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Flashcards of My Life
When Emily receives a pack of note cards labeled "Flashcards of My Life" as an unexpected birthday present, she uses them as inspiration to journal and to untangle her knotted life. Includes illustrations by the author.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
December 10, 2007
It wasn't totally terrible, but I won't be recommending it to anyone. Tedious girl angst from middle school. The graphics wreren't compelling for me. I liked the flashcard idea (gimmick) but it wasn't enough.
January 18, 2016
I was curious about Flashcards of My Life because it is on the list of the 10 most challenged books of 2008 in the U.S.A. The reason given is that it is "sexually explicit and unsuited to age group," so this is what I was looking for as I read. It is a funny diary of home life, school, negotiating friendships and crushes told in the voice of Emily, who is in about Grade 7. Her words are embellished with little cartoons along the lines of Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The audience for Harper's novel is girls in about Grades 5 - 8 who like the tween chick lit genre.
I didn't find anything objectionable, but these are the parts that some adults may have found unsuitable:
1. Emily's mother has a "soul-mate friend." "Aunt Chester is not her real name. It's Emily, like mine, but in high school her bazoombas suddenly inflated 'like a life raft off a sinking ship' - Dad's saying - and the name just stuck." Later, we learn that Emily's mother's missing earrings once turned up under Aunt Chester's bed. So, mention of breasts and - very big stretch - possibly a lesbian relationship between the two women. But Emily's parents are still together and Aunt Chester moved to another town four years earlier.
2. Emily's gym teacher, Ms. Clark is "tall, very pretty, and maybe a lesbian. She has a photo on her desk of her and another woman posing in front of the Eiffel Tower." When the students ask about who she is, they are told she is her roommate. "Janelle tried to start a whole Ms. Clark-is-a-weirdo-lesbian rumor, but Carol put a stop to it right away. Carol said that she thought lesbians were cool and that anyone who made fun of them was shallow and a discriminator." Emily writes, "If I were a lesbian I'd pick a girlfriend who was exactly my size so we could share clothes. Maybe that's why Ms. Clark has such an amazing wardrobe."
3. Emily recounts the time she and her best friend, Sandra, spied on Sandra's older sister by looking into her bedroom from the garage roof while their parents were out of town. "It was uncomfortable weird - Claire had all her clothes off except her underpants, and Brad wasn't wearing his shirt. Sandra just freaked out! She jumped off the garage like a superhero and ran into the house shouting Claire's name. We waited for them in the living room. Claire seemed really nervous, and Brad didn't even look at us; he just left." This hint of sexual behaviour between older teens seems mild enough for readers as young as 9 or 10.
I didn't find anything objectionable, but these are the parts that some adults may have found unsuitable:
1. Emily's mother has a "soul-mate friend." "Aunt Chester is not her real name. It's Emily, like mine, but in high school her bazoombas suddenly inflated 'like a life raft off a sinking ship' - Dad's saying - and the name just stuck." Later, we learn that Emily's mother's missing earrings once turned up under Aunt Chester's bed. So, mention of breasts and - very big stretch - possibly a lesbian relationship between the two women. But Emily's parents are still together and Aunt Chester moved to another town four years earlier.
2. Emily's gym teacher, Ms. Clark is "tall, very pretty, and maybe a lesbian. She has a photo on her desk of her and another woman posing in front of the Eiffel Tower." When the students ask about who she is, they are told she is her roommate. "Janelle tried to start a whole Ms. Clark-is-a-weirdo-lesbian rumor, but Carol put a stop to it right away. Carol said that she thought lesbians were cool and that anyone who made fun of them was shallow and a discriminator." Emily writes, "If I were a lesbian I'd pick a girlfriend who was exactly my size so we could share clothes. Maybe that's why Ms. Clark has such an amazing wardrobe."
3. Emily recounts the time she and her best friend, Sandra, spied on Sandra's older sister by looking into her bedroom from the garage roof while their parents were out of town. "It was uncomfortable weird - Claire had all her clothes off except her underpants, and Brad wasn't wearing his shirt. Sandra just freaked out! She jumped off the garage like a superhero and ran into the house shouting Claire's name. We waited for them in the living room. Claire seemed really nervous, and Brad didn't even look at us; he just left." This hint of sexual behaviour between older teens seems mild enough for readers as young as 9 or 10.
