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Calli
In Calli, prize-winning author Jessica Lee Anderson explores the perils of adolescence with the humor and compassion of a writer who knows growing up doesn't always come with easy answers.
Calli has almost everything she could want in life--two loving moms, a good-looking boyfriend, and a best friend who has always been there for her. As an only child, Calli is excited when her parents announce that they want to foster a girl her own age, but Cherish, her foster sister, is not at all what she expected. Cherish lies, steals, kisses Calli's boyfriend, and seems to get away with just about everything. Determined to get even, Calli takes matters into her own hands, but her plan for revenge goes horribly awry. Isolated from her friends and family, she looks for ways to undo the damage she's caused.
Funny, moving, and emotionally rich, Calli is a portrait of an endearing young woman caught between adolescence and adulthood, striving to do the right thing even when all of her options seem wrong.
Calli has almost everything she could want in life--two loving moms, a good-looking boyfriend, and a best friend who has always been there for her. As an only child, Calli is excited when her parents announce that they want to foster a girl her own age, but Cherish, her foster sister, is not at all what she expected. Cherish lies, steals, kisses Calli's boyfriend, and seems to get away with just about everything. Determined to get even, Calli takes matters into her own hands, but her plan for revenge goes horribly awry. Isolated from her friends and family, she looks for ways to undo the damage she's caused.
Funny, moving, and emotionally rich, Calli is a portrait of an endearing young woman caught between adolescence and adulthood, striving to do the right thing even when all of her options seem wrong.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
2 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Lee Anderson
65 books32 followersI was born in Phoenix, Arizona, although my family didn't stay there long.
My father served in the Air Force and we soon moved to Texas. Honolulu,
Hawaii was our most exotic station. I'll never forget the excitement of
winning a hula competition. Those who know me now would never guess I
had that kind of coordination.
When we moved back to San Antonio, Texas, I missed the Aloha State, but
books served as a great distraction. Around that same time, I wrote my first
book, Fuzzy the Fox. I tried to write my first novel in high school. The
story had a strong beginning and a promising ending, but the middle of the
book ruined it all. Even though the book was not a success, the experience
taught me much about the writing process, especially about revision.
In college, I took a children's literature course that inspired me to write
books for children and teens I eventually went on to graduate from Hollins University with an M.A. in children's literature. In addition to my book publications, I've written magazine articles for Highlights for Children, Wee Ones Magazine, and Holiday Crafts 4 Kids. In addition to writing, I also teach at the Institute of Children's Literature.
I love to read, and some of my favorite authors are: Mildred Taylor, Han
Nolan, David LaRochelle, S.E. Hinton, Karen Hesse, Judy Blume, Avi, Eoin
Colfer, and Christopher Paul Curtis. The list could go on and on!
I live north of Austin with my supportive husband, Michael, and my dogs
Buster and JoJo. When not writing, Michael and I enjoy traveling and have
a goal to travel to as many national parks as possible.
My father served in the Air Force and we soon moved to Texas. Honolulu,
Hawaii was our most exotic station. I'll never forget the excitement of
winning a hula competition. Those who know me now would never guess I
had that kind of coordination.
When we moved back to San Antonio, Texas, I missed the Aloha State, but
books served as a great distraction. Around that same time, I wrote my first
book, Fuzzy the Fox. I tried to write my first novel in high school. The
story had a strong beginning and a promising ending, but the middle of the
book ruined it all. Even though the book was not a success, the experience
taught me much about the writing process, especially about revision.
In college, I took a children's literature course that inspired me to write
books for children and teens I eventually went on to graduate from Hollins University with an M.A. in children's literature. In addition to my book publications, I've written magazine articles for Highlights for Children, Wee Ones Magazine, and Holiday Crafts 4 Kids. In addition to writing, I also teach at the Institute of Children's Literature.
I love to read, and some of my favorite authors are: Mildred Taylor, Han
Nolan, David LaRochelle, S.E. Hinton, Karen Hesse, Judy Blume, Avi, Eoin
Colfer, and Christopher Paul Curtis. The list could go on and on!
I live north of Austin with my supportive husband, Michael, and my dogs
Buster and JoJo. When not writing, Michael and I enjoy traveling and have
a goal to travel to as many national parks as possible.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
September 16, 2011
I really liked the idea and the plot in Calli. Calli's problems with her foster sister Cherish are a good main plot - that's an original idea and interesting to read about. The family dynamics are interesting to read about too - characters with gay parents are something I'd really like to see more of in YA. Calli's problems with her boyfriend, Dub, and best friend, Delia, are pretty average but could have added some nice layers to the story. Other than the plot, though, I didn't really like Calli, and I was pretty disappointed.
The writing did not work for me. It's choppy and seems, well, constructed. The dialogue is not realistic - it's just not how you talk. While I appreciated that many issues are addressed (homosexuality, abuse, body image, accepting yourself, etc.), I thought the book's take on them was too preachy. I don't like when the author's message is too clear - I like it better when the reader can take from a book what he or she wants without having the feeling that you're being preached to. Also, the environment is mentioned all the time in this book, also in that preachy way. That aspect didn't fit into the story at all and was kind of annoying.
Calli is a pretty relatable character. Her emotions are ones every girl has felt. The secondary characters, though, are not fully-developed. None of them have real personalities. Especially Cherish's character needed to be developed more - I did not understand at all why she acted the way she did.
My main problem with Calli is the pacing. Everything, in my opinion, happens too fast. There is no real development; things just change from one moment to the other. This affects every aspect of the book, which is why I couldn't really get into any of the storylines. The pacing made the relationship between Calli and her boyfriend, Dub, unrealistic. First, Calli is super-mad at Dub for kissing Cherish, and then when he says it was Cherish's fault and that she threw herself at him, everything is fine. Calli immediately believes and forgives him, which I thought was strange. The same goes for Calli's relationship with her best friend, Delia. Delia goes back and forth between being there for Calli and being, well, a total bitch and basically ignoring Calli because a 'better' friend came along. At first Calli's mad at Delia for that, which is normal, in my opinion, but then, with no development or anything in-between, she's totally fine with it - I really didn't get what that was supposed to mean. The relationship between Calli and Cherish is weird, too - sometimes, they seem totally fine, and sometimes they hate each other for no apparent reason. After the big fight, everything seems fine again, but I didn't find it realistic how Cherish responded to Calli's letter and there were no hard feelings. Everything just seemed to wrap up too nicely to be realistic.
On a positive note, one thing I really liked are the family dynamics. I liked reading about what it's like for Calli to live with two moms, and what it's like to have foster siblings. One of Calli's moms has Lupus, and I also liked reading about how that affected Calli and the rest of the family.
My favorite character is, by far, Lemond, Calli's foster brother. Even though his relationship with Calli developed way too quickly, he and his relationship with Calli are adorable. I found Lemond, even though he's only six or seven, to be the most realistic character.
Maybe Calli is better suited for a younger audience. I found Calli too immature, and the whole style is too preachy, explaining and immature for YA. Maybe Calli's character should have been a few years younger and Calli should have been marketed as MG instead of YA - the ideas are pretty good and might have worked as MG. The way it is, though, I did not particularly enjoy Calli.
The writing did not work for me. It's choppy and seems, well, constructed. The dialogue is not realistic - it's just not how you talk. While I appreciated that many issues are addressed (homosexuality, abuse, body image, accepting yourself, etc.), I thought the book's take on them was too preachy. I don't like when the author's message is too clear - I like it better when the reader can take from a book what he or she wants without having the feeling that you're being preached to. Also, the environment is mentioned all the time in this book, also in that preachy way. That aspect didn't fit into the story at all and was kind of annoying.
Calli is a pretty relatable character. Her emotions are ones every girl has felt. The secondary characters, though, are not fully-developed. None of them have real personalities. Especially Cherish's character needed to be developed more - I did not understand at all why she acted the way she did.
