Picture of author.

Carolyn Coman

Author of What Jamie Saw

10 Works 1,169 Members 41 Reviews

Works by Carolyn Coman

What Jamie Saw (1995) 520 copies
Many Stones (2000) 227 copies
The Big House (2004) 135 copies
The Memory Bank (2010) 113 copies
Tell Me Everything (1993) 86 copies
Bee and Jacky (1998) 35 copies
Sneaking Suspicions (2007) 24 copies
Losing Things at Mr. Mudd's (1992) 12 copies

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Birthdate
1951-10-28
Gender
female
Nationality
USA
Birthplace
Evanston, Illinois, USA
Places of residence
South Hampton, New Hampshire, USA
Occupations
bookbinder
editor
author

Members

Reviews

The premise of this book is very thin. In fact, I could hardly make sense of it. I ended up skimming through it, and I liked the artwork, but nice pictures don't make an otherwise vapid chapter book fly.
 
Flagged
LibrarianDest | 7 other reviews | Jan 3, 2024 |
This book is written from the perspective of Jamie, a little boy. He, his mother, and his little sister are living with a man named Van. The three of them are forced to flea in the middle of the night when Van throws his younger sister, Nin, across the room in a fit of rage. His mom is able to catch her in time so that she is not hurt but the event scares Jamie to the point where he begins to live in fear even after leaving. They move into the trailer of his mother's friend Earl. Earl makes comments that they are not safe from Van. This adds to Jamie's fear. One scene describes Jamie trying to get dressed in a hurry, he isn't sure why he is hurrying but the scene alludes to the anxiety and panic that a child may feel when feeling unsafe. This is a too real scenario. While I do think that the topic is important I am not sure that I would be prepared to read this with my class.… (more)
 
Flagged
Bambi882 | 17 other reviews | Sep 27, 2020 |
A young boy, his mom, and his baby sister flee from the abusive Van, after Jamie (the boy) sees Van throw his baby sister across the room. They move into a tiny trailer out in the middle of nowhere and both Jamie and his mother struggle to sort out their emotions and fears, while Jamie's mother also struggles to make ends meet.
A powerful subject and a fair-to-middling treatment. Still, possibly a good introduction to breaching the subject with young minds.
 
Flagged
electrascaife | 17 other reviews | Oct 7, 2019 |
This Newbery Honor book didn't feel like a book for children or young adults. It felt like masterfully written short story for adults. The protagonist is a child, but I think the audience is adult.

As the book opens, Jamie, a third grade boy who lives with his baby sister, his mother, and her boyfriend, looks up to see the boyfriend throwing his baby sister across the room. His mother catches the baby, and she is fine, but she packs up her two children and leaves that very moment.

The rest of book covers the few weeks after they leave, as his mother, struggling both financially and emotionally, tries to figure out how to make things work.

A simple, beautiful, and emotion filled little book.
… (more)
 
Flagged
fingerpost | 17 other reviews | Nov 10, 2017 |

Lists

Awards

You May Also Like

Statistics

Works
10
Members
1,169
Popularity
#22,002
Rating
½ 3.6
Reviews
41
ISBNs
80
Languages
5

Charts & Graphs