October 21, 2009
Sometimes the motivation behind censoring a book completely escapes me. Although I strongly believe that censorship is unnecessary and counterproductive to creating a populace that is engaged and intelligent, sometimes I can understand where the outrage comes from. Not that I ever agree, but I can see where, if someone had a certain worldview, their perspective might be acceptable to themselves, and a group of people who may see things in a similar manner.
Having said that, I have absolutely ZERO understanding of why anyone would challenge this book - but they have, and it appears on the list of 2008's most challenged books. I picked this gem as my read for Banned Books Week (I'm a bit late in finishing it...) and laughed my way through this charming story of Emily, a fairly normal middle school girl. She's awkward and concerned with friends and family and boys and school and everything that comes along with being a young adult. Harper captures her voice perfectly, and creates a wonderful background for a simple tale of adolescence with the concept of journaling flashcards. What a perfect venue for showing the growth, maturity, and tweenaged confusion of this sweet character.
If more people read a book because it has been challenged, I do hope they find their way to this gem. Very fun, and very good.
Having said that, I have absolutely ZERO understanding of why anyone would challenge this book - but they have, and it appears on the list of 2008's most challenged books. I picked this gem as my read for Banned Books Week (I'm a bit late in finishing it...) and laughed my way through this charming story of Emily, a fairly normal middle school girl. She's awkward and concerned with friends and family and boys and school and everything that comes along with being a young adult. Harper captures her voice perfectly, and creates a wonderful background for a simple tale of adolescence with the concept of journaling flashcards. What a perfect venue for showing the growth, maturity, and tweenaged confusion of this sweet character.
If more people read a book because it has been challenged, I do hope they find their way to this gem. Very fun, and very good.
April 25, 2009
At some point in a teenagers life, they think that their life is over- and there's no way that it can go back to normal. In Flashcards of My Life, Emily is no different. From problems with boys to knowing that you're the last to know a secret about your best friend, Emily tells it all by writing in her "flashcards journal".
Emily didn't think it was possible for her life to get any more confusing than it is already. Until she got the journal from her aunt, she didn't know how to deal with her problems. But, having a journal doesn't seem enough to Emily. She hates writing in it at first, but once she got the hang of it, she noticed her life changing.Now, organizing her thoughts and expressing her words through paper, seems to be helping her. Looking back at the past, allows her to see the mistakes she made, which stops her from making them again.
Is a journal really that helpful to any teen? Especially to a teen who has a crazy mother, a job at the library, and has to dance with her "crush" during gym class? Reading this hilarious book filled with her journal entries will give you the answer!
August 25, 2012
In the 7th grade i picked up this cute book from a local book store and fell in love from the first page. I've always been a sucker for cute little illustrations or anything other then a typical book set up, and this book was no exception. I felt such a connection the main character Emily ( although that may have been due to our shared first named, and read this book in a matter of days. Harper's writing style was so cute an unique i really enjoyed it. i have read this book many times since and each time find new cute things in the tangled world of Emily. The entire book cracked me up, and kept me interested with quirky nature of all the characters. This continue's to be one of my favorite middle grade books and recommend it to all looking for a cute quick read.
January 25, 2011
This book is NOT appropriate for the 8 to 12 year age group. It probably belongs more in the YA category, but it's obviously marketed towards a younger crowd. First, I have to say I haven't finished the book yet. My daughter had it, so I picked it up. It's a very cute book and a creative idea. HOWEVER, it does broach the subject of sex and also lesbianism, so NOT for young kids. This is unfortunate because without those two small sections, the book would be a great read for them. I know this book has been challenged because of this, and I don't support banning books, but many parents would object to their younger kids reading it. More appropriate for teen readers and older.
March 5, 2008
Really good! Using the flashcards interspersed through the narrative was a great way to tell the story!
August 2, 2017
Emily gets a set of flashcards from her Aunt Chester that are supposed to encourage her to start journaling about her teenage life. The flashcards have topics listed on them… like "Most Embarrassing Moment", "Kiss", and "Movies"… and as Emily writes her entries, she is able to untangle some crazy and complicated issues surrounding her young life. Sweet, babbly (is that a word?), and relatable, I could put myself in Emily's shoes as she navigates through first boyfriends, friends that don't get along, a Mom in mid-life crisis mode, and day-to-day issues with her clarinet.
