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Strawberry Crush
A brand new story of crushes, first love and friendship from the original Queen of Tween – Jean Ure!
When Maya falls off her bike and into the arms of Jake Harper, her cousin Mattie thinks the crush that follows will be as short-lived as the rest – especially as Maya is a Year 8 nobody and Jake is a Year 12 god. Mattie’s pretty sure that Jake's taken, anyway.
But if Jake’s got a girlfriend then why does he keep offering Maya lifts around town? And why does Maya accuse Mattie of being jealous of her? Perhaps there’s more to this crush than meets the eye…
When Maya falls off her bike and into the arms of Jake Harper, her cousin Mattie thinks the crush that follows will be as short-lived as the rest – especially as Maya is a Year 8 nobody and Jake is a Year 12 god. Mattie’s pretty sure that Jake's taken, anyway.
But if Jake’s got a girlfriend then why does he keep offering Maya lifts around town? And why does Maya accuse Mattie of being jealous of her? Perhaps there’s more to this crush than meets the eye…
193 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 25, 2016
13 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Jean Ure
265 books119 followersProlific English children and young adult author.
Had her first book published while still in high school, then studied theater at Webber-Douglas in London. Her most well-known work is the Point Crime novel Dance with Death. Others include Plague 99, After the Plague (previously "Come Lucky April"), Big Tom, Family Fan Club and Shrinking Violet, as well as the fantasy The Wizard In the Woods.
Today, Ure is very popular with British female teenage readers with novels such as Shrinking Violet, Family Fan Club and Passion Flower.
Ure has also translated Danish writer Sven Hassel's WWII novels to English.
Had her first book published while still in high school, then studied theater at Webber-Douglas in London. Her most well-known work is the Point Crime novel Dance with Death. Others include Plague 99, After the Plague (previously "Come Lucky April"), Big Tom, Family Fan Club and Shrinking Violet, as well as the fantasy The Wizard In the Woods.
Today, Ure is very popular with British female teenage readers with novels such as Shrinking Violet, Family Fan Club and Passion Flower.
Ure has also translated Danish writer Sven Hassel's WWII novels to English.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 26, 2016
Mattie and Maya are cousins, their mums - twins. Mattie is sensible, studious and reliable, and Maya flighty, elfin and hopeless. When Maya falls off her bike, a boy from school helps her into his car and takes her home.
Mattie sees the familiar look on her cousin’s face – the look that means Maya has one of her epic crushes. Maya does everything to be where Jake might be, walking her dog past his house, (when they’ve always walked the dog in the park). Waiting in the school car park in case she might run into him and he offers her a ride home (instead of catching the bus with Mattie). Mattie tries to tell Maya she is being ridiculous – Jake is 18 and she is only 12, but Maya won’t listen.
Mattie watches her cousin become consumed by her infatuation and is torn between being angry and embarrassed about Maya's behaviour, and worried about what might happen.
Jean Ure writes wonderful stories about real life happenings and everyday problems that tweens face. The characters were believable and young readers 11+ will easily identify with them.
Mattie sees the familiar look on her cousin’s face – the look that means Maya has one of her epic crushes. Maya does everything to be where Jake might be, walking her dog past his house, (when they’ve always walked the dog in the park). Waiting in the school car park in case she might run into him and he offers her a ride home (instead of catching the bus with Mattie). Mattie tries to tell Maya she is being ridiculous – Jake is 18 and she is only 12, but Maya won’t listen.
Mattie watches her cousin become consumed by her infatuation and is torn between being angry and embarrassed about Maya's behaviour, and worried about what might happen.
Jean Ure writes wonderful stories about real life happenings and everyday problems that tweens face. The characters were believable and young readers 11+ will easily identify with them.
February 22, 2021
Ein typisches Challenge-Buch, das ich ansonsten definitiv nicht gelesen hätte. Ausserdem war ich der festen Überzeugung, dass mir dieser Titel nicht gefallen würde und ich mich durchquälen müsste.
Nun, dem war nicht so. Das Buch ist unterhaltsam, und das sage ich, die ich ansonsten dem romantischen Genre sehr abgeneigt bin. Vielleicht liegt es daran, dass es sich um 12-Jährige handelt, die zum ersten Mal mit dem Verliebtsein aneinandergeraten.
Oder eher noch an Mattie selbst, die für ihr junges Alter schon sehr bodenständig ist. Ihre Art die Geschichte zu erzählen ist sehr unterhaltsam, da sie als eher trockener Gedankenmensch das Verhalten ihrer bis über beide Ohren verknallten Cousine schildert.
Ja, mir hat das Lesen Spass gemacht. Wäre es ein Roman für Erwachsene gewesen mit älteren Charakteren wäre ich wahrscheinlich aus dem Augen-Rollen nicht mehr herausgekommen, aber auf diese Weise umgesetzt, fand ich das Buch passend für den Februar und den Valentinstag.
Was mich ein wenig störte war die fehlende Diversität. Scheinbar scheinen alle Figuren weiss zu sein. Da aber nirgends so genau darauf eingegangen wird, habe ich das in meinem Kopf einfach ein wenig abgeändert. Das ist das Gute am Bücher-Lesen - man kann sich vorstellen, was einem gefällt.
