any other struggle I’ve encountered in my lifetime. This book was like a rollercoaster, filled with heartbreak and love tied all into one. Girlhearts was a very good read and I recommend it to anyone interested.

[Carol Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarabeth's father died when she was young and now a heart attack has taken her mother's life. The sudden loses of her only family and the only home she's ever known leaves Sarabeth in a very bad place. Her mother's friends, Cynthia and Billy, take in Sarabeth to live with them and their baby in their tiny one-bedroom apartment. Before long, Sarabeth realizes she's intruding on their lives, but where can she go?

When I decided to read this book, I did not realize that it was a sequel to "Silver". It stood well on its own. I cared enough about the character Sarabeth to read the first book but it is not in any of the public libraries. I could get it for a little over $5.00 from Amazon but I feel like it might be anti-climatic reading the first book now.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll be honest - I was disappointed. I loved Silver and even the short story I once read about Sarabeth in another book, but this falls very short of my expectations. I didn't feel for her like I had before. I struggled understanding why she thought and felt and acted the way she did. I thought the ending was way out in left field and I just wanted and hoped for so much more.

[Jennifer Varnadore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the few books I've reread multiple times, and the scene that the cover is based off has lived rent free in my head for over a decade, and has led to both a desire to experience the phenomenon and later on a fulfilment of that said desire, as it happened to me on a few occasions where I used to live

[Cat · Rating 2 out of 5]

I actually thought this book was pretty good. However, the plot was a little sketchy about her mom dying at an age ranging from 25-30. The story line was pretty original and the characters were dynamic. A good read.

[Sadie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't even read the whole book. It got to depressing, boring and uneventful for me.

[Talia · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was a good book about grieving and how to deal with death , i enjoyed it

[Lesr · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a really good way to tell a story about a hard subject. Enjoyed it. Had I been 13, it would have easily been a favorite. for that I give it 4 stars!

[Salma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Salma Martinez
Mrs.Moulton
English 12
March 7,2017

Girlhears by Norma Fox Mazer
A Sarabeth mom dies from a heart attack at a really young age and her father had died a couple of years earlier from a car accident. When sarabeth’s mom dies she is left alone and without her mom, her mom’s friend takes sarabeth in to care for her. I believe this book is mostly about Sarabeth going and getting through the ‘grief of her mother’s death and how she has to be strong because she’s all alone and has to learn that their people that still care for her and love.
A weakness this book i believe is that i believe that for most of the book she is angry with everybody and not very open minded so she misses out on things and maybe that’s part of the grieving not a weakness. Overall I really enjoyed reading this book it really showed the character grew towards the end and made herself do stuff that she probably wouldn’t have the courage of doing with her mom alive out of respect and faithfulness, because she goes and visits her grandparents who kicked her mother out when she got pregnant with Sarabeth
I would recommend this book to teens to understand about the process of grief when losing a parent and how to be strong through it I would also recommend to people who like to read about young independent teens.

[Strawberry Witch · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wrote a review of this book a couple days ago but I can’t stop thinking about how much it pissed me off so I’m writing a more honest one.

This book was awful. Sarabeth’s mom dies and you find out that she had had parents she never spoke to or introduced sarabeth to but she’s got their names and addresses written down. So, Sarabeth goes to live with her moms best friend Cynthia, who’s moved away in the year or so inbetween Silver and this book. Oh yeah, so Silver was written in 1988 and this came out in 2001, and I feel like the author was trying to make it contemporary for 2001 instead of it being a direct sequel. At one point there’s a IM conversation that’s just beyond cringey.
Her friends were barely in it. You get like 3/4 of the way through the book before she bothers trying to contact her actual family. Then she meets them and they’re really nice and they have money and everything so she decides to go back and live with her moms ex boyfriend and his new wife.

It’s terrible. There didn’t need to be a sequel to Silver in the first place and this is just a travesty. Why kill off the mother? Why not just make something shitty happen to one of her friends again? I love the character but the whole book was just her being sad and then magically she’s not at the end. Super disappointing.

[MERRYN]

I first came across this book in the teen section at the library when i was maybe 7-8 years old. i don’t know why, but i DESPERATELY wanted to read it. it was just too much of a “big girl” book for me at the time, but i never ever forgot the cover.
lo and behold i recently found it at the thrifts for 99 cents and finally got to read it, Lol!

firstly i thought this was originally a standalone book, i had no idea until just now it was the second in a series. so now i’m gonna have to track back on that.

secondly, when i first came across the book as a kid, i thought it was about a girl in her sophomore year or something. Nope, she’s in middle school LOL.

long story long, it is just a lovely, simple read—although terribly sad it does have a sweet ending. I’m so glad i finally got to read the book from the library that i never forgot. 😊

[Shani · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 is generous, but I am rounding up for sentimental reasons.