November 14, 2021
5* - it was amazing
Hahaha I was obsessed with this book as a preteen and honestly I'm sure I didn't understand the vast majority of it. In any case, reading it now felt like a really realistic depiction of some of my experiences lol (kids aren't always age appropriate!) and I really needed this read during these ~current times~ lmao. Also Emily is now in my autistic characters headcanon.
Hahaha I was obsessed with this book as a preteen and honestly I'm sure I didn't understand the vast majority of it. In any case, reading it now felt like a really realistic depiction of some of my experiences lol (kids aren't always age appropriate!) and I really needed this read during these ~current times~ lmao. Also Emily is now in my autistic characters headcanon.
December 20, 2020
I give this book a 2-3 out of 5 stars. It wasn't bad, but wasn't fantastic either. I can see it being somewhat popular for older elementary/tween kids who may identify with middle school woes. The plot was predictable and there was no representation or viewpoint other than white.
November 11, 2012
Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
FLASHCARDS OF MY LIFE is a great book, not just for it's story (which is a cute, funny one!) but because of the pictures and illustrations. This art was done, in fact, by the author herself, which means 1) she's so totally multi-talented; and 2) I'm so totally jealous!
Emily is a pretty typcial young teen. She has plenty of friends, most specifically--Sandra, her 24-hour friend, her best friend, the one she tells everything to; Becca, her best-friend runner-up, the one she tells almost everything to; and Sarah W. and Sarah J., two girls she hangs with, but mostly just at school. The Sarah's don't mix well with Sandra, though, so it's a balancing act of friendship.
Emily also has a set of pretty normal parents. Her mother stays on the narrow road of dieting by making only desserts with nuts in them, since she's allergic. Her dad, though a good guy, is still totally oblivious to her mom's moods, which ends in alternate "I'm ignoring you" =slash= "we're giddy in love" weeks at Emily's house.
Add to that the social dynamics at school, the crushes of Emily and her friends, and the endless demand of trying to figure out what to do, what to say, and how to act, and life is pretty complicated. But thanks to her Aunt Chester (yes, Chester is a nickname, and no, she's not really Emily's aunt), Emily now has a new way of figuring out life--a birthday present containing FLASHCARDS OF MY LIFE. Cards with headings such as Friends, Food, Love, Kiss, Clothing, etc. that Emily can fill in herself, any way she chooses. And as she does so, she comes to realize that, all in all, her life is pretty good. And we, the reader, realize that it's also pretty darn funny.
Aimed more towards the younger teen or pre-teen set, FLASHCARDS OF MY LIFE is a laugh-out-loud, quick read that will leave you with the feeling of having just read a good story.
FLASHCARDS OF MY LIFE is a great book, not just for it's story (which is a cute, funny one!) but because of the pictures and illustrations. This art was done, in fact, by the author herself, which means 1) she's so totally multi-talented; and 2) I'm so totally jealous!
Emily is a pretty typcial young teen. She has plenty of friends, most specifically--Sandra, her 24-hour friend, her best friend, the one she tells everything to; Becca, her best-friend runner-up, the one she tells almost everything to; and Sarah W. and Sarah J., two girls she hangs with, but mostly just at school. The Sarah's don't mix well with Sandra, though, so it's a balancing act of friendship.
Emily also has a set of pretty normal parents. Her mother stays on the narrow road of dieting by making only desserts with nuts in them, since she's allergic. Her dad, though a good guy, is still totally oblivious to her mom's moods, which ends in alternate "I'm ignoring you" =slash= "we're giddy in love" weeks at Emily's house.
Add to that the social dynamics at school, the crushes of Emily and her friends, and the endless demand of trying to figure out what to do, what to say, and how to act, and life is pretty complicated. But thanks to her Aunt Chester (yes, Chester is a nickname, and no, she's not really Emily's aunt), Emily now has a new way of figuring out life--a birthday present containing FLASHCARDS OF MY LIFE. Cards with headings such as Friends, Food, Love, Kiss, Clothing, etc. that Emily can fill in herself, any way she chooses. And as she does so, she comes to realize that, all in all, her life is pretty good. And we, the reader, realize that it's also pretty darn funny.
