Flightsend

Charlie and her mom are moving to a ramshackle cottage called Flightsend, far away from the remains of their old life. After the stillborn birth of Charlie's sister, her mom broke up with her boyfriend, quit her job, and sought to change her life. Charlie, on the other hand, just wants everything to be as it used to be. Now she's dealing with a new job, mixed emotions toward friends, a teacher who might want too much out of her as a student, and confusing feelings toward the man who might once have been her stepfather. Charlie must learn to cope with all the new aspects of her life. With //Flightsend,// Newbery delves into some confusing issues that are becoming more common in modern culture. No one likes to think about lecherous teachers or the complications that can arise for a young girl growing up without a father, but they are important issues to think about nonetheless. Charlie comes across as a real girl with real problems, a girl that many young women will hopefully be able to identify with. Now if only all of life's problems could be resolved as cleanly as they are in this book! Reviewed by Holly Scudero

Flightsend - By Linda Newbery Charlie was young when Sean moved in. Sean has been there almost ever since she can remember. Everything was going right; her mother was set to have a baby, Sean had moved in, and it seemed as if a marriage was about to occur. But than everything went south. Her mother had a miscarriage, pushed Sean away, and seemed to be suffering from depression. Charlie thinks that Mum is making a terrible mistake, and doesn't know what her mother is going to do. Mum's solution - move to Flightsend. Of course, Charlie thinks that this is the worst thing ever, but along the course of this novel, Charlie grows up, and shows experience beyond her years. But will her mother? I felt that this book was very well written. The plot didn't drag, the characters were fun and easy to relate to, and the writing style was good. The book is in first person; from Charlie's point of view. This alone makes it interesting, to see it from the kid's point of view. I loved how reality hit hard for both her and her mother, and seeing their ways of dealing with things. Also, I enjoyed how she and her mother lost, than found, a connection between each other. Lastly, I think that it was interesting so see Charlie's way of dealing with her mother's "depression". I would most definitely recommend this to other readers my age, for it shows the true hardships of growing up. NOTE to parents: This book deals with some more mature themes, dealing with pregnancy and relationships. Some children might need some guidance with these themes. Reviewed by a young adult student reviewer Flamingnet Book Reviews Teen books reviewed by teen reviewers

Flightsend (Definitions) Charlie did not want to move. She was 16 yo and she had loved her neighborhood and her friends. Her mother, Kathy (such a great name!), wanted to start over. She wanted to get away from the people and the places that held so many memories for her, she want to put "...an end to...well everything that's gone wrong." (p. 6) So she found a place that wasn't so far that Charlie had to switch school but far enough for things to begin again. She and Charlie could move forward with questions or complications. It turns out Flight's End was just what they needed. I really enjoyed this book. Both Charlie and her mom were well-rounded characters who were allowed to grow, make mistakes, and even fix some of them. When I first met Kathy, I thought she was running away. Charlie says "they couldn't rebuild their lives on pills." (9) so I got the sense that something was missing and her mom didn't want to face it. Kathy grew more confident throughout the telling of the story. She comes to terms with her past and builds a better future. You also see Charlie becoming more sure of her place in the world. "You've got me haven't you? Don't I count? Don't I mean anything to you? (27) Moving to Flightsend means not hanging around after school, not seeing Rowan as much, and trying to determine where she fits in. I enjoyed seeing Charlie take on responsibilities but not lose the friendships from the past. I wish there had been more of Angus in the book because I was hoping for a relationship to develop between him and Charlie. He is exactly the type she needs. Maybe Ms. Newbery will do a sequel. I found the story engaging and entertaining without making me maudlin. Ms. Newbery uses the phrase "new mood of optimistic vagueness" (10) and that's how the story starts but slowly shifts into something more real. I found her use of imagery fascinating and could conjure up each scene she wrote. I even liked the chapter headings, moving from Flightsend to Flight's End. I give it 4 copies! Definite School Library purchase.