My main problem with Calli is the pacing. Everything, in my opinion, happens too fast. There is no real development; things just change from one moment to the other. This affects every aspect of the book, which is why I couldn't really get into any of the storylines. The pacing made the relationship between Calli and her boyfriend, Dub, unrealistic. First, Calli is super-mad at Dub for kissing Cherish, and then when he says it was Cherish's fault and that she threw herself at him, everything is fine. Calli immediately believes and forgives him, which I thought was strange. The same goes for Calli's relationship with her best friend, Delia. Delia goes back and forth between being there for Calli and being, well, a total bitch and basically ignoring Calli because a 'better' friend came along. At first Calli's mad at Delia for that, which is normal, in my opinion, but then, with no development or anything in-between, she's totally fine with it - I really didn't get what that was supposed to mean. The relationship between Calli and Cherish is weird, too - sometimes, they seem totally fine, and sometimes they hate each other for no apparent reason. After the big fight, everything seems fine again, but I didn't find it realistic how Cherish responded to Calli's letter and there were no hard feelings. Everything just seemed to wrap up too nicely to be realistic.
On a positive note, one thing I really liked are the family dynamics. I liked reading about what it's like for Calli to live with two moms, and what it's like to have foster siblings. One of Calli's moms has Lupus, and I also liked reading about how that affected Calli and the rest of the family.
My favorite character is, by far, Lemond, Calli's foster brother. Even though his relationship with Calli developed way too quickly, he and his relationship with Calli are adorable. I found Lemond, even though he's only six or seven, to be the most realistic character.
Maybe Calli is better suited for a younger audience. I found Calli too immature, and the whole style is too preachy, explaining and immature for YA. Maybe Calli's character should have been a few years younger and Calli should have been marketed as MG instead of YA - the ideas are pretty good and might have worked as MG. The way it is, though, I did not particularly enjoy Calli.
June 23, 2011
Read my review at Imaginary Reads!
Calli is a refreshingly realistic YA novel about a fifteen-year-old misfit who has two moms, wears size thirteen, and has a foster sister who acts mean to her outside of the house. Yes, Calli’s mom is a lesbian, but the story doesn’t center on the issue of Calli having to deal with lesbian issues herself. While she is teased for supposedly being lesbian herself, she has a loving boyfriend and loves him back. At least, until she sees him kissing her foster sister Cherish in the school hallways, which is where the story starts off.
The heart of the issue of this story is normal teen angst. Calli suffers the problem of loving Dub even though she saw him cheating on her. Call feels neglected by her mom, who spends most of her time trying to help Cherish feel at ease in their family. Calli worries that her best friend Delia is becoming a stranger.
Calli’s issues are relatable to any teenager. We’ve had fights with siblings, felt alienated from friends, and believed that our parents liked the other sibling better. To be honest, there were times when I was frustrated with Calli. She doesn’t speak up to her moms about Cherish’s rudeness. She doesn’t try to communicate with Delia or confront Dub. She constantly beats herself up on the inside about her problems. However, I’m just as guilty as her of having done the same things in my life.
One thing I loved about this novel is the strong focus on familial relationships. Despite her feelings of neglect, Calli has a strong relationship with both her moms, and she grows to understand and appreciate the foster system despite her troubles with Cherish. In fact, she grows to understand and appreciate Cherish. As she matures over the course of the story, Calli will learn to confront people, to forgive, and to make peace.
Jessica Lee Anderson has written a powerfully realistic and moving story on learning to be more open and accepting of both yourself and of those around you. While Calli’s mom is a lesbian, she doesn’t feel the need to be one herself, and Anderson never makes gay issues prevalent in her novel. Readers should learn and do the same.
Something I really liked from the story:
Calli has a unique personality. She doesn’t cuss outright, saying words like ‘French’ instead of the four-letter ‘f’ word and ‘chicken turd’.
Calli is a refreshingly realistic YA novel about a fifteen-year-old misfit who has two moms, wears size thirteen, and has a foster sister who acts mean to her outside of the house. Yes, Calli’s mom is a lesbian, but the story doesn’t center on the issue of Calli having to deal with lesbian issues herself. While she is teased for supposedly being lesbian herself, she has a loving boyfriend and loves him back. At least, until she sees him kissing her foster sister Cherish in the school hallways, which is where the story starts off.
The heart of the issue of this story is normal teen angst. Calli suffers the problem of loving Dub even though she saw him cheating on her. Call feels neglected by her mom, who spends most of her time trying to help Cherish feel at ease in their family. Calli worries that her best friend Delia is becoming a stranger.
Calli’s issues are relatable to any teenager. We’ve had fights with siblings, felt alienated from friends, and believed that our parents liked the other sibling better. To be honest, there were times when I was frustrated with Calli. She doesn’t speak up to her moms about Cherish’s rudeness. She doesn’t try to communicate with Delia or confront Dub. She constantly beats herself up on the inside about her problems. However, I’m just as guilty as her of having done the same things in my life.
One thing I loved about this novel is the strong focus on familial relationships. Despite her feelings of neglect, Calli has a strong relationship with both her moms, and she grows to understand and appreciate the foster system despite her troubles with Cherish. In fact, she grows to understand and appreciate Cherish. As she matures over the course of the story, Calli will learn to confront people, to forgive, and to make peace.
Jessica Lee Anderson has written a powerfully realistic and moving story on learning to be more open and accepting of both yourself and of those around you. While Calli’s mom is a lesbian, she doesn’t feel the need to be one herself, and Anderson never makes gay issues prevalent in her novel. Readers should learn and do the same.
Something I really liked from the story:
Calli has a unique personality. She doesn’t cuss outright, saying words like ‘French’ instead of the four-letter ‘f’ word and ‘chicken turd’.
December 5, 2011
A lot of things in the story didn't work for me. I found the first person present tense jarring in this book, as so much got tangled up in back story. There's a lot going on -- Calli's mother has Lupus and she's a lesbian and her parents foster kids and one of the foster kids is a bad seed and Calli's existence is based on a one-night stand so she has some repressed father issues. But that's not where the story begins. It begins when Calli's foster sister kisses Calli's boyfriend. It stumbles out from that point and eventually wraps up with no real conclusion with the boyfriend, the mother's illness, and really, there's no arc to Calli (it ends with her wondering who she is, even).
There were a lot of elements and all felt a little under developed. I could have been on board with all of them had there been more flesh to the characters or the story as a whole. Pacing and the time line required me to suspend some belief, given the number of topics covered here.
One of the things that bothered me, and I know it's my sensitivity as a reader and the baggage I bring to anything I read, is how strangely handled the weight and size issue is here. Whether intention or not, sometimes when a character has body image issues, there is more undercutting that challenge than helping it. In this instance, Calli fixates on her size, and it seems in every chapter there is something food-related to set her back. By that I mean, even when she has no reason to be discussing food, it comes up. There's a section where she walks in on her mother and foster brother making cookies and what could have been a non-issue becomes one (she says "I took a cookie even though I wasn't hungry" and there is no reason for this at all -- she was merely observing this act of love between her mother and foster brother). As an adult reading this, it feels inauthentic. It feels like an *adult* bringing attention to the issue, rather than a teen (a 15-year-old, even). There's too much attention paid when the ultimate payoff on this issue never really manifests. What I'm getting at is there is a lot of adult knowing of the issue in the story, both subtlety and not subtlety, that never jives with the true *feelings* Calli has about her body.
That said, it's a clean read and one that's fine for middle schoolers. It's not a knockout, but I can see girls who never felt like they fit in enjoying this one well enough.
There were a lot of elements and all felt a little under developed. I could have been on board with all of them had there been more flesh to the characters or the story as a whole. Pacing and the time line required me to suspend some belief, given the number of topics covered here.
One of the things that bothered me, and I know it's my sensitivity as a reader and the baggage I bring to anything I read, is how strangely handled the weight and size issue is here. Whether intention or not, sometimes when a character has body image issues, there is more undercutting that challenge than helping it. In this instance, Calli fixates on her size, and it seems in every chapter there is something food-related to set her back. By that I mean, even when she has no reason to be discussing food, it comes up. There's a section where she walks in on her mother and foster brother making cookies and what could have been a non-issue becomes one (she says "I took a cookie even though I wasn't hungry" and there is no reason for this at all -- she was merely observing this act of love between her mother and foster brother). As an adult reading this, it feels inauthentic. It feels like an *adult* bringing attention to the issue, rather than a teen (a 15-year-old, even). There's too much attention paid when the ultimate payoff on this issue never really manifests. What I'm getting at is there is a lot of adult knowing of the issue in the story, both subtlety and not subtlety, that never jives with the true *feelings* Calli has about her body.
That said, it's a clean read and one that's fine for middle schoolers. It's not a knockout, but I can see girls who never felt like they fit in enjoying this one well enough.