Aimed more towards the younger teen or pre-teen set, FLASHCARDS OF MY LIFE is a laugh-out-loud, quick read that will leave you with the feeling of having just read a good story.
December 23, 2011
This book was amazing and I do think that Charise Mericle Harper NEEDS to make another one! It starts out how this girl named Emily has 3 best freinds that get along like ice cream and tuna fish(as the book says). One of her best friends Sandra, (the one who is SO against the other two best friends) says that she thinks she sees the popular boy Andrew staring at her. So then, Emily goes and gets a crush on him. Sarah W. and Sarah J. are the other two best friends. But RIGHT at the beginning Emily recieves a pack of what is called "Flashcards of my Life" and uses them to get her feelings down so she can understand what is going on around her more. When Sarah W. tells her that even though Andrew was being nice to her and being her dance partner and all, that Andrew liked HER. Well, then to make things worse, Sandra is DATING Emily's locker neighbor, Mike. And she took it hard. But when she got used to it and Sarah W. actually INVITED SANDRA AND EMILY TO A SLEEPOVER. They walk to Andrew's house. Then, Tuesday, (dance class day) Andrew was acting like he liked her at his house, and then, since Emily kept getting bruises, Andrew called her Bruisey. When he aplogized, at the library, where she grudgingly applied for the job, he told her to meet him at the park, and he told her he REALLY liked her, kissed her, Emily kissed him, and then Andrew said they should do it more often. Sandra had gotten kissed on the tire swing too. So they cslled it the k-swing. And then, she said if you mix friends, boyfriend, and your friends boyfriends together you get three things. A delicios treat, a complicated life, and, the end of this book.
January 12, 2013
So, I happened to have this book because of a neighbor. She heard that I love books, so she decided to give this one to me. And I am very thankful to her for giving me this because I LOVE THE BOOK!
This book is really refreshing for me. This is the break I desperately needed after reading tons and tons of paranormal, young adult, and even adult books. The story is very light and very simple, that reading it is so much fun. It reminds me of my elementary and high school days, when my problems were just as little as Emily’s, and my love life is also as boring as hers (even though, at the end, she had a better love life than I have now — which is, none at all :D).
Also, the author’s take on friendship is very deep and, in a subtle way, she managed to share that take on us via this book.
I also love drawings! The way she mixed things up with the drawings certainly got me. I love it so much that I ended up drawing on my journal every now and then.
But, what I really love about the book is the love interest. I mean, that’s what reminded me of my elementary life after all. Though, that’s not what I really meant. I love it because, that part is what really got me going. That, when Emily said they were classmates during Tuesday and Thursday, whenever I turned the page and see that it’s already Monday, I got very excited because I will be reading about Emily and her crush again. I think their story got me better than any real romantic books. XD
This book is really refreshing for me. This is the break I desperately needed after reading tons and tons of paranormal, young adult, and even adult books. The story is very light and very simple, that reading it is so much fun. It reminds me of my elementary and high school days, when my problems were just as little as Emily’s, and my love life is also as boring as hers (even though, at the end, she had a better love life than I have now — which is, none at all :D).
Also, the author’s take on friendship is very deep and, in a subtle way, she managed to share that take on us via this book.
I also love drawings! The way she mixed things up with the drawings certainly got me. I love it so much that I ended up drawing on my journal every now and then.
But, what I really love about the book is the love interest. I mean, that’s what reminded me of my elementary life after all. Though, that’s not what I really meant. I love it because, that part is what really got me going. That, when Emily said they were classmates during Tuesday and Thursday, whenever I turned the page and see that it’s already Monday, I got very excited because I will be reading about Emily and her crush again. I think their story got me better than any real romantic books. XD
March 3, 2010
When Emily receives a new journaling project as a gift from a family friend, she begins to fill out the titular "Flashcards of My Life." Through flashcards with themes like "friends," "embarrassment," and "secrets," as well as cartoon-y pictures and other text, Emily describes her world and daily events in her life. While the novel lacks plot, the honesty and genuineness that come through in Emily's feelings about her parents, her little battles with her friends, and her crush make for an engaging read. The book never mentions Emily's age or grade, but her voice is so well done that it doesn't need to; we know that she is twelve or thirteen and in middle school.
