Summary: Life is always changing for Dawn and her friends. By reading the diaries in this compelling collection, girls can share inner-most thoughts, aspirations, fears, and secrets. Each book is written by a different character, so teens can become intimately familiar with each individual's writing style. There are certain characters I enjoy reading about more than others.
The California Diaries series are books which girls can't put down once they start reading them. They are interesting to read from page one, and can be painful to read, as well, since each character deals with daily struggles which seem to hit close to home. There's always a character who reminds you of someone you know or knew.
The series begins with Dawn, whose life is definitely changing too fast. Dawn wonders why friends have to change all the time and starts questioning what kind of person she is. Dawn has a "goody two-shoes" reputation that she's sure she doesn't deserve. She deals with anger as she loses a best friend. Dawn contends it's not her fault.
Sunny is a teen who faces daily battles and fears concerning her mother, who is waging her own war against cancer. Sunny yearns for a normal life, whatever that means. Sunny's struggles continue as she becomes jealous of Dawn, because Dawn seems more devoted to Sunny's mother than she does! When her mother fianlly died, it was a huge eye-opener for her in many aspects.
Maggie appears to lead the perfect existence. Her dad is a famous movie producer, they're rich, and she' a talented singer. However, she can't stand the pressures of being perfect and hates her life. If Maggie had her way, she would trade her life in a minute for anyone else's. To overcome her self-esteem problem,Maggie feels that if she can control her eating, she can control her life. After coming over anorexia, she found the perfect guy in her band.
Amalia has a boyfriend, James, who loves her so much that he won't let go. She feels like she's living a nightmare and is scared of James. Teens learn about co-dependency and abuse by reading about Amalia's fears and how she conquers them. Amalia learns about eating disorders and stumbles on an article which could help one of her friends. Valuable resources on eating disorders are included in the back of the book. She is mexican and has dealt with people being racist.
Ducky is a guy! Girls love this character--he's an upper-classman which every girl wants as her best friend. Ducky's struggle is to find himself--he doesn't know exactly where he fits in, and as much as he likes hanging with Dawn and her friends, he has problems of his own with his own best friend, Alex, who deals with depression and substance abuse problems. And he might have feelings for Sunny but only time will tell. |
