Rating: 
Summary: A fun, inspirational book!!
Review: Although "The Answer is Yes" is her best work, Sara Lewis has done it again! Charlotte Dearborn represents the "wannabe" in all of us. Unfulfilled professionally and unsuccessful in her personal life, she seeks the path less trodden. Entering the world of teaching young children, in her forties, is a daunting change of career. But her tenacity and charm ultimately wins the hearts and respect of her students and colleagues; and she teaches the reader to believe in oneself, no matter what the emotional sacrifice. You do not need to be a teacher to love this book, just a "student" of living your best life.
Rating: 
Summary: Life as a first grade teacher
Review: As a fairly new teacher I can relate to the experiences of Charlotte Dearborn in her classroom, as well as in the teacher's lounge. I thought to myself often that I could have written about her experiences as true events not fiction. I can't wait to share the book with the other first grade teachers I know! I would recommend it to any teacher.
Rating:
Summary: interesting tale
Review: Being a pre-service teacher myself, I was intrigued by the story when I glanced at the back of the book. Then one rainy afternoon I sat down to read the book. I was very pleased. The storyline was not terribly predictable and the main character is endearing. Good read, I recommend it to people looking for a light tale with a happy ending.
Rating:
Summary: An intriguing story of a second chance at life and change
Review: Challenges to successful living for Charlotte, a struggling writer, include a series of rejection slips, a noncommittal boyfriend, and a new job teaching school where she faces first graders and questionable colleagues. Second Draft Of My Life is an intriguing story of a second chance at life and change.
Rating:
Summary: Let's hear it for teachers!
Review: Charlotte Dearborn has published 5 novels but has not reached the success level she had hoped. She decides teaching 1st grade will be much more rewarding. Molding young lives, working with friendly co-workers (rather than the lonely life of an author) will be the life she wants.Up until the first day, this seems like a good plan...... Trying to keep control of a group of children (and some mothers) is not as easy as she thought. And the other teachers don't seem to accept her as she had hoped. Maybe this teaching stuff isn't as easy as she had thought. There are very few books written about teachers (I don't know why) and with this one, we get a bonus - she reflects on her publishing experiences too. It's a GREAT book! Some reviewers have commented on the ending saying it doesn't fit. But the more you think about it (and you will), the more you will appreciate it. Now that I've finished the book I'm sending it to my daughter in Texas - she's a teacher and a very good writer herself.
Rating:
Summary: hEy!!! ThIs BoOk Is GoOd!!! U rOcK!!!! gOd BlEsS uS, eVeRy1!
Review: Hey, i liked this book, it was very good, and i read it in about 4 hours! second draft of my life makes a good point, and was kept me interested. i will probably read this many more times, who knew i could find a book i liked from my aunts section of books?!? i mean, those r grown up books, but this 1 hit the spot...
Rating:
Summary: A visit to an old friend
Review: How I enjoyed this book! It was a comfortable, genuine companion for me this past summer week...like taking a walk on the beach with a old friend. I was especially touched by Ms. Lewis's subtle descriptions of being single, e.g., on page 124(the description of the daily activites of the unmarried female relative). Charlotte is lonely, perhaps; unfulfilled, certainly--but she is not self pitying nor does she seem like a victim. Charlotte will be sure you laugh before you sigh. And, there is a celebration of individuality that you will never forget! What a great read.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent novel
Review: I am a big fan of Sara Lewis's and was so happy when I found out she had written a new book. As soon as I turned the first page, I felt like I was reading a book by an old friend. This story, about a writer who decides to "give it up" and completely switch careers and become an elementary school teacher, really struck a cord in me. I can totally understand why someone would feel frustrated in the writing/publishing business and I enjoyed reading about Charlotte's quest to search for something that would make her happy. The characters were great, I loved her sister Emily, and I really liked the ending. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to read something meaningful and worthwhile!
Rating:
Summary: clever and inventive
Review: I got into this clever and inventive book and never wanted to come out. Its funny-touching story will connect with all readers, but if you are an elementary school teacher or a writer (published or just hoping), you will not only reconize yourself but will laugh out loud and find yourself reading passages to whoever happens to be nearby. The reader is told by the first-person narrator that the book is not a memoir, but if it isn't, one has to believe that Sara Lewis has some kind of channeling going on, for she is consistently - and satisfyingly - spot-on.
Sara Lewis's writing trick is to approach the reader in a straightforward way, with no labored "witty" writing, and then suddenly to thrust the reader into an absurdity. Although I am not a teacher, the scene in the teacher's lounge in which a brouhaha ensues over a cupcake registered with me as wildly funny. Still, as with all the scenes and details in the book, it managed to reveal something of a larger truth. I would not do justice to this book if I did not mention the last section: In its sendup of "self-help" books, it is a tongue-in-cheek classic.
Rating:
Summary: clever and inventive
Review: I got into this clever and inventive book and never wanted to come out. Its funny-touching story will connect with all readers, but if you are an elementary school teacher or a writer (published or just hoping), you will not only reconize yourself but will laugh out loud and find yourself reading passages to whoever happens to be nearby. The reader is told by the first-person narrator that the book is not a memoir, but if it isn't, one has to believe that Sara Lewis has some kind of channeling going on, for she is consistently - and satisfyingly - spot-on.
Sara Lewis's writing trick is to approach the reader in a straightforward way, with no labored "witty" writing, and then suddenly to thrust the reader into an absurdity. Although I am not a teacher, the scene in the teacher's lounge in which a brouhaha ensues over a cupcake registered with me as wildly funny. Still, as with all the scenes and details in the book, it managed to reveal something of a larger truth. I would not do justice to this book if I did not mention the last section: In its sendup of "self-help" books, it is a tongue-in-cheek classic.
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