[Gina Amato · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the follow up!! Very slow and spotty at times! I liked silver the first book better

[Larisa Kragelj · Rating 3 out of 5]

prebrana v slovenščini (Ranjeno srce)

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sequel to Silver.

Sarabeth Silver lives in a trailer with her slightly off-the-wall mom and her cat. Sarabeth's dad died in an accident when she was very young. When her mother dies suddenly of a heart attack at only 30 years old, Sarabeth's life is thrown into turmoil. She has to move into a tiny apartment with her mother's best friend and her cat is taken in by another family. Sarabeth struggles to be grateful to the people who step in to help her (even though none of them will really listen to her), but she becomes depressed and angry as she deals with her mother's death.

Her friends, old and new, support her and try to help her heal. They inspire her to make contact with her long-lost relatives and to find out more about her parents' families (who disowned them when Sarabeth's mother became pregnant at 16 years old).

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silver is a fifteen-year-old girl who lives in a trailer park with her mother. Her mother suddenly dies of a heart attack at only twenty-nine years of age.

The book then deals with how Silver reacts to this, and how her personality changes and she becomes more withdrawn and somewhat nasty. The father her mother divorced plans to marry someone else; the people she's living with don't seem to really want her, and there are some relatives from the past who seem to have had some kind of major argument with her mother, and had nothing else to do with her.

So she has an awful lot to deal with. It's an interesting path she has to follow, and it definitely makes for an interesting read. Her reaction is somewhat more realistic than is sometimes done in a book where a child loses a parent and isn't really that affected; in this case, Silver is devastated and has a lot of problems.

[Lauren :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really eye opening. The characterization is outstanding. It captures the imperfections that people have and doesn’t act like everyone is flawless. There weren’t too many children as characters though the main character is a teen. I thought this was interesting because many books revolve around the relationship of teenagers and their friends but in this story we get to see the relationship between a teen and the adults in her life. This was a book about real life and how it isn’t always perfect. How people sometimes struggle to find their way. I liked how it opened up into the misfortunes in life rather than the normal happy ending type of stories. Although this book was quite emotional, maybe even depressing at times, it was great to read and I really enjoyed it.

[Sandra Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

13 year old Sarabeth never knew her father, who died in a freak accident when she was a baby. Her mother, her friend/support/disciplinarian, doesn’t come home one night. She dies of a heart attack, leaving Sarabeth an orphan. The book deals with her problems facing the death, the aloneness, then coping with finding a new place to live and connecting with long lost relatives who rejected her mother when she married her father because he was Jewish. Only drawback: she ends up with her mother's ex boyfriend who is living with another girlfriend. They do get married to be able to take her in at the end. Aimed at Junior High School, but good for struggling high school readers. Positive.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh, I mean... it was alright. The original was much better, in my opinion.

If you are going through the grieving stage of losing someone you love, I could see how this would be very helpful. But aside from that, this whole book's plot can be summed up as such: "Sarabeth is now an orphan, and now she tries to find someone else to live with while being sad for 300 pages." It answered some questions about Sarabeth's family, which was nice, but hardly the point. I don't know, I think I would have been happier not knowing this existed. Just read "Silver" if you want a good story.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize this was the second book of two until I came here to rate it. I wish publishers would put that on the cover of the book.

This is such a sad book. I wonder what Mazer has gone through in her life that allows her to tap the well of despair and sadness so well. I found this story realistic.

I think this story needs a third book. The ending came quickly and needed a little more.

[Jenaisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was excellent!! It shows how unexpected events can take a toll on kids. from this book i learned that you should never take your parents for granted because there not always granted tomorrow so you should always be grateful.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

i was shocked that a book barely known among readers could touch on such deep emotion and dig it's way into my heart and brain forever. It was amazing yet ordinary at the same time, causing an incredible affect.

[Mary Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very heart warming. I think a lot of teenage girls could really get into this book, or just any young girl. I read this book in literally about two days, I could not put it down! This book was sad, funny, sweet, and everything in between. READ IT!!!

[elissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sequel to SILVER, one of my favorite YA novels. Not as good as the original book about Sarabeth Silver, but still worth the read.