Kim Hood writes poignantly and honestly about young people in difficult situations, making readers aware of the real person behind the issue. Jane’s little sister Emma has cancer and for the last three years has taken up all their parents’ attention. Jane loves her little sister too and worries about her but still can’t help resenting their parents for not noticing the effect Emma’s illness is having on her – for not really noticing her at all. She starts dropping out of school, breaking off contact with her friends. A relationship with new age hippy Farley comes as a boost, but then comes more devastating news about Emma. Jane is full of loathing for herself, a difficult character to like, but readers will be completely caught up in her story. ~ Andrea Reece
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At nearly 16, Jane has lived in the shadow of her little sister Emma's cancer diagnosis for over three years. Not that she was ever in the limelight; it is her sister who is the talented one, a dancer who at ten had been outgrowing her small town teachers' skills. Jane had never resented her sister's talent; without any interests herself, it had always kept the pressure off her. Now though, with her parents struggling to cope financially and emotionally, Jane's life in her rural mining village seems to be a never ending monotony of skipping school, long bus rides to the hospital and hanging out with a boyfriend she doesn't even know why she is with.
Nobody really cares that her life is stuck in neutral; she is finding it difficult to care herself ...Ultimately, Jane begins to understand the real parts of her life that are good; her sister Emma's chances of recovery begin to improve and the two sisters try to rebuild the relationship they shared before the illness took over.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Plain Jane and determined it is suitable for children aged 13-18 years old
Plain Jane features in the following genres: Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Recommendations, Featured Books for 13+ readers, Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, PSHE: Health , Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Body and health, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Recommended Children's eBooks, Featured Books for Young Adults
Plain Jane is available in Paperback, Ebook
Plain Jane was written by Kim Hood and published by O'Brien Press Ltd
Plain Jane has 292 pages
£8.09
