Can You Say Catastrophe?

Mostly Miserable Life of April Sinclair #1

by Laurie B. Friedman

Aprilgets her first two kissesfrom two different boysand isnt sure how she feels about either one. But she issure how she feels when her parents cancel her camp plans fora family trip.

Genres: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Contemporary, Romance, Road Trip

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Laurie Friedman is the author and ghostwriter of over 300 award-winning picture books, easy readers, chapter books, and novels for young readers including the bestselling Mallory McDonald series, the Moose the Dog easy reader series, the Camp Creepy Lake and Wendy & Willow chapter books, and may picture books including Cows in the House and Love, Ruby Valentine.

Reviews

[Eden (Taylor’s version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was meh. She is such a complainer it was hard to read but trying to find some free kindle books I can read fast to meet my goal for 2024!

[Safa]

I thought this book was really good, and I liked it especially because it had a lot of stuff to do with middle-school and drama, (all that sorts of stuff, I'm in middle-school too.)
The thing I liked the most about this book is that April found a way to make a better life for herself by being a little more open-minded and that she found someone to talk to, (her dad, that she didn't expect to talk to before,) and explained everything, and learned from her mistakes+the advice her dad gave her.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

April Sinclair has just turned 13 and there is nothing more that she wants than to go to summer camp with her best friends, Billy and Brynn. However, after a babysitting mishap, April is dragged on a family vacation with her parents, dog Gilligan, and her obnoxious little sisters to Florida.

Everything that could possibly seem like a humiliation to a tween girl does happen. From boys, self-image, mishaps, family hijinks and hilarious circumstances abound page after page of April's daily (and sometimes hourly) diary entries.

It really is laugh-out-loud funny in spots, sincere in others and good read for those young ladies who are fans of Dork Diaries or Dear Dumb Diary.

[Adriana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick and fun read. I can understand all that April was feeling and dealt with. At that age everything is embarrassing. The different formatting of journal writing was nice. I'm surprised that things didn't end up differently for her and her love life. Could have had some more drama there to add more to the story.

[Kalson A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was a very good start to the series. it makes you want to read the whole series.

[Addisyn W · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great start to the series. I book is perfect for 4-6 graders and are pretty easy. If you liked this book you would like the rest of the series. This book tells of the mostly miserable life of April and how everything is wrong with her. Will anything go right? Read this book to find out.

[Marta Doublestein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little read because rory has my book I was reading 😢

[The Library Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thirteen year old girl acts like a 13 year girl, complete with boy confusion, being embarrassed by her parents, her little sisters and everything else in her life. Goes on a trip with her family and gets over most of the family stuff. Comes home and works out the boy issue.

Nothing new here, unless you're a girl of this age who hasn't read a thousand similar books.Except perhaps for some talk about her "boobs" that may offend the sort of prudish adults who flinched a few years back at the word "scrotum". And even that here reminds me of reading Are You There God? It's Me, Margaretback in the 70s....

[Bernadette · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just finished my first book for #cramthon

[Lynette Fourzan · Rating 5 out of 5]

April Sinclair, a 13 year old teen. She wants to move away from her stressful parents and her annoying little sisters. To get away from her family she escapes to summer camp with her two best friends (Brynn and Billy). During summer she tries to impress the hot new boy next door and have the best birthday party ever until summer camp. One central conflict is April disagrees and fights with her parents to let her go to summer camp but her parents keep on telling her no. The central theme is April trying to have the summer she wanted but she didn't get the perfect summer. I think this book is good because I can relate to this book a lot, I wish the book was a little longer but besides that its one of the best. I rated this book a 5/5 because in my opinion this book wasn't boring to me and I love these kinds of books!

[Yuko Do · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the beginning of the book, I found April’s parents incredibly frustrating; their inability to truly listen to her created a painful sense of distance that many teenagers can relate to. However, as the story progressed, there was a noticeable shift where things got better. Reading this "dairy" or "journal" felt like moving through the different phases of teenage embarrassment, I just feel like April is....how do I say this nicely- she's partically dumb and VERY confused in MANY ways. I’m amazed by how much April endures, carrying both her insecurities and her quiet strength. May I just remind you I felt EMBARRASSED from just reading all the events. The relationship between Billy and April adds a tender, genuine touch to the narrative, offering warmth amidst all the confusion. On the other hand, Brynn’s presence is difficult to tolerate.

