When Dad Killed Mom

Rating:
Summary: Not very convincing,
Review: Not very convincing, but I couldn't put it down. His use of both children as alternate narrators was just right, but my enjoyment of the novel was constantly disturbed by my inner voice scoffing too many times at details or conversations that didn't ring true. It was contrived but I appreciate the author's recognition of the young victims in today's violent society. As a teacher I have had students whose mothers were murdered by the father or boyfriend. Julius Lester is definitely a good storyteller and this is an engaging book. I just was very aware that an adult was writing it, not the young characters who were supposed to be telling it.

Rating:
Summary: When Dad Killed Mom...a Terrific b00k
Review: The book When Dad Killed Mom is really a good book. Jenna thinks that her parents' marriage was in trouble. Her father a college psychologist her mother an artist. They didn't talk much and when they did, they had to work hard to be nice to each other. Jeremy was always his mother's favorite. Jenna was always her father's favorite.
Then one day the head line reads, COLLEGE SHRINK KILLS WIFE. The words that would tear their family apart without them knowing it. The world that Jenna and Jeremy had always thought would be here is destroyed. They didn't know where they would stay, or anything. Who is going to take care of them now that their mother is dead and their father is in jail? Can they find a way to be a family, especially when each has a secret that could change their lives forever?
My favorite part in the story so far, is when Jeremy was called to the office during school. When he came into the office Jenna was sitting their crying her eyes out. Jeremy didn't know what was going on. Until Jenna told him that dad had killed mom. I like it because when they were sitting and crying. They didn't know what to say, that is how I felt at my grandmother's funeral.
I found out about this book, from Mrs. Shea's web site. It was one of her recommended books. When I saw it at the library it sounded like a real scary book. When I read the summary, I knew I wanted to read it. That is why I chose the book, When Dad Killed Mom. Now, even though I am not done reading the book, it's one of my favorite books.

Rating:
Summary: Life After Death
Review: The theme, there is life after death, transcends through many levels of this book. It can be seen in Jeremy, after the passing of his mother as well as in Jenna, who needs to come to the realization that her father is as good as dead to them now. There are examples of this theme within the characters of Jeremy and Jenna.
Rachel's death meant Jeremy had to make huge changes in his life. Rachel determined how her son behaved. Jeremy would look to his mom to know how to feel, what to do, and how to act. She was everything to him. When she died, Jeremy understandable needed to find his self and find out who he is, without Mom. He spent hours locked up in her studio, where she painted, just to be closer to her after her death. In turn, he realizes that there is life after death and things will come around to feel normal again. He learns to not hold on so tightly to his mother and learns to live his present life, without memories overshadowing him. Though his mom's death is tragic, it led him on the path of self-discovery.
Jenna was a normal girl who wanted independence from her parents, especially her mother. She didn't have a good relationship with Rachel. However it was her father-daughter relationship which concerned her mother. The bond between her father and herself was becoming more and more like a boyfriend and girlfriend bond rather than a parent-child relationship and Rachel saw this. Through the murder of her mother, Jenna needed to realize the error of her dad and how she must stay with her younger brother and take care of him. This realization shows there is life after death.
The theme of there is life after death, is a theme that people hope they never have to experience, however, when there is a death people need to continue to live their own life and not dwell too long on the past. It is a theme that some can relate to, if not, this book brings the reader into the world of insecurity, grief and strife. It is a great novel which deals with the copings of a desperately lonely boy and a fiercely independent teenage girl trying to get their lives back together.

Rating:
Summary: When Dad Killed Mom
Review: This book is about a girl that has felings that she can sense that what is haping to her family and when she is in her class she knows that her dad had killed her mom. And that she can sense and know that her parents wedding is not going to turn out right because there father is bad and the dad has killed their mother and know their mom is dead and their dad is in jail and they are very scared that who is going to take care of them and going to feed them.So the have to find out what is going to happen.And the girl name is Jenna that has an older brother named Jeremy. well are they goin to find out if they are goin to have a better family?

Rating:
Summary: Good, but not great
Review: This book is good, but it isn't enough to keep you going. As I was reading this, I found that I would rather do something else. It has nice details and though-full characters. A good read, but nothing more.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book! Must read
Review: This book is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I've never read a book where the narration was switched between two people. I think that really made the story more interesting because it was told by two different point-of-views. I really liked how Jenna and Jeremy, who are brother and sister, fought with each other all the time, but were still really close to each other.

Rating:
Summary: This is a very great book
Review: This book was very good and it tells about how someone feels when they killed their wife, how kids are hurt by losing a mother , and how moms and dads feel about losing a daughter. It's actually very interesting. It tells about how other people react to a situation like what happened in the book and how some people understand what it is like to lose a parent. I would like to know a little more about it - if there is another sequel because the book, I think, needs another ending to finish off the first book.

Rating:
Summary: pick up the pace
Review: This book was very slow at first. I just didn't want to read it. The details were far more than I needed. The book was written in the point of view of Jenna and Jeremy, the children of Eric and Rachel. AS the children speak about their dead mother thoughts pop into their head and they just ramble on about stuff I just didn't want to know about. Having it be in the children's point of view also left some questions.
The book is about how a father gets upset and shoots his wife. He tries to get his children to testify for him so his sentence will be lighter but they won't. In fact, they learn of some of his lies and end up not wanting him to have a light sentence. Jenna always liked him more than her mother, but she still gives up on him.
Jeremy inherited his mothers studio and found her diary. It let him know many things that proved his father wrong. Finding the journal also opened up some doors for Jenna and Jeremy to find out how their mother really felt about them. Her love for Jenna was a wanting to be a part of her life and admiring her care for herself, her love for Jeremy was sharing her art work with him. Overall this book was very slow and had too many details. You don't need to know everything down to what color a flower is. Let the reader use their imagination.

Rating:
Summary: Don't be horrified by the strong title
Review: This well written young adult novel is one that should be read by all jr.high or high school language arts teachers. It potrays the life of two adolscents that are left behind after their father kills their mother, Rachel. As the mystery unfolds as to why each of the children has loyalty to one of their parents (Jenna to her dad and Jeremy to his mom), it is evident how manipulation can exist in a nuclear family in today's hetic world. Charaterization of Jenna and Jeremy evolve in this book, with each of the children so different in their personalitites, and how each of them change throughout the book. Along with this is, dramatic theme issues of death, trust, and isolation. From page one the reader will be entralled as to how and why situations happen like When Dad Killed Mom. The title is horrific, but Julius Lester knows how to grab his audience from the beginning in this real life drama. Grab ahold of your seat, you will not be able to put this book down until the last page. Stong language potrayed by Jenna and strong theme content. Recommended for readers 13 yrs old and above

Rating:
Summary: Expected More
Review: Upon purchasing this book I thought it would be very indepth and full of emotion. I found it to be more superficial than anything else. Still read it, you may find it more appealing.