SOLVED. YA book about a girl dealing with an abusive father and alcoholic mother. Girl writes to cope. [s]

[Allybee]

The girl slips out of the house to the nearby beach, where she writes a story as a coping mechanism for her life. She writes about her father (possibly step-father?) as "The Monster" and her mother as "The Ballerina" - because the mom constantly locks herself in her room, listening to music... Like a music box ballerina, I think. One summer, a boy meets the girl and the two become friends. The boy slowly figures out what's going on with the girl's family situation and saves her by - I think - calling the cops. The Rolling Stones Song "You Can't Always Get What You Want" is in it.

[Kris]

Allybee, I moved your request to the "Unsolved" folder because you're looking for a specific book - and I deleted the duplicate post.

Around what year did you read this book?

[Allybee]

Oh! Sorry! I thought I had already put it in the unsolved. I guess my app glitched or something. Thanks! I read the book a long time ago, but one of my middle school students was reading it back in 2013. I forgot the name all over again.

[Kris]

No worries. Can you give us a sense of what "a long time ago" means - 5, 10, 20 years?

[Allybee]

Twelve years ago. I was in 8th grade.

[Kate]

Allybee, this sounds very intriguing. You can bump your thread every month or so to move it to the top of the list. That way it can get more viewers with fresh eyes.

[Allybee]

How do I bump it?

[Liralen]

Just reply to the thread -- that'll 'bump' it back up to the top of the folder.

[Kris]

The Watcher by James Howe?

Reviewers mention - beach location, girl creates a story about the people she watches, abusive father, girl owns dolls, she meets Chris a lifeguard, monster character.

[Allybee]

YES! The Watcher is it! I read the Amazon description and I didn't exactly remember things, but it's definitely the book I was thinking of! THANK YOU!!!

[Kris]

Great, glad we could help!