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, this was a great book, but there are a few things that need to be addressed. One, when I was looking at this book in Goodreads, it said that it was Young Adult. But when I was at the Doylestown Library, it was in the children section. And in this book, there is an immature thirteen year old who kisses two boys. Wha-? I mean, one would have been okay, but, there are like 5 year olds who can take this book off the shelf. I like the fact that April is miserable in the beginning. I love it when main characters are miserable. But I didn’t like how she got like super happy at the end. But still, read this book, there is a good chance you will like it.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommended to me by one of my students.
April has a crush on the cute boy who moved in next door. Her younger siblings are driving her crazy. Things are weird with her two best friends. Then her parents say that because of her attitude, they are going to do a family bonding trip this summer instead of letting her go to camp. #mylifeisruined

I can see why a middle school student would find this entertaining but for me it was a shrug. Lots of friend and family drama to keep the pages turning.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This brought back some memories from back in the elementary and jr high days. The frustration of having younger siblings and how they get on your nerves. The arguing, fighting, and screaming at each other. Trips with families when you would rather be friends. Getting close to your family again. I will definitely read the rest in this series, to see how the family and friends turn out.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I generally dislike describing a book as "cute," it does fit this one. I brought back memories of being 13 and having two little sisters. Fortunately, mine weren't as annoying, and my parents never punished me by not letting me go to camp. It was a fast read--trying to see how many books I can get rid of by the end of the year--but a lot of fun.

[Jen Bojkov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read for kids just coming in to the teen room. Some light romance and a small bit of crude humor may put off some parents. Overall- it was amusing and relatable. Not as funny as the Georgia Nicholson series, but a good alternative for young readers.

[Kenzie Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little suspicious about this book at first, but I loved it! If you're a middle schooler, or even a high schooler, you would totally relate to this book! You will cry and laugh along with April, and you'll grow to love (and hate!) all of the characters. Definitely pick this one up!

[Tayeba Hussaini · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty good

[Sana Lai · Rating 5 out of 5]

it may be thin but it makes up in story!

[Enna Wainer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly nothing super special but i felt so cozy and happy reading it so 5 stars. Maybe 4.5.

[Lilli Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

THAT WAS THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ

so billy april’s best friend kissed her and matt her next door neighbor kissed her too and now she’s billy gf and april never told matt kissed her

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can You Say Catastrophe is the first book in the new The Mostly Miserable Life of April Sinclair book series by Laurie Friedman. It is scheduled for release on October 1 2013. The story begins with the morning of April Sinclair's birthday and follows the spring and summer of her year. April wants the same things most tweens and teens want, to spend more time with her friends and less with her family, to be treated like an adult. While April tries to figure out ways to overcome embarrassing situations, her first kisses, changing friendships, and just what being thirteen really means all of her summer plans are changed and she is forced to take a road trip with the family rather than enjoying camp with her two best friends. Can anything good come from being trapped in an RV with her family for two weeks?

Can You Say Catastrophe reads like the diary of a thirteen year old, and captures the feelings that most of us have at that age. April wants to be seen as grown up, but is not quite sure what that means or how she should go about making that happen. Like most, she is embarrassed and annoyed by her family while wanting to be seen as 'cool' by her friends and class mates. Adding the drama of a first crush and first kisses only makes the process of figuring out her place in the world and what she really wants that much harder for April. Readers that do not remember the feelings of absolutely everything being critical might be annoyed with the moments that seem over the top, however those that still remember well the insecurity and uncertainty of the big childhood transitions can see the truths of how we felt at the time. I think readers of age with April will be able to see that their fears are not unique to them, that they are far from alone in their questions and concerns, and that regardless of how absolutely horrible something might seem at the moment, it does get better.

I think that Can You Say Catastrophe is a realistic look at the emotional roller coaster that being thirteen involves. I think middle grade students will relate to the story and hopefully feel reassured about their own lives in the reading. I think parents with children approaching this age or firmly in its grasps might want to read this book as well, to remember what they felt like at that age, and to help relate to the changes and questions their own children might be facing.

[duchesskenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Mostly Authentic and Original Portrayal of a Teenage Girl Hampered by Underdeveloped Characters and a Rushed Plot

Let me just start off by saying that reading this book made me interested in reading the author's other works. I really loved how the main character, April, is written. I can relate a lot of her behaviors and thoughts to myself when I was 13. I kind of felt that in the end, some of the things that made her endearing were down played to bring about the resolution. Nevertheless, I found April to be an entertaining narrator, a 13 year old possessing a ridiculous amount of self-importance, but mostly due to the fact that she is a girl entering the strange world of teenagers.

