First Step

by Anne Snyder

A high-school girl gradually comes to an understanding of her mother's drinking problem and the extent to which she can control its effect on her life.

Genres: Young Adult

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Anne Snyder was a prize-winning author of young-adult fiction whose novels confronted alcoholism, homelessness, sexuality and other real-life dilemmas

She was born in Boston and grew up in the blue-collar Jewish neighborhoods of Detroit. She attended high school in Detroit and later put herself through two years of college.

In 1949, after marrying and starting a family, she moved to Los Angeles, where she began her writing career. She wrote and directed plays for a Westchester theater group called Kentwood Players and for the City of Hope. She also studied creative writing at Los Angeles Valley College.

During the 1970s, she taught creative writing at Valley College and at Pierce College and Cal State Northridge.

Snyder also worked in television. She researched and wrote questions for the "Hollywood Squares" game show and contributed concepts and scripts for "General Hospital" and "The Lucille Ball Show."

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cindy's mother is an alcoholic, a fact that Cindy tries her best to cover up. She cleans up after her mother, makes excuses when needed and takes care of her little brother. Luckily, she has true passion in her life, as well. She loves the thrill of being on stage, immersing herself in a character, so that she doesn't have to deal with the problems in her own life. She even gets the part in the school play, Peter Pan. And that allows her to spend time with Mitch, her good looking co-star. But her mother's volatility keeps getting harder to hide. That's when Mitch, who seems to understand Cindy's situation better than anyone, lets her in on his secret.

This one really struck a chord with me when I was in middle school. I just loved the characters and the blossoming romance. "When you're sick and tired of feeling sick and tired."

[Desiree.osman osman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a girl, and her mother, who is an alcoholic. She has to take care of her mother, things at home, and her younger brother. Until a boy from school, who also has alcoholic parents, takes her to attend a meeting. The meeting teaches her how to cope with her complicated life. It was a very good book, and simple to read. I recommend this book to anyone that likes a good, and easy book to read. I also recommend it to any one with family problems themselves.

[John Marr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty much a paint-by-the-numbers take on the "my mom the drunk" trope with an Alateen twist. The plotting is trite, and the obligatory booze-fueled public humiliation underwhelms. Even the writing seems juvenile for a book about high-schoolers and apparently aimed at the same. At least MY NAME IS DAVID AND I'M AN ALCOHOLIC has a snappier title.