July 3, 2010
"Junior high school aged Emily, receives a gift for her birthday. The gift is a set of flashcards on which she is meant to journal about her life. The book was cute, kind of a diary of a wimpy kid for girls. I started reading this book, because it was on the list of top ten most challenged books. I made it almost through the entire book, before I figured out why it was challenged. One of the flashcards that Emily writes about is ""sex."" The card is not graphic and describes walking in on Emily's best friend's older sister and her boyfriend. Based upon the age of the protagonist, I can see moving this book from j to ya. Although, it is really quite innocent. I liked it."
February 6, 2017
I thought this book was really good.
But the ending was so frustrating that I walked away wanting more. The main character has a huge problem, which is that her best friend's new boyfriend was her old one. (Which isn't HUGE deal, but she's worried her friend will be upset) So she's all worried about it, and the book ends.
WHAT HAPPENS?!?
I hate books that wrap everything up at the end, where everything's perfect and no one has any problems anymore and everything's perfect now. Yay! Let's celebrate!
Let's not.
But this ending didn't even give me a hint a what would happen. I at least wanted a clue to guess!
Despite my ranting over the ending, I actually did like the book.
But the ending was so frustrating that I walked away wanting more. The main character has a huge problem, which is that her best friend's new boyfriend was her old one. (Which isn't HUGE deal, but she's worried her friend will be upset) So she's all worried about it, and the book ends.
WHAT HAPPENS?!?
I hate books that wrap everything up at the end, where everything's perfect and no one has any problems anymore and everything's perfect now. Yay! Let's celebrate!
Let's not.
But this ending didn't even give me a hint a what would happen. I at least wanted a clue to guess!
Despite my ranting over the ending, I actually did like the book.
November 15, 2009
This book was pretty good and I would recommend it to a young teen girl. Its a middle school point of view on first kisses and crushes. The only thing I don't like about it is that the kids have jobs (what middle schooler has a job?) and the main character works at a library as a bookshelver....and the authors description of working in a library is not realistic.
Other than that - good, fun, quick read.
Other than that - good, fun, quick read.
October 2, 2014
This was a cute book with a fun format. I read it because it was on the banned book list and...wow. I am still trying to fathom how this made the list. There was one paragraph that had described a scantily clad make-out session an older sister had...that must have been it, because I found nothing else that even came close. Either way, a fun book for young ladies.
January 23, 2016
Emily journals about her life, using the special personal trading cards she gets for her birthday. Boys, backstabbing, and other middle school drama are all covered in this fluffy novel. It offers a great mixed media format, with both words and visuals. This novel does appear on the banned books list, because of the interest and discussion of boys and kissing.
October 21, 2009
It just goes to show that the concerns of middle school girls (family, work, boys, friends, etc.) are pretty much the concerns of EVERY woman...Not sure what all the fuss of it being a banned book was all about (that's why I initially picked it up)...
May 24, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. Inn this book a teenagers aunt gives her flash cards to fill out about her life. Each flashcard has a topic and you write about it on the coordinating topic. You're on a crazy ride with this girl has she goes through high school.
June 23, 2008
Trashy book. Based on nothing. I didn't learn anything and nore did this character. Pretty worthless. Finished it withing 2 days.
Read
September 9, 2008it was really good i liked it a lot!!!!!!!!!!!
September 26, 2008
this book wuz awesome! i reccomend it to peepes who have a life. charise... write more books!
April 16, 2009
very smart and funny...
the main character is witty and often smarmy,but in a good way.
highly recommended!
the main character is witty and often smarmy,but in a good way.
highly recommended!
January 18, 2010
This book was GREAT!!!!!!! I recommend this book to everyone!!!!!!!!!!
January 4, 2010
I love it
October 21, 2010
i didnt get to finish yet but i think it is a little wrong for the author i dont think she should write that kind of stuff i give it 1 and a half but you cant do that anyway what did you think
January 6, 2011
This book is really good but I paused at almost the middle of the book because I really don't think this book is for 98765432or1year olds.
April 22, 2020
A very good book. I found it easy to relate to Emily, though her life is slightly more dramatic than mine. I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews