This is the third and last book that follows Words That Start With B and Love is a Four-Letter Word. Once again my daughter and I read it together and we enjoyed it. It's summertime and it seems that everyone is busy but Clarissa. Her mom is planning her wedding, her friend Mattie is away at camp and her friend Benji is busy with his drama friends. When Clarissa starts going through her mom's high school yearbooks she discovers a few things and decides to track down the dad she never met.

Once again, as in her other books, VanSickle explores emotions that are strongly felt in teens—accepting a parent's new mate, the need to search or know more about a long-lost parent, accepting changes in friendships and accepting the past. Both my daughter and I found this to be more of a serious book than the first two. Clarissa spends most of her summer alone and her friends don't play such a big role (my daughter noted this especially) as in the first two books. Clarissa is true to herself and we can see that after all she's been through she's strong and more mature.

There are strong words exchanged between Clarissa and adults in this book, on two separate occasions. In the verbal fight with her mom, Clarissa uses a derogatory word (sl*t) whose significance I had to explain to my daughter. I'm not sure how appropriate some words are for middle-grade novels. I know such exchanges can happen in family situations taut with anger and hurt feelings, but I think I would have preferred it left out. Same with the profanity. Perhaps saying he cursed would have sufficed. The writing in this novel is strong and solid and my daughter and I understood the heavy emotions. No crude words needed.

Apart from this, the story ends well. The major theme seems to be about acceptance on various levels, and with family and friends. We can't change the past, only learn from it and accept what happened and move on, having a positive outlook for the future without looking back. This was a good message and an excellent way to end this 3-book series.

And now for the giveaway!

Scholastic Canada has graciously offered to give away all 3 books in this series:

Words That Start With B (read our review)

Love is a Four-Letter Word (read our review)

Days That End in Y

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*Giveaway ends April 10, 2013. 

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