May 24, 2011
Calli is truly an amazing heartwarming story. I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading the story but right from the beginning I was sucked in.
I’m afraid that Calli’s fictional life is realistic for several youths of today. The emotional pain a teen can suffer because of family issues, teasing by peers, and the cruelty of those who bully is cleverly written by Jessica Lee Anderson, the author.
Calli, the main character, sheds light on what goes through teens’ minds when certain things can or maybe does happen in real life. Her emotional struggle to come to grasps with what happens to her is an eye-opener and can be considered inspirational to so many.
Because of the inspirational aspect of the story, the problems, and the sweet ending, this book is a MUST READ for all ages. You can’t go wrong with this book. While Calli’s plot is serious, there are humorous moments throughout the face-paced plot.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
I obtained a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Having read a free copy did not in anyway have an affect on my review. I wrote what I honestly thought.
I’m afraid that Calli’s fictional life is realistic for several youths of today. The emotional pain a teen can suffer because of family issues, teasing by peers, and the cruelty of those who bully is cleverly written by Jessica Lee Anderson, the author.
Calli, the main character, sheds light on what goes through teens’ minds when certain things can or maybe does happen in real life. Her emotional struggle to come to grasps with what happens to her is an eye-opener and can be considered inspirational to so many.
Because of the inspirational aspect of the story, the problems, and the sweet ending, this book is a MUST READ for all ages. You can’t go wrong with this book. While Calli’s plot is serious, there are humorous moments throughout the face-paced plot.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
I obtained a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Having read a free copy did not in anyway have an affect on my review. I wrote what I honestly thought.
June 19, 2011
Ages 11+ (swears are truncated by cutting off the speaking character, but it's obvious that they're swears, foster siblings talk about abuse and neglect)
Interesting, but not 100% engaging, this reads more like a problem novel from the early 90's than a nuanced, layered look at life with two moms and foster siblings.
I did like it, perhaps because I grew up on the problem novels of the late 80s and early 90s, but I don't know how teens today will respond. While I think it will be excellent for bibliotherapy or teaching, it's just a little too teachy-preachy to work as a casual read for me.
Interesting: despite the white girl on the cover, it was never clear what race Calli, her foster siblings, or her family members belonged to. There are plenty of references to hair (curly, kinky) and lupus (which has a higher incidence rate among African-Americans) but the characters remained hazy. Whether this was intentional so that teens could place themselves as the characters or unintentional, I spent a lot of time thinking and wondering.
Interesting, but not 100% engaging, this reads more like a problem novel from the early 90's than a nuanced, layered look at life with two moms and foster siblings.
I did like it, perhaps because I grew up on the problem novels of the late 80s and early 90s, but I don't know how teens today will respond. While I think it will be excellent for bibliotherapy or teaching, it's just a little too teachy-preachy to work as a casual read for me.
Interesting: despite the white girl on the cover, it was never clear what race Calli, her foster siblings, or her family members belonged to. There are plenty of references to hair (curly, kinky) and lupus (which has a higher incidence rate among African-Americans) but the characters remained hazy. Whether this was intentional so that teens could place themselves as the characters or unintentional, I spent a lot of time thinking and wondering.
June 6, 2011
I would only recommend this book for teens who are secure and confident, because Calli isn't. The story is a touching portrait of an unusual family (two moms, a daughter, and two foster children) and the struggles they go through with a difficult and manipulative foster daughter named Cherish. Cherish and Calli are constantly at odds, with Calli usually playing the victim, and then blaming herself for everything that goes wrong. Even later in the story, when Cherish is held accountable for her actions and the family has a new foster child, Calli continues to blame herself for everything. She struggles with the desire to unburden herself by telling the truth, while at the same time not wanting to hurt anyone with the truth. While Calli is a thoughtful and thought-provoking protagonist, her insecurity and self-blame made this a frustrating read.
May 18, 2011
I loved this book so much. As always, Jessica's writing is incredible, but I really found myself falling in love with her characters. The main character, Calli, has two moms, which I think is awesome. I'm so glad to see more books exploring this. Calli has a foster sister that she never really gets along with. She opens her home to her sister, but not her heart. I think we've all been in similar situations, and I think Jessica portrays this story beautifully. It comes out in September, scoop it up when you can!
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May 19, 2011Highly recommend this very engaging & insightful story about a teen learning to cope with friends, love, & her nontraditional family.
June 1, 2021
This novel felt like a YA story crossed with literary fiction, which basically means that Jessica Lee Anderson creates a complex heroine who struggles to stand up for herself and in the process makes a mistake that she cannot easily undo. Her teenage angst about her two mothers, her body, and her boyfriend feel real--uncomfortably real--as does the way things do not wrap up neatly in the end. I felt like I was watching a slice of real life and not reading a novel.
July 9, 2018
I got caught up in this story of a 14-year-old girl grappling believably with body- and self-image, being teased (and worse) for having 2 moms, and especially with a moral dilemma involving Cherish, the foster child who comes to live with her family.
The one thing that I didn't like so much was the voice. It just seemed flat to me, and made Calli seem older than her years.
The one thing that I didn't like so much was the voice. It just seemed flat to me, and made Calli seem older than her years.
June 14, 2024
My name is Calli
September 1, 2011
I was drawn to this book because its synopsis makes it sound so intense and palpable. Unfortunately, the book just didn't live up to the synopsis or my expectations. I expected more gut-wrenching drama, more teenage rebellion, more realism, just more more-ness. But what I got, was a relatable, yet somewhat boring, look into the mind of 15 year old Calli.
This is not an issue book, although it covers a wide variety of issues (abuse, sexuality, bullying, body image), it does not preach to readers about what is right or what is wrong. And that's ok because it's not the issues that drive this book; it is the simple glimpse into the title character’s life that drives this book. A glimpse that is created by Calli herself through her first person, present tense narration.
As the book begins, you find yourself dropped immediately in the middle of Calli’s life. This abrupt beginning makes things confusing at first because there is no back story or prologue that lead up to the events on the first page. As the novel progresses, Calli juxtaposes memories of the past with her present, but at times this only makes things more confusing and only creates more questions.
I honestly liked Calli and found her relatable. Calli is not perfect, she is flawed. She doesn’t have a confident, sarcastic razor sharp wit to rely on. She doesn’t always know what to say and often ends up saying the wrong thing. She has her insecurities and self-doubts. She’s not the prettiest, skinniest, smartest, or kindest. But it is her lack of spectacularity that makes her relatable. On the inside, we are all really Calli’s.
I think Anderson created a semi- layered characterization with Calli, but she fails to do so with her other characters. Calli’s moms, boyfriend, best friend, and foster sister do not seem like fully developed characters. Most of the time, they seem to serve no other purpose other than pushing Calli’s story along. At times, I found myself distracted while reading, simply because I was wondering why a certain character said this or would do that; and because these characters were underdeveloped, I was never really able to connect with them or feel invested in them.
Calli’s foster sister Cherish is one character that definitely needed a fuller characterization, especially since she is the catalyst that prompts the ripple effect in Calli’s life. We are told that Cherish was abused and spent time in foster care, but we are never given any real insight into her character or given any reason as to why she would steal, kiss Calli’s boyfriend, or lie all the time. I wanted very much to sympathize with Cherish, as Calli seems to do, but I found myself constantly asking “Why should I?”.
I wasn’t impressed by the voice of this novel; it simply did not sound like that of a 15 year old girl. Having been a 15 year old girl, and currently living in the same household as a 15 year old girl, I’m pretty familiar with how the mind of a 15 year old girl works, and Calli’s narration just didn’t sound genuine. Even at her angriest or saddest, Calli never really complained about Cherish, her moms, or her situation, not even in her own head, which is unrealistic. We all think things that we would never say out loud or admit to thinking, but we think them…especially teenagers, and Calli’s narration really lacked this honesty.
This novel ends as abruptly has it began, but that’s ok. The abruptness not only works but is fitting at the end. This is not the story of Calli’s life from birth to death. It does not span years and lives. No, this is a glimpse into a brief, fleeting, yet significant time, in Calli’s long life. We don’t need to know all that will come after, because that’s not the point.
I didn’t love this book, but I didn’t hate it either. I honestly feel like this book would have worked better in third person or possibly as a novel in poetic form. I did like Calli and found her relatable. But I do think her character has the potential to be better, she just needs a bit more development.
