Starting With Melodie

by Susan Beth Pfeffer

After having been inseparable friends since third grade, fifteen-year-olds Elaine and Melodie suffer troubling changes when Elaine acquires a boyfriend just as Melodie's parents are getting divorced

122 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Susan Beth Pfeffer was an American author best known for young adult and science fiction. After writing for 35 years, she received wider notice for her series of post-apocalyptic novels, officially titled "The Life as We Knew It Series", but often called "The Last Survivors" or "Moon Crash" series, some of which appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list.

Reviews

[CLM · Rating 2 out of 5]

Elaine used to be envious of her friend Melodie's glamorous movie star parents, but when Melodie's parents begin a contentious divorce it wreaks havoc with Melodie, her little sister, and Elaine's family, the Zuckermans, who are caught in the middle. Elaine, selfishly, would rather hang out with her new boyfriend Steve than listen to Melodie's worries. She comes across as a really subpar friend in this disappointing story from an author I usually enjoy.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Part of my 80's binge this week... I don't remember reading this as a child, but it's one of the many 80's books about divorce...okay story, but it didn't really stand out for me. Maybe a little too glib and too short.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really 2.5 stars. There's nothing wrong with it per se but it IS a very short nothingburger of a read that I only grabbed because I like this author. Even by vintage standards I can't properly call this a teen book; the MC might be a sophomore and have a boyfriend but it is absolutely a children's read. These characters could just as easily have been in sixth grade.

Melodie St. Clare Ashford, girl of the glamorous name and the absolutely-not-amicably divorced celebrity parents, basically spends a hundred pages wailing about how awful her parents' custody battle is. Which, to be fair, it is. But that means Elaine has nothing to do as a character except try to console her and not be too annoyed about the level of whining, while also whining to us as readers about how weird her own family is (what kind of mom is obsessed with UFOs??). (side note: um, a cool mom. you give me a pain, Elaine.)

One positive note: Elaine is Jewish and describes a Shabbat dinner, as well as going to synagogue on Saturday mornings, simply as a casual part of the story.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 3 out of 5]

STARTING WITH MELANIE is a dated book which I first read 50 years ago. I enjoy rereading decades later to remind myself how old I am 😂.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I began young adult fiction, this was my favorite. I was a bit dramatic then (or a lot), but I remember crying over this book!