My main issues with this book was that I felt that there were too many plot holes and insufficient character development. There were quite a few hilarious and cringe-inducing moments sprinkled throughout the book, such as her younger sister outing her crush on the new neighbor... in front of the new neighbor and April's bright idea to send her young sisters to Winn-Dixie alone , which allowed for some interesting situations and surprising resolutions. However, while I was able to connect with April's character, I felt the other characters were very one-dimensional, especially April's one of April's best friends, Brynn, and the hot neighbor, Matt.

Mostly, I was left with a lot of questions...What was the point of Matt's character? How was April's father able to afford to take the family to Florida in an RV and to Disney World AND the Keys when he had just opened a restaurant? Does Brynn really like Billy? But mostly will there be another book about April?

I think with a more concise plot and better development of secondary characters, the story of April should be continued and/or revised. I will definitely check out the other books this author has written.

(review for NetGalley)

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arlene and Ilene Kelly might have two different birthdays, but they are definitely identical twins, born just before and just after midnight on two consecutive June days. In this book, the girls take care of ferrets, fool new classmates into believing they're actually triplets, accidentally upset their neighbors during trick-or-treat and endure their first separation when one must spend the night in the hospital. Through it all, the two and only Kelly twins prove there is no better friend than a sister.

Johanna Hurwitz has made a long career out of writing compelling stories about the day-to-day lives of realistic kids. This book explores that unique friendship that can only exist between identical twins in a way that affirms the joy of twinhood for readers who are part of such a relationship, and that satisfies the natural curiosity all kids have about twins. Each chapter focuses on a different episode in the girls' lives, and for the most part, each little storyline is resolved within that same chapter. This is great for beginning readers who might see a chapter book as a challenge. Chapters are short enough to read in one sitting, and each chapter has its own individual payoff. Kids won't make it to the end of a chapter, only to find they have to read another before they find out what happens.

The Two and Only Kelly Twins is most likely to appeal to girls in Pre-K to second grade who like realistic stories about family and friends. Whether the reader is a twin or not, she can learn a lot about sibling support and cooperation from Arlene and Ilene, who don't always do the right thing, but nearly always take good care of each other. Recommend The Two and Only Kelly Twins to fans of Ling and Ting Not Exactly the Same and to readers who have enjoyed similar realistic fiction chapter books by Claudia Mills and Andrew Clements.

[Fatima-zahra Jamaleddine · Rating 4 out of 5]

May 9th 2015

April hates her life because she has many problems in her life. “Can you say Catastrophe” by Laurie Friedman. In the few paragraphs I’ll write about the plot, theme and characters. The themes are catastrophe and craziness. The characters are April and her mother. The book takes place in April’s house and in her school.

April Sinclair has many problems in her life. The first theme is catastrophe because April thinks of her life as a catastrophe. ”The party was so much worse than I could ever imagined. It was the most embarrassing day of my entire life” (Friedman 1). The second theme is craziness because April’s family always humiliate her. To conclude, April thinks that her life is miserable.

There are many characters in this novel. April is the major character. In the novel, April always talks about her family and her life. Another major character is her mother, Flora. “But ever since I “went preteen” (mom’s word not mine) it’s like she ate some bad fish and hasn’t been the same since” (Friedman 6). Therefore, there are many characters that are being introduced.

There aren’t many places where the story takes place. The first major setting was in her house. April’s party took place in her house. Another major place is in school. It is in school because April has a diary and writes whatever happened that day. Therefore, there story doesn’t take place in many places.

April faces many obstacles in her life. Paragraph one mostly talks about the themes which are craziness (family) and catastrophe (life). In the second paragraph I talk about the major character, April Sinclair and her mother, Flora. In the last body paragraph I talked about the setting which is in her school and her house where April did her birthday party. The author wants to send a message in the novel, that is to be grateful because some people have many problems in life.

[Chrissy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Life is hard when you're thirteen years old, and no one is more aware of this fact than April Sinclair. Humiliated by her younger sister in front of the hot new guy on whom she *might* have a huge crush, April feels like things most definitely could NOT any worse. But then she learns that her best guy friend may have feelings for her, and of course her parents have decided that THIS will be the summer that she is forced to ditch camp with her buddies in favor of family time. How can April possibly have a good summer when her friends and the guy who might love her are away having fun without her, while the guy she might love thinks she is a complete and utter dork?