This is not an issue book, although it covers a wide variety of issues (abuse, sexuality, bullying, body image), it does not preach to readers about what is right or what is wrong. And that's ok because it's not the issues that drive this book; it is the simple glimpse into the title character’s life that drives this book. A glimpse that is created by Calli herself through her first person, present tense narration.
As the book begins, you find yourself dropped immediately in the middle of Calli’s life. This abrupt beginning makes things confusing at first because there is no back story or prologue that lead up to the events on the first page. As the novel progresses, Calli juxtaposes memories of the past with her present, but at times this only makes things more confusing and only creates more questions.
I honestly liked Calli and found her relatable. Calli is not perfect, she is flawed. She doesn’t have a confident, sarcastic razor sharp wit to rely on. She doesn’t always know what to say and often ends up saying the wrong thing. She has her insecurities and self-doubts. She’s not the prettiest, skinniest, smartest, or kindest. But it is her lack of spectacularity that makes her relatable. On the inside, we are all really Calli’s.
I think Anderson created a semi- layered characterization with Calli, but she fails to do so with her other characters. Calli’s moms, boyfriend, best friend, and foster sister do not seem like fully developed characters. Most of the time, they seem to serve no other purpose other than pushing Calli’s story along. At times, I found myself distracted while reading, simply because I was wondering why a certain character said this or would do that; and because these characters were underdeveloped, I was never really able to connect with them or feel invested in them.
Calli’s foster sister Cherish is one character that definitely needed a fuller characterization, especially since she is the catalyst that prompts the ripple effect in Calli’s life. We are told that Cherish was abused and spent time in foster care, but we are never given any real insight into her character or given any reason as to why she would steal, kiss Calli’s boyfriend, or lie all the time. I wanted very much to sympathize with Cherish, as Calli seems to do, but I found myself constantly asking “Why should I?”.
I wasn’t impressed by the voice of this novel; it simply did not sound like that of a 15 year old girl. Having been a 15 year old girl, and currently living in the same household as a 15 year old girl, I’m pretty familiar with how the mind of a 15 year old girl works, and Calli’s narration just didn’t sound genuine. Even at her angriest or saddest, Calli never really complained about Cherish, her moms, or her situation, not even in her own head, which is unrealistic. We all think things that we would never say out loud or admit to thinking, but we think them…especially teenagers, and Calli’s narration really lacked this honesty.
This novel ends as abruptly has it began, but that’s ok. The abruptness not only works but is fitting at the end. This is not the story of Calli’s life from birth to death. It does not span years and lives. No, this is a glimpse into a brief, fleeting, yet significant time, in Calli’s long life. We don’t need to know all that will come after, because that’s not the point.
I didn’t love this book, but I didn’t hate it either. I honestly feel like this book would have worked better in third person or possibly as a novel in poetic form. I did like Calli and found her relatable. But I do think her character has the potential to be better, she just needs a bit more development.
December 16, 2015
Calli
Book Review
Lauren H.
I have read quite a few books in my lifetime, and I’m going to be honest, I’m not the easiest person to please. However, one book in particular made me look at a certain genre in a whole new perspective. The book, Calli, by Jessica Lee Anderson would have to be one of my favorite books. It hooked me from the very first first page, and I just couldn’t put it down. This book had a special quality that intrigued me more than most other books I have read. That is… drama.
In “Calli”, The main character, Calli, has a tough life to handle. Juggling foster siblings, boyfriend troubles, and school work, it’s a wonder she is still breathing. In the book, Calli experiences her foster sister, Cherish, kissing her boyfriend, Dub. “I want to yell at them to stop, to push each other away, but my words are trapped. My eyes and ears hurt from the pressure of holding back tears. the hallway is full of students watching me, waiting for my reaction. Like Cherish told me before, I’m a chicken turd. She thinks I won’t do anything. But she’s wrong!” (1).
Calli has two moms, one of which, had been in the foster system her whole childhood. Brandy, her real mom, was sympathetic to Liz, her new mom, who had experienced such a tragedy. They wanted to give back to children like Liz, so they decided to foster. Calli is just starting to adjust to her new life, when all the sudden, she has to deal with a new sibling. Their first foster child, Cherish, was a sassy little delinquent. She had her mind set on one thing, escaping Callis “weird family”. First, she kisses Callis boyfriend, and then she spray paints:
“C A L L I I S A B U L L Y” on Callis locker. Not to mention, she is constantly taking Callis stuff. Going to school with her has to be bad enough, but living with her must be a nightmare.
Later on in the story, Calli steals Cherishes necklace as revenge. They get into a huge argument, which turns into a physical fight. About two pages later, Calli ends up in the hospital, and Cherish ends up in jail. What was a terrible situation already, just got ten times worse. Meanwhile, Calli is still avoiding her boyfriend for kissing her sister. Callis life is turning into a giant mess. To make things even more complicated, her moms sign up to foster another child.
Callis new 6 year old brother, Lemond, is having trouble adjusting. Considering both her mom's are very busy, Calli has to watch over Lemond. Their family is once again starting to heal, and adapting to the changes in their household. One day, Lemond’s mother decides she wants him back, and is supposed to show up at court to discuss the case, but ends up being a no-show. Lemond is starting to realize how much he misses his old family, and becomes really depressed.
At the same time, Callis best friend, Delia, has shunned her lately, and her grades are dropping as well. Calli is having a really hard time with everything, and doesn’t know who to go to. However, later on she makes up with Dub and Delia, and figures out the the only reason Cherish was so horrible to her was that she wanted to get back to her grandmother. But that is just the beginning.
Calli is an amazing book in my opinion, packed page to page with excitement. Everyone has their preferences when it comes to genres, but this book seemed to have an element that almost everyone can relate to. I would definitely recommend Calli to anyone who loves a little drama… or a lot of drama for the matter. I would give the book Calli, by Jessica Lee Anderson, two thumbs up!
Book Review
Lauren H.
I have read quite a few books in my lifetime, and I’m going to be honest, I’m not the easiest person to please. However, one book in particular made me look at a certain genre in a whole new perspective. The book, Calli, by Jessica Lee Anderson would have to be one of my favorite books. It hooked me from the very first first page, and I just couldn’t put it down. This book had a special quality that intrigued me more than most other books I have read. That is… drama.
In “Calli”, The main character, Calli, has a tough life to handle. Juggling foster siblings, boyfriend troubles, and school work, it’s a wonder she is still breathing. In the book, Calli experiences her foster sister, Cherish, kissing her boyfriend, Dub. “I want to yell at them to stop, to push each other away, but my words are trapped. My eyes and ears hurt from the pressure of holding back tears. the hallway is full of students watching me, waiting for my reaction. Like Cherish told me before, I’m a chicken turd. She thinks I won’t do anything. But she’s wrong!” (1).
Calli has two moms, one of which, had been in the foster system her whole childhood. Brandy, her real mom, was sympathetic to Liz, her new mom, who had experienced such a tragedy. They wanted to give back to children like Liz, so they decided to foster. Calli is just starting to adjust to her new life, when all the sudden, she has to deal with a new sibling. Their first foster child, Cherish, was a sassy little delinquent. She had her mind set on one thing, escaping Callis “weird family”. First, she kisses Callis boyfriend, and then she spray paints:
“C A L L I I S A B U L L Y” on Callis locker. Not to mention, she is constantly taking Callis stuff. Going to school with her has to be bad enough, but living with her must be a nightmare.
Later on in the story, Calli steals Cherishes necklace as revenge. They get into a huge argument, which turns into a physical fight. About two pages later, Calli ends up in the hospital, and Cherish ends up in jail. What was a terrible situation already, just got ten times worse. Meanwhile, Calli is still avoiding her boyfriend for kissing her sister. Callis life is turning into a giant mess. To make things even more complicated, her moms sign up to foster another child.
Callis new 6 year old brother, Lemond, is having trouble adjusting. Considering both her mom's are very busy, Calli has to watch over Lemond. Their family is once again starting to heal, and adapting to the changes in their household. One day, Lemond’s mother decides she wants him back, and is supposed to show up at court to discuss the case, but ends up being a no-show. Lemond is starting to realize how much he misses his old family, and becomes really depressed.
At the same time, Callis best friend, Delia, has shunned her lately, and her grades are dropping as well. Calli is having a really hard time with everything, and doesn’t know who to go to. However, later on she makes up with Dub and Delia, and figures out the the only reason Cherish was so horrible to her was that she wanted to get back to her grandmother. But that is just the beginning.
