The Last April Dancers

by Jean Thesman

Sixteen-year-old Cat St. John tries to come to terms with the growing evidence of her father's mental illness and his eventual suicide

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1987

About the author

Jean Thesman was a widely read and award-winning American author known for her young adult fiction, with a career spanning over 25 years. Her novels often explored themes of family, identity, and belonging, frequently featuring heroines who find their place in the world by uncovering truths about their families and forming chosen connections. “I loved telling the story,” she once wrote, “because I really believed that families were made up of the people you wanted, not the people you were stuck with.”
Born with a passion for storytelling and literacy, she learned to read before starting school and recalled having to wait until she was six years old before being allowed her first library card. Throughout her career, she authored around 40 books, most under her own name but a few under the pseudonym T.J. Bradstreet.
Thesman published a wide range of novels for teens and middle-grade readers, including stand-alone works such as The Rain Catchers, Calling the Swan, and Cattail Moon, as well as series like The Whitney Cousins, The Birthday Girls, and The Elliott Cousins. Her lyrical style, emotional depth, and strong female characters earned her a loyal readership. Notable works like The Ornament Tree and In the House of the Queen’s Beasts remain particularly admired for their nuanced storytelling and emotional resonance.
She was a longtime resident of Washington state and an active member of The Authors Guild and the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Jean Thesman passed away in 2016 at the age of 86, leaving behind a significant legacy in young adult literature.

Reviews

[Suzanne Goodall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book even down to its title. It was written like a movie with the descriptions so easy to actually see drawing you in emotions and all. A great read for young teens onwards.

[xenu01 · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the number of 4 and 5 star reviews with no comments for this book, I am going to guess that a lot of people found this book to be indescribable in the way it made them feel. This is an amazing book about love and loss and coping with the death of a parent and I recommend it to anyone of all ages. It broke my heart every single time I read it as a teen.

[SraPanadera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still like this book. It will probably seem dated to modern readers and as I adult I am more interested in the lives and decisions of Kat's mother, aunt and grandmother, but even so this is one of the sweetest "romance with the boy next door" books out there.

[Anwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my mums favourites. i wish i’d read it when she asked me to.

[Fritz Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it a long time ago. Probably for some class assignment in middle school. The plot isn't very memorable, but each time I hear the Flamingo's "I Only Have Eyes For You" this book comes to mind. For me, the book and the song are inseparable. Currently listening to the song and reminiscing.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

June Vacation

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

was a very good book