Cute, fun, adorable, and a bit over the top at times CAN YOU SAY CATASTROPHE reads like a diary from the heart and soul of a real live thirteen year old monster -- I mean, girl, of course. Woe is April -- life is horrible!! -- although, those of us who are years beyond this point may feel a little irritated at her extreme emotional reactions to the tiniest things -- but that WAS part of being thirteen years old, I suppose ... right?

This was a quick read that I finished in a single sitting, quite easily at that too. I'm sure a younger, pre-teen version of myself would have identified readily with April and would be eager to learn what happens next with both of the young men in April's life. But, I can't deny that my older self feels like she's already heard it all before.

I'll save this one for the kids, I think.

[Moon Shine Art Spot ~ Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This poor 13 year old has the worse family in the world. NOT. BUT don't we all think our embarrassing situations are going to be the end of the world at 13. Who kissed who, who kissed her, what did it mean, are we still best friends if we kissed.

Laurie Friedman does an awesome job of portraying 13 year old April's overly dramatic, worry filled daily life with embarrassing family, boy / friend problems, first kisses, confusion, little sisters, living in FARAWAY, AL. I loved the name of the time bring raised in AL myself.

April's character is exactly what I recall about being 13 and EVERYTHING was a big, embarrassing deal aka a catastrophe! April writes her daily thoughts and horrors of growing up normal - journal style and has the usual hilarious embarrassments and confusions of growing up and discovering what it means to be confused, worry to much, freak out about family & friends. Did my toe touching this guys mean anything, did he notice, do I want it to mean anything, do I like him, does he like me, do I want him to like me?????

I really liked this story and it actually took me down memory lane to when I was 13 & did not even realize how great (& easy) life was.

Excellent character and lesson in what is important and how things have a way of working out even if it is one Catastrophe after another.

This book was provided free of charge to obtain an honest review.

[Amber Aslakson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was written for the most part perfectly for the middle grades. I thought the character April was very realistic for a teen. I think that young teens would enjoy the the "being in love" portions and understand the trouble with parents. In working with young teens I hear the same lines April uses on a regular basis out of their mouths. They often feel embarrassed by their parents like April did. The author seemed to capture the troubles and trials of a teenager quite well. I was glad to see that she also made a point of April learning to be able to turn a situation around from her original thoughts. The book had some kissing in it, but remained from it being overly saturated or inappropriate. There were a few things in the book that make me uncomfortable recommending it to a middle school student that included her being upset about the size of her chest and her siblings taking naked pictures of her with her cell phone. While these things may be causes of concerns in some teens' lives, I felt it was a little much for a book I would recommend to a semi young reader. I am interested in seeing how the following books turn out in this series.

I received this book free in return for my honest review.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up because a fellow librarian was in a quandary over where to put in her library. I hadn't read it, so I decided to pick it up to see if my suggestion was valid. While April is 13, she is -just- 13. Still a little immature, still not really sure what her place in the world is. She is very much every-girl in the sense that she (mostly) doesn't really like her family (all they do is embarrass her after all). But, her sisters are just...too much. I'm pretty sure I'd be filled with the same kind of rage April seems to have if my siblings had pulled some of these shenanigans on me at 13.

Also, the story moves QUICKLY. Starting in April on not-at-all-ironically April's birthday, we are sped through May (with no mention of May's actual birthday?) and then June (again, with no mention of June's actual birthday...) where things are dull, and then they leave for the road trip from hell, and then suddenly everything is OK for awhile...but then they go home again and let's have a heart-to-heart with Love Doctor Dad because -that- isn't mortifying...

So...yeah. I don't know. It was fine, but I'm not impressed enough to pick up another book in the series. Good for a reluctant reader or someone who wants a real quick, slice-of-life story.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can You Say Catastrophe?
Laurie B. Friedman


About two months ago I finished the book Can You Say Catastrophe? . In the book there Is a girl named April. She lives in the town of Faraway, She has two best friends Billy and Bryn, Two little sisters, and her dad just opened a new restaurant. Something can’t possibly go wrong right?
The story starts at April’s birthday party. Everything was going well until her younger sister blirted out that she liked Matt the next door neighbor. April gets extremely mad at her. April was humiliated. After that April keeps on getting in trouble from yelling at her sisters. So instead of going to camp April and her family are going on a R.V trip to re-bond. At first April thought it was the end of the world, but it got better towards the end. In the end April’s life starts going back to normal.,Turns out it wasn’t the end of the world after all.
I would recommend this book if you like drama, humor, or adventure. I give this book a 6.5 stars out of ten, because I thought it could have been more descriptive. Overall it was a pretty good book.