Calli is an amazing book in my opinion, packed page to page with excitement. Everyone has their preferences when it comes to genres, but this book seemed to have an element that almost everyone can relate to. I would definitely recommend Calli to anyone who loves a little drama… or a lot of drama for the matter. I would give the book Calli, by Jessica Lee Anderson, two thumbs up!
July 23, 2012
Cover:
I don't feel that this cover, does the story inside justice. Yeah, were not suppose to judge a book by it's cover, but were all human and it's what we do.
First entering the contest to win this book, I wasn't really sure what Calli was, I never heard of it before than. But I'm always open to trying new things.
When the book arrived and I saw the cover, I wasn't really sure if I still wanted to read it. It really didn't pull me in; it just wasn't anything too special or fancy. Giving it a chance anyways, I loved the story! It was something that I've never read before! It was freakin' awesome!
Characters-
Favorite:
I usually like characters that I can easily relate to, or could be friends with (or that have super powers). In this book, my favorite is the main character, fifteen year old Calli.
No, I'm not fifteen, I don't have any foster brothers or sisters, and I have a dad. But like Calli, I used to be a bit over weight, I was shy and quiet most of the time, and I just let people treat me however they wanted. Even though, I changed all of that, thanks to blogging and going into high school, I still can connect and understand how she's feeling and what she's going through.
I wish Calli would have grown throughout the story more; maybe become more confident, and stronger, and just burst out of her shell. But I still really liked her, and had an awesome time reading about her(:
Least Favorite:
I think my least favorite person would have to be Cherish, even though I grew to like a tiny bit by the end of the book.
Yeah she's had a rough life, being pushed from one home to the next, but come on! These people are so nice to you, and treat you like their own daughter, why would you mess things up? For once you have a good home, and you ruin things by kissing Calli's boyfriend, stealing her stuff, and lying to her parents? Why would you even consider doing that to total strangers that were nice enough to take you in?
Story Line:
First meeting Calli, you get to know right away she's shy, quiet, and keeps to herself, not wanting any trouble. She has a great boyfriend, and two awesome moms.
Her step mom grew up in foster care, knowing how it feels to be move from one house to another; never really have a place to call home. So the small family decided on fostering a girl named Cherish, knowing that she's a troubled teen.
Calli, never having a sister before, is really excited. Well, that is until Cherish steals her things, her parents attention, kisses her boyfriend, and lies to everyone's face.
Calli was a kind of book that I've never read before. In a way it reminded me of Sarah Dessen's book and her writing style. Even though, it was a bit short, and I wanted to know more about what happened to Cherish and how things are going for Lemond, I loved it! I can't wait to read more from Jessica Anderson(:
I don't feel that this cover, does the story inside justice. Yeah, were not suppose to judge a book by it's cover, but were all human and it's what we do.
First entering the contest to win this book, I wasn't really sure what Calli was, I never heard of it before than. But I'm always open to trying new things.
When the book arrived and I saw the cover, I wasn't really sure if I still wanted to read it. It really didn't pull me in; it just wasn't anything too special or fancy. Giving it a chance anyways, I loved the story! It was something that I've never read before! It was freakin' awesome!
Characters-
Favorite:
I usually like characters that I can easily relate to, or could be friends with (or that have super powers). In this book, my favorite is the main character, fifteen year old Calli.
No, I'm not fifteen, I don't have any foster brothers or sisters, and I have a dad. But like Calli, I used to be a bit over weight, I was shy and quiet most of the time, and I just let people treat me however they wanted. Even though, I changed all of that, thanks to blogging and going into high school, I still can connect and understand how she's feeling and what she's going through.
I wish Calli would have grown throughout the story more; maybe become more confident, and stronger, and just burst out of her shell. But I still really liked her, and had an awesome time reading about her(:
Least Favorite:
I think my least favorite person would have to be Cherish, even though I grew to like a tiny bit by the end of the book.
Yeah she's had a rough life, being pushed from one home to the next, but come on! These people are so nice to you, and treat you like their own daughter, why would you mess things up? For once you have a good home, and you ruin things by kissing Calli's boyfriend, stealing her stuff, and lying to her parents? Why would you even consider doing that to total strangers that were nice enough to take you in?
Story Line:
First meeting Calli, you get to know right away she's shy, quiet, and keeps to herself, not wanting any trouble. She has a great boyfriend, and two awesome moms.
Her step mom grew up in foster care, knowing how it feels to be move from one house to another; never really have a place to call home. So the small family decided on fostering a girl named Cherish, knowing that she's a troubled teen.
Calli, never having a sister before, is really excited. Well, that is until Cherish steals her things, her parents attention, kisses her boyfriend, and lies to everyone's face.
Calli was a kind of book that I've never read before. In a way it reminded me of Sarah Dessen's book and her writing style. Even though, it was a bit short, and I wanted to know more about what happened to Cherish and how things are going for Lemond, I loved it! I can't wait to read more from Jessica Anderson(:
September 28, 2011
Originally Posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.com/2...
**This Review is based on an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy). The final cover and text are subject to change.**
Calli was a short YA contemporary novel, which is refreshing after reading all those paranormal books! It's an amazing coming of age novel, and the emotions and problems faced in this book are all very realistically written.
I could totally relate to Calli's feelings, Anderson has written a very REAL character. There was flaws, and the she wasn't perfect...which did make her the perfect main character. LOVE LOVE LOVE Dub. He's so incredibly sweet and the most amazing boyfriend!
The only problem I found with the characters was the fact that since it's a pretty short book, you don't really get to explore and learn more about the supporting characters, like what they look like, and stuff like that. But it's an amazing supporting cast of supporting characters: Delia, Calli's two moms and the foster child which Calli's family takes in (who is SO adorable!).
I really love how that the author does put in the message out to everyone: having two gay parents does NOT make you gay. Love how she tackles this, and we see how everyone treats Calli because of this (and Dub being so helpful and sweet about it). Another thing we see with Calli is her somewhat, struggle to lose weight. In some parts, she thinks too much about it, but honestly in the end, it's all the same: love you for the way you are. And of course, that someone should love you for who you are as well, not who you should be.
I found Calli to be a sweet YA about foster care trouble, bullying, boys and just finding yourself. Loved this one, and totally recommend to both Middle Grade and Young Adult readers, as even though Calli is fifteen, it looks at issues suitable and applicable to readers from 11 or 12 years onwards. Cute, fresh and moving, Calli is totally the YA you should pick up to read when you're lost, troubled or need a happy ending. Loved it!
**This Review is based on an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy). The final cover and text are subject to change.**
Calli was a short YA contemporary novel, which is refreshing after reading all those paranormal books! It's an amazing coming of age novel, and the emotions and problems faced in this book are all very realistically written.
I could totally relate to Calli's feelings, Anderson has written a very REAL character. There was flaws, and the she wasn't perfect...which did make her the perfect main character. LOVE LOVE LOVE Dub. He's so incredibly sweet and the most amazing boyfriend!
The only problem I found with the characters was the fact that since it's a pretty short book, you don't really get to explore and learn more about the supporting characters, like what they look like, and stuff like that. But it's an amazing supporting cast of supporting characters: Delia, Calli's two moms and the foster child which Calli's family takes in (who is SO adorable!).
I really love how that the author does put in the message out to everyone: having two gay parents does NOT make you gay. Love how she tackles this, and we see how everyone treats Calli because of this (and Dub being so helpful and sweet about it). Another thing we see with Calli is her somewhat, struggle to lose weight. In some parts, she thinks too much about it, but honestly in the end, it's all the same: love you for the way you are. And of course, that someone should love you for who you are as well, not who you should be.
I found Calli to be a sweet YA about foster care trouble, bullying, boys and just finding yourself. Loved this one, and totally recommend to both Middle Grade and Young Adult readers, as even though Calli is fifteen, it looks at issues suitable and applicable to readers from 11 or 12 years onwards. Cute, fresh and moving, Calli is totally the YA you should pick up to read when you're lost, troubled or need a happy ending. Loved it!
May 12, 2012
Every now and then I love to lose myself in a good young adult novel. I feel like it keeps me in tune to what teens are worrying about these days and it also brings me back to those high school years. While most everyone disliked high school, it is fun to read about other people’s fictional struggles. It is for this reason that I picked up a copy of Calli. I enjoyed the read even if it was a bit boring and stilted at times.
Calli is a high school student who has a perfect life, from the outside. She has a fun best friend, an adoring boyfriend, and parents who think that she’s the greatest daughter. However, her life is far from ideal. In reality, her parents are lesbians one of whom suffers from lupus; her adoring boyfriend just made out with her foster sister in front of the whole school; and her best friend couldn’t care less about any of the problems in Calli’s life. Calli tries her hardest to keep peace in her house, but one night her emotions get the best of her and she acts out in a way that has startling repercussions.
I did enjoy Calli’s character. I found her to be very real. Perhaps that is the reason I was a bit bored by the story because Calli was TOO real. Most readers pick up books to experience a life that they don’t have. This is especially true of young adult readers. While many may pick up books in which they identify with the characters, we still hope that those in the novel make decisions that maybe we are not bold enough to make in our nonfiction world. I felt that Calli was a bit too predictable. Even in her outbursts, she was kind of restrained and repentant. Furthermore, I did think that she had a bit of a charmed life for a typical teenager. The most interesting aspect of the story was Calli’s relationship with her parent, Liz. While this was a substantial part of the book, I still found myself putting the book down more often than I would have liked. I think that there is an audience for this book, I’m just not it.
www.iamliteraryaddicted.blogspot.com
Calli is a high school student who has a perfect life, from the outside. She has a fun best friend, an adoring boyfriend, and parents who think that she’s the greatest daughter. However, her life is far from ideal. In reality, her parents are lesbians one of whom suffers from lupus; her adoring boyfriend just made out with her foster sister in front of the whole school; and her best friend couldn’t care less about any of the problems in Calli’s life. Calli tries her hardest to keep peace in her house, but one night her emotions get the best of her and she acts out in a way that has startling repercussions.
I did enjoy Calli’s character. I found her to be very real. Perhaps that is the reason I was a bit bored by the story because Calli was TOO real. Most readers pick up books to experience a life that they don’t have. This is especially true of young adult readers. While many may pick up books in which they identify with the characters, we still hope that those in the novel make decisions that maybe we are not bold enough to make in our nonfiction world. I felt that Calli was a bit too predictable. Even in her outbursts, she was kind of restrained and repentant. Furthermore, I did think that she had a bit of a charmed life for a typical teenager. The most interesting aspect of the story was Calli’s relationship with her parent, Liz. While this was a substantial part of the book, I still found myself putting the book down more often than I would have liked. I think that there is an audience for this book, I’m just not it.
www.iamliteraryaddicted.blogspot.com
October 6, 2011
Being a foster sister to Cherish isn't exactly going to Calli's plan. There doesn't seem to be much lovey-dovey bonding time when you're too busy searching for your stolen stuff in your foster sister's room. To make matters worse, Cherish is a liar and master manipulator. She regularly pits Calli's moms (yes plural) against her, and now she has her sights on her boyfriend Dub. Calli takes matters into her own hands, and soon their small family begins to crumble. Calli and Cherish both learn that sometimes saying your sorry just isn't enough.
I must say, I loved the opening chapter of this book! Here is a snipet:
A girl rushes to the tallest guy in the tenth grade and reaches up to draper her thin, muscular arms around his neck. The girl's shirt rises up while her baggy khakis slide down over her narrow hips, revealing the strings of her red underwear.
The guy keep his hands tucked in his pockets as the girl tilts her head slightly. She leans in to kiss him.
She kisses him.
Cherish kisses Dub.
My foster sister, Cherish, kisses my boyfriend, Dub.
Oh. My. God. He's not stopping her.
See what I mean? What a great opener, and we already start to form opinions of Cherish. Anderson gives us a dynamic group of characters. Calli struggles with fitting in and dodging crappy comments about the fact that she has two mothers - one of which is chronically ill from Lupus. Her mothers are patient, kind, and they put the girls first. Their relationship is believable and (thankfully) missing all those stereotypes of lesbian couples. Calli's foster sister hasn't been living with the family for long, and slowly but surely we learn a little about Cherish's past. Not exactly rosie, but it is hard to like her when she twists words and basically torments Calli. I didn't like Cherich at all in the beginning, but by the end of the book we learn why Cherish acts the way she does and my heart went out to her.
CALLI is a heartwarming story that will will remind you of what defines family.
I must say, I loved the opening chapter of this book! Here is a snipet:
A girl rushes to the tallest guy in the tenth grade and reaches up to draper her thin, muscular arms around his neck. The girl's shirt rises up while her baggy khakis slide down over her narrow hips, revealing the strings of her red underwear.
The guy keep his hands tucked in his pockets as the girl tilts her head slightly. She leans in to kiss him.
She kisses him.
Cherish kisses Dub.
My foster sister, Cherish, kisses my boyfriend, Dub.
Oh. My. God. He's not stopping her.
See what I mean? What a great opener, and we already start to form opinions of Cherish. Anderson gives us a dynamic group of characters. Calli struggles with fitting in and dodging crappy comments about the fact that she has two mothers - one of which is chronically ill from Lupus. Her mothers are patient, kind, and they put the girls first. Their relationship is believable and (thankfully) missing all those stereotypes of lesbian couples. Calli's foster sister hasn't been living with the family for long, and slowly but surely we learn a little about Cherish's past. Not exactly rosie, but it is hard to like her when she twists words and basically torments Calli. I didn't like Cherich at all in the beginning, but by the end of the book we learn why Cherish acts the way she does and my heart went out to her.
CALLI is a heartwarming story that will will remind you of what defines family.
August 25, 2011
Originally published at my blog Chasing Empty Pavements
The Good: Okay first off, I loved that the parents in the novel were lesbians. There are not many novels where the parents are gay and it's always saddened me that there isn't more of a presence for them in novels. I thought that the author did a great job navigating both the positive and negative aspects of gay parents. I also thought Anderson's treatment of the two foster children were pretty believable. I like that she had one character that was kind of the stereotypical foster kid that is always angry and then a character that was the type of foster child that wants to be with a new family and appreciates being loved and taken care of. The other thing I really enjoyed about the novel was the format in which it was written in. Kind of like a series of scenes almost. The titles almost foreshadow what the chapter is about.
The Bad: This book was written about a 15 year old...but it also seems like it was written BY a 15 year old. The sentence structure, grammar and dialogue sounds so cliche and cheesy to me that it completely took the "realness" out of the characters for me. There were so many lines in the book where I wanted to pull my hair out and ask the author why she thought that sentence sounded REAL. Even the internal struggle wasn't that interesting because it just didn't seem real to me. Everything felt very synthetic, as if the author were trying too hard to create the perfect 15 year old or the perfect high school and teenage atmosphere.
While I appreciate the author's attempt at creating a YA novel with some real issues, I just don't think she executed it all that well. I would give this book a D+
**I received this book free from the publisher through www.netgalley.com. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
The Good: Okay first off, I loved that the parents in the novel were lesbians. There are not many novels where the parents are gay and it's always saddened me that there isn't more of a presence for them in novels. I thought that the author did a great job navigating both the positive and negative aspects of gay parents. I also thought Anderson's treatment of the two foster children were pretty believable. I like that she had one character that was kind of the stereotypical foster kid that is always angry and then a character that was the type of foster child that wants to be with a new family and appreciates being loved and taken care of. The other thing I really enjoyed about the novel was the format in which it was written in. Kind of like a series of scenes almost. The titles almost foreshadow what the chapter is about.
The Bad: This book was written about a 15 year old...but it also seems like it was written BY a 15 year old. The sentence structure, grammar and dialogue sounds so cliche and cheesy to me that it completely took the "realness" out of the characters for me. There were so many lines in the book where I wanted to pull my hair out and ask the author why she thought that sentence sounded REAL. Even the internal struggle wasn't that interesting because it just didn't seem real to me. Everything felt very synthetic, as if the author were trying too hard to create the perfect 15 year old or the perfect high school and teenage atmosphere.
While I appreciate the author's attempt at creating a YA novel with some real issues, I just don't think she executed it all that well. I would give this book a D+
**I received this book free from the publisher through www.netgalley.com. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
August 21, 2011
Fifteen-year-old Calli’s world seems to be falling apart. She just saw her foster sister, Cherish, kissing her boyfriend, Dub, in the hallway at school, and Dub didn’t even try to push her away. Things haven’t been going well since Calli’s two moms brought Cherish into their home, and to make matters worse, they are looking at bringing in yet another foster child. As tension between Cherish and Calli rises, so does the tension between Calli’s two moms as they struggle to keep peace in the house, and keep Calli’s biological mother’s Lupus in check. When Calli decides to teach Cherish a lesson, the fights between the girls become violent leaving Calli forever changed.
I really enjoyed this book. Calli is a character many young women will identify with. She’s a very average girl (a size thirteen), and she’s okay with it. Her worries, hopes and dreams are all realistic. Ms. Anderson’s writing is fluid and the story breezed by for me. I read this book in just a few hours. I especially enjoyed the fact that Calli had two moms and it wasn’t an issue to her. It was just the way it was. Sure, she has to deal with narrow-minded people because of it (people think since her mom’s are gay, she must be gay, too), but she shrugs it off as part of life. This is a refreshing YA book, free of love triangles and over-dramatic circumstances that I thoroughly enjoyed.
(Review based on an Advanced Review Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley)
I really enjoyed this book. Calli is a character many young women will identify with. She’s a very average girl (a size thirteen), and she’s okay with it. Her worries, hopes and dreams are all realistic. Ms. Anderson’s writing is fluid and the story breezed by for me. I read this book in just a few hours. I especially enjoyed the fact that Calli had two moms and it wasn’t an issue to her. It was just the way it was. Sure, she has to deal with narrow-minded people because of it (people think since her mom’s are gay, she must be gay, too), but she shrugs it off as part of life. This is a refreshing YA book, free of love triangles and over-dramatic circumstances that I thoroughly enjoyed.
(Review based on an Advanced Review Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley)
May 30, 2011
Calli is a coming of age story about a fifteen year old girl. Calli is trying to get through high school while avoiding the teasing resulting from having two moms. She's also trying to get along with her foster sister, Cherish, who has a penchant for stealing Calli's things, including her boyfriend.
The first thing I noticed about Calli was that the story was refreshingly realistic, though at first that meant the plot fell flat with useless details like what characters ate for breakfast. Things picked up significantly around page seventy or so while staying realistic, and soon Calli became a real page turner for me.
I give the author major props for having a lesbian couple as the parents of Calli and reiterating a few times that having gay parents does not make the child gay. This is a great lesson that many of our youth should be learning. In a more general sense it was about the way people treat other people. I think this book may have a place in classrooms in the future, or at least I hope it does. There was also a great focus on the relationship between daughters and mothers. Calli has a solid relationship with both her mothers, something I think any mother and yes, even their angsty teenage daughters, would envy.
I really and truly enjoyed reading this YA novel. I would encourage others to read it as well.
The first thing I noticed about Calli was that the story was refreshingly realistic, though at first that meant the plot fell flat with useless details like what characters ate for breakfast. Things picked up significantly around page seventy or so while staying realistic, and soon Calli became a real page turner for me.
I give the author major props for having a lesbian couple as the parents of Calli and reiterating a few times that having gay parents does not make the child gay. This is a great lesson that many of our youth should be learning. In a more general sense it was about the way people treat other people. I think this book may have a place in classrooms in the future, or at least I hope it does. There was also a great focus on the relationship between daughters and mothers. Calli has a solid relationship with both her mothers, something I think any mother and yes, even their angsty teenage daughters, would envy.
I really and truly enjoyed reading this YA novel. I would encourage others to read it as well.
July 6, 2013
Read this review on my blog! --> Calli by Jessica Lee Anderson
What I really appreciated about Calli was the realistic view into a loving, unconventional family. Calli has two moms who love her and who are also very passionate about foster care and adoption.
When we meet Calli, we also meet her foster sister, Cherish, who is at that moment kissing Calli’s boyfriend. Things go from bad to worse from there. Cherish has been making Calli’s life hell from the moment she joined her family, but she feels she can’t go to her parents with this because they really want to help Cherish.
I felt for Calli in those moments of helplessness, and when she comes up with this plan to get back at Cherish, I wished she’d had someone to talk her out of it because it was a baaaad idea to mess with her. After everything goes down in flames between Calli and Cherish, we get a better understanding of why Cherish is the way she is, and Calli learns to trust in her moms a little more.
I enjoyed the way this story transpired and how real it felt. The writing was idiomatic and the characters voices felt authentic. I’d recommend this to fans of YA Contemporary/Issue books. I look forward to reading more by Jessica Lee Anderson soon!
What I really appreciated about Calli was the realistic view into a loving, unconventional family. Calli has two moms who love her and who are also very passionate about foster care and adoption.
When we meet Calli, we also meet her foster sister, Cherish, who is at that moment kissing Calli’s boyfriend. Things go from bad to worse from there. Cherish has been making Calli’s life hell from the moment she joined her family, but she feels she can’t go to her parents with this because they really want to help Cherish.
I felt for Calli in those moments of helplessness, and when she comes up with this plan to get back at Cherish, I wished she’d had someone to talk her out of it because it was a baaaad idea to mess with her. After everything goes down in flames between Calli and Cherish, we get a better understanding of why Cherish is the way she is, and Calli learns to trust in her moms a little more.
I enjoyed the way this story transpired and how real it felt. The writing was idiomatic and the characters voices felt authentic. I’d recommend this to fans of YA Contemporary/Issue books. I look forward to reading more by Jessica Lee Anderson soon!
July 29, 2011
I just finished reading Calli by Jessica Lee Anderson, and it was an excellent coming of age novel! I found it to be a more realistic read than many YA books seem to be.
Calli is about a 15 year old girl who is living with her two Mom's, a foster sister and a Dog named Sassy. She is dealing with fairly average problems for a teen today. Boy trouble, the struggle to be the perfect size, and seemingly relentless teasing from other kids at school. Throw in her unusual home situation, and the mass amounts of baggage that comes with having a foster child in the house and you have a great read!
What I loved about this book: I loved the family dynamics, most especially showing that a non-conventional family (the lesbian mom's) live a normal life just like the rest of us. I cannot commend Jessica Lee Anderson enough for that.
I also loved the relationship between Calli and her best friend, Delia. Throughout the story, Calli really grew in her relationship with Delia and learned that just because things change it isn't always bad.
What I didn't like about this book: While I am all for going green and caring for the planet, I didn't really feel like the little tidbits thrown in about saving the earth really fit with the rest of the story.
In the end, this was an excellent YA novel that I can't wait to recommend to my friends with teenage daughters!
Calli is about a 15 year old girl who is living with her two Mom's, a foster sister and a Dog named Sassy. She is dealing with fairly average problems for a teen today. Boy trouble, the struggle to be the perfect size, and seemingly relentless teasing from other kids at school. Throw in her unusual home situation, and the mass amounts of baggage that comes with having a foster child in the house and you have a great read!
What I loved about this book: I loved the family dynamics, most especially showing that a non-conventional family (the lesbian mom's) live a normal life just like the rest of us. I cannot commend Jessica Lee Anderson enough for that.
I also loved the relationship between Calli and her best friend, Delia. Throughout the story, Calli really grew in her relationship with Delia and learned that just because things change it isn't always bad.
What I didn't like about this book: While I am all for going green and caring for the planet, I didn't really feel like the little tidbits thrown in about saving the earth really fit with the rest of the story.
In the end, this was an excellent YA novel that I can't wait to recommend to my friends with teenage daughters!
October 11, 2011
This cover is fine. I enjoy how the letters in the title have some design to them. I don’t know the technical term for this, but I like the look of it. I actually really do enjoy the bottom of the cover, but the top of it I am sort of indifferent about. I think this must be because that is not how I pictured Calli... at all.
The story was interesting, yet I couldn’t bring myself to be completely invested in it. I think I was expecting a story that would tug at my heartstrings a bit more than Calli did. I was looking for a contemporary YA novel that was emotional and made my heart heavy. What I got was a realistic look into the everyday life of Calli. At times, the story could be a bit boring, but I definitely became more interested near the end. Maybe if I had gone into Calli with different expectations, I would have enjoyed it more.
I thought that Calli was well developed, but the other characters could have been given a bit more depth. This may have been different if the book wasn’t written in first person. So many layers would have been added to the story if Calli’s foster sister, Cherish, had been a more developed character. I just wish that I would have gotten to know the characters more--I finished the book not really knowing who many of the characters were.
The story was interesting, yet I couldn’t bring myself to be completely invested in it. I think I was expecting a story that would tug at my heartstrings a bit more than Calli did. I was looking for a contemporary YA novel that was emotional and made my heart heavy. What I got was a realistic look into the everyday life of Calli. At times, the story could be a bit boring, but I definitely became more interested near the end. Maybe if I had gone into Calli with different expectations, I would have enjoyed it more.
I thought that Calli was well developed, but the other characters could have been given a bit more depth. This may have been different if the book wasn’t written in first person. So many layers would have been added to the story if Calli’s foster sister, Cherish, had been a more developed character. I just wish that I would have gotten to know the characters more--I finished the book not really knowing who many of the characters were.
August 22, 2011
Calli, by Jessica Lee Anderson, is a fantastic YA (focus on the ‘Y’) novel about growing up. Calli is a self-conscious fifteen year old girl who is faced with pretty unusual situations in an otherwise usual setting. In addition to dealing with standard teen struggles, like friends and boyfriends, she also has to learn how to cope with a new foster sister and the stigma of having two moms.
Anderson does a very convincing job of voicing Calli through the slightly immature and insecure way she reasons and acts throughout the book. This allows the reader to pick up on the subtlety of how Calli starts gaining perspective and new insights into the situations she faces.
While I did enjoy reading Anderson’s writing, this book is definitely one for a younger reader. I think children in middle school would gain the most from reading how Calli’s character evolves and takes her first step into adulthood and maturity. I would absolutely recommend this book to pre-teens both in and out of the classroom.
Anderson does a very convincing job of voicing Calli through the slightly immature and insecure way she reasons and acts throughout the book. This allows the reader to pick up on the subtlety of how Calli starts gaining perspective and new insights into the situations she faces.
While I did enjoy reading Anderson’s writing, this book is definitely one for a younger reader. I think children in middle school would gain the most from reading how Calli’s character evolves and takes her first step into adulthood and maturity. I would absolutely recommend this book to pre-teens both in and out of the classroom.
May 11, 2016
Zmiešané pocity.
Na jednu stranu... je to dobré. Dobre napísané, zaujímavé, s fakt jedinečným domácim prostredím (dve lesbičky majú jednu biologickú a jednu adoptovanú dcéru), s kopou dobrých charakterov. Ale popri tom je na na tej knihe niečo, no, disturbing. Asi ako na tej obálke - nie je zlá, ale no... zvláštna. Po celú dobu mi niečo medzi riadkami prekážalo, a ja neviem, čo.
A úplne zvláštne je, že kniha končí v tom najlepšom. Keď som otočila na poslednú stranu, ostala som mierne v šoku - A ZVYŠOK? Koniec je taký, že by mohol byť v inej knihe presná polovica, skrátka to vôbec nie je záver. Aj knihy na pokračovanie, ktoré končia cliffhangerom, sú dejovo uzavreté - toto nie je.
Celú dobu som sa v duchu rozhodovala medzi 3 a 4 hviezdičkami... 3 je málo, 4 veľa :( Ale keďže Goodreads si nedá povedať, a polhviezdičky nezavedie, 7/10 a kvôli tomu odveci koncu priklonenie smerom dole.
Na jednu stranu... je to dobré. Dobre napísané, zaujímavé, s fakt jedinečným domácim prostredím (dve lesbičky majú jednu biologickú a jednu adoptovanú dcéru), s kopou dobrých charakterov. Ale popri tom je na na tej knihe niečo, no, disturbing. Asi ako na tej obálke - nie je zlá, ale no... zvláštna. Po celú dobu mi niečo medzi riadkami prekážalo, a ja neviem, čo.
A úplne zvláštne je, že kniha končí v tom najlepšom. Keď som otočila na poslednú stranu, ostala som mierne v šoku - A ZVYŠOK? Koniec je taký, že by mohol byť v inej knihe presná polovica, skrátka to vôbec nie je záver. Aj knihy na pokračovanie, ktoré končia cliffhangerom, sú dejovo uzavreté - toto nie je.
Celú dobu som sa v duchu rozhodovala medzi 3 a 4 hviezdičkami... 3 je málo, 4 veľa :( Ale keďže Goodreads si nedá povedať, a polhviezdičky nezavedie, 7/10 a kvôli tomu odveci koncu priklonenie smerom dole.
September 19, 2011
For a complete writer's review, please visit my blog at http://lorettajokapinos.blogspot.com/
Calli overall was a book I liked, but didn't love. I'm disappointed because I really, really wanted to love it. The concept was sort of interesting to me: two moms and a teen with a foster sister. What a great idea! But, overall, I felt the novel really lacked the magic it needed to make me fall in love with it. On the plus side, I didn't hate it. I think maybe it could be enjoyed by many. I'd especially recommend it to the younger side of YA or readers who aren't as character driven as I am. The story itself is clean cut with none of the "darkness" critics keep talking about. It simple and easy to follow with some real thought provoking pieces to it. Overall, I'd rate this book: 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Calli overall was a book I liked, but didn't love. I'm disappointed because I really, really wanted to love it. The concept was sort of interesting to me: two moms and a teen with a foster sister. What a great idea! But, overall, I felt the novel really lacked the magic it needed to make me fall in love with it. On the plus side, I didn't hate it. I think maybe it could be enjoyed by many. I'd especially recommend it to the younger side of YA or readers who aren't as character driven as I am. The story itself is clean cut with none of the "darkness" critics keep talking about. It simple and easy to follow with some real thought provoking pieces to it. Overall, I'd rate this book: 2.5 out of 5 stars.
March 1, 2020
A definite young adult book where I felt as though I wasn't quite the target audience. Some young adult books can be read by adults and adults can get some enjoyment, but this one just wasn't it. With simple language and simple characters, this book was just ok for me.
Calli is a young woman who has two moms and definitely not the conventional home life. Her biological father isn't in her life and her moms have recently decided to start fostering children, so she a girl move in who is the same age and it doesn't go well. This relationship makes Calli question everything and even makes her change herself into someone that she doesn't like. Calli learns lessons the hard way in this book.
Although this book wasn't for me, I would say this book would be good for a younger audience who may need exposure to some real issues.
Calli is a young woman who has two moms and definitely not the conventional home life. Her biological father isn't in her life and her moms have recently decided to start fostering children, so she a girl move in who is the same age and it doesn't go well. This relationship makes Calli question everything and even makes her change herself into someone that she doesn't like. Calli learns lessons the hard way in this book.
Although this book wasn't for me, I would say this book would be good for a younger audience who may need exposure to some real issues.
August 23, 2012
Calli has a pretty good life. She lives with her two Moms, has a cute boyfriend, and a great best friend. When they become a foster family to Cherish, a teen with a troubled past, life gets chaotic. Cherish kisses Calli's boyfriend, and rather than deal with her feelings, Calli retaliates and does some hurtful things too, and things spiral out of control.
I really enjoyed this quick read by Jessica Lee Anderson, one of the authors coming to ATBF 2012. The book deals with some difficult topics and would make a good book for a middle school book group. Be sure and check out other ATBF Authors at www.austinteenbookfestival.com.
I really enjoyed this quick read by Jessica Lee Anderson, one of the authors coming to ATBF 2012. The book deals with some difficult topics and would make a good book for a middle school book group. Be sure and check out other ATBF Authors at www.austinteenbookfestival.com.
May 28, 2011
This is a great coming of age book about a young girl named Cali. She is seventeen and lives with her two moms who think she is the greatest thing. Cali doesn't think so, she is fat and not pretty, at least that is what Cali thinks. She has a great boyfriend, Dub, who thinks the opposite. A bestfirend who isn't always there for her when she needs her most. A foster sister who she wishes would just leave.
Through out this book Cali realizes how wonderful and important she really is. In the end figures out who she really is.
Through out this book Cali realizes how wonderful and important she really is. In the end figures out who she really is.
August 21, 2011
Calli and her two mom's are inviting a foster sister into their lives. Anderson captured the feelings of a young teen perfectly; the excitement of a new sister turning into the bewildered frustration of realizing that this person is not going to fit the mold that was in her mind. The change in family dynamics and the maturity that Calli gained from the experience despite the embarrassment of realizing her mistakes all struck home. Great book and would make a great addition to a foster family reading list.
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