Nun, dem war nicht so. Das Buch ist unterhaltsam, und das sage ich, die ich ansonsten dem romantischen Genre sehr abgeneigt bin. Vielleicht liegt es daran, dass es sich um 12-Jährige handelt, die zum ersten Mal mit dem Verliebtsein aneinandergeraten.
Oder eher noch an Mattie selbst, die für ihr junges Alter schon sehr bodenständig ist. Ihre Art die Geschichte zu erzählen ist sehr unterhaltsam, da sie als eher trockener Gedankenmensch das Verhalten ihrer bis über beide Ohren verknallten Cousine schildert.
Ja, mir hat das Lesen Spass gemacht. Wäre es ein Roman für Erwachsene gewesen mit älteren Charakteren wäre ich wahrscheinlich aus dem Augen-Rollen nicht mehr herausgekommen, aber auf diese Weise umgesetzt, fand ich das Buch passend für den Februar und den Valentinstag.
Was mich ein wenig störte war die fehlende Diversität. Scheinbar scheinen alle Figuren weiss zu sein. Da aber nirgends so genau darauf eingegangen wird, habe ich das in meinem Kopf einfach ein wenig abgeändert. Das ist das Gute am Bücher-Lesen - man kann sich vorstellen, was einem gefällt.
February 8, 2021
Some books will elicit certain emotions and feeling as they are read. This one definitely had me cringing more than anything else.
The main plot is about a twelve year old girl and her crush on an eighteen year old man. How he appears to possibly be leading her on and how that is affecting her in the eyes of her cousin.
Without giving spoilers, this does explore inappropriate relationships and the consequences thereof. It probably could have gone further in this but hopefully it would make any girl reading it think about what relationships are appropriate to her age.
As a read (and away from the cringeworthyness) the story is age appropriate for a twelve year old and perhaps a few years younger. It is entertaining enough while also serving as a warning. I do feel that the target audience probably will not be the ones reading this which is a shame.
The main plot is about a twelve year old girl and her crush on an eighteen year old man. How he appears to possibly be leading her on and how that is affecting her in the eyes of her cousin.
Without giving spoilers, this does explore inappropriate relationships and the consequences thereof. It probably could have gone further in this but hopefully it would make any girl reading it think about what relationships are appropriate to her age.
As a read (and away from the cringeworthyness) the story is age appropriate for a twelve year old and perhaps a few years younger. It is entertaining enough while also serving as a warning. I do feel that the target audience probably will not be the ones reading this which is a shame.
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February 25, 2023oh god this book had me up in arms the whole time. i was for sure he was either going to be a groomer or gay (which would have been the preferable option by miles) but i just didn't see that ending coming
April 5, 2021
Amazing Jean Ure!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One of my new favorite loving books!!!!
January 12, 2023
Really good but quite short, but I do like it
January 10, 2024
Well, I must say, I think that Maya can fall as easily as she can out into love! Fabulous book! I totally sympathized with the characters feelings! I can relate to this book a lot! 💯/10 for me ☺
May 1, 2025
at the start I was thinking a two but then at the end it had me gasping this is a really fun and fast read and I would deffo recommend for any age .
February 21, 2025
Not as interesting as other Jean Ure books. Mostly just crush dramas but good if you want a light, fun read. I don't even really remember what happens.
February 2, 2017
Great book. Funny.
April 4, 2017
Mattie cant believe it, her cousin, Maya who is only twelve has got another huge crush and its only growing more and more on the older, eighteen year old Jake.
Mattie and Maya are cousins, their mum's being twins however a main theme in the book is how unstable a home Maya has. Maya's father is always away on an adventure trying to find out what extravagant idea he dreams up and then brings home but never pursues and so he remains jobless whilst Maya's mum is her only stable parent in her life whilst she has no male attention from her father, she turns to caring older Jay.
Mattie quite simply and understandably, plays the worried friend and concerned cousin role. She eventually figures out where her cousin keeps disappearing off to when she no longer catches the bus to school with her or goes to her friends in the school holiday's and decides to tell her mum what's happening until thankfully, a huge secret about Jay comes out at school.
Maya is a perfect example of how situations which could've happened as she was clouded with a strong list for this unattainable elder boy, when really, Mattie was right to act how she did being concerned despite Maya's anger and disagreement at the start.
I really enjoyed this book and praise it for raising the issue of the age gap in younger years and the danger that is posed there and so educates younger readers of target audience at what could happen in real life not just in a book.
Mattie and Maya are cousins, their mum's being twins however a main theme in the book is how unstable a home Maya has. Maya's father is always away on an adventure trying to find out what extravagant idea he dreams up and then brings home but never pursues and so he remains jobless whilst Maya's mum is her only stable parent in her life whilst she has no male attention from her father, she turns to caring older Jay.
Mattie quite simply and understandably, plays the worried friend and concerned cousin role. She eventually figures out where her cousin keeps disappearing off to when she no longer catches the bus to school with her or goes to her friends in the school holiday's and decides to tell her mum what's happening until thankfully, a huge secret about Jay comes out at school.
Maya is a perfect example of how situations which could've happened as she was clouded with a strong list for this unattainable elder boy, when really, Mattie was right to act how she did being concerned despite Maya's anger and disagreement at the start.
I really enjoyed this book and praise it for raising the issue of the age gap in younger years and the danger that is posed there and so educates younger readers of target audience at what could happen in real life not just in a book.
August 27, 2018
This book is really good I'd like to read more of her books
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews