Imaginary Enemy
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- $5.99
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
Jane White goes by the pen name Gabriel when she writes letters to Bubba, her imaginary enemy. She’s been writing to Bubba (short for Beelzebub) since second grade, blaming him every time something in her life goes wrong. It’s never her fault! She doesn’t want to admit that her impetuous behavior and smart-mouthed comments often land her in trouble. And now that she’s a teenager, Jane’s slacker ways exude an I-don’tcare attitude. But Jane does care. She cares about fitting in at school; she cares that Sharp deMichael and his brothers next door think of her as normal and start excluding her from their offbeat plans; and she definitely cares the day she receives a letter from Bubba. How can an imaginary enemy write back? Just as the time comes for Jane to face her lifelong foe–she must also decide whether or not to assume responsibility for her actions.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Gonzalez's (Wings) ne'er-do-well heroine, Jane, isn't as plain or boringly normal as she perceives herself to be. On the contrary, her quick wit and quirky personality win over readers almost immediately. As this entrancing novel follows her from elementary school into high school, Jane slowly but surely transforms from an apathetic slacker into an artistic free-thinker with a style all her own. If some of her growing pains seem familiar her not-so-secret unrequited crush on a middle school heart-throb; being dumped by her high school boyfriend for a blonde ber-sophisticate Gonzalez has a gift for infusing them with clever details. That Jane pens short missives to her imaginary enemy, Bubba (short for Beelzebub), about what's wrong in her life is funny; that "Bubba" actually writes back, in hopes of meeting face to face, is even funnier, especially with the revelation of Bubba's true identity. Gonzalez brings the same wit to Jane's competitive yet affectionate relationships with her siblings and her eccentric neighbors, and to her burgeoning romance with the shy but steadfast boy next door. Readers will get a genuine kick out of Jane's fumblings and successes, both imaginary and real. Ages 12-up.
