A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life | 
 enlarge | Author: Dana Reinhardt
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Category: Book
List Price: $8.99
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You Save: $6.00 (67%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  24 reviews
Sales Rank: 128648
Media: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.6
ISBN: 0375846913
EAN: 9780375846915
ASIN: 0375846913
Publication Date: September 11, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Minor wear
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Product Description
Simone’s starting her junior year in high school. Her mom’s a lawyer for the ACLU, her dad’s a political cartoonist, so she’s grown up standing outside the organic food coop asking people to sign petitions for worthy causes. She’s got a terrific younger brother and amazing friends. And she’s got a secret crush on a really smart and funny guy–who spends all of his time with another girl.
Then her birth mother contacts her. Simone’s always known she was adopted, but she never wanted to know anything about it. She’s happy with her family just as it is, thank you.
She learns who her birth mother was–a 16-year-old girl named Rivka. Who is Rivka? Why has she contacted Simone? Why now? The answers lead Simone to deeper feelings of anguish and love than she has ever known, and to question everything she once took for granted about faith, life, the afterlife, and what it means to be a daughter.
From the Hardcover edition.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 19 more reviews...
 A Brief Chapter in my Impossible Life November 27, 2007
An excellent first novel. Easy reading plus gaining insight into different cultures and lives. Would recommend this for all ages.
Lovely, intertaining, understanding prejudices, and finally love.
Beautiful story about finding ones self June 14, 2007
I literally just finished A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life
By Dana Reinhardt and had to post about it. I started off not being all that impressed. I purchased it for my middle school library and when I started reading it I felt it was not really appropriate for this age group due to the drinking and sex in the beginning. The more I read though the more I enjoyed the book. Although I would not suggest it to the younger middle schoolers, I think it would be a great book for students 14 and up. It would be especially appropriate for anyone who has dealt with adoption.
It is a beautiful story of family and finding one's self. It also does a great job of including lessons on Judism without turning the book into "Jewish Book". The story brought me to tears without being morbidly sad saccharine sweet. I would give this book a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.
A 2007 Association of Jewish Libraries Honor Award Winner for Teens January 28, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Sixteen-year-old Simone has always known that she is adopted and that her birth mother is a woman named Rivka. But, when Simone learns that Rivka is the daughter of a Hasidic Rabbi who accidentally got pregnant as a teenager, Simone's whole life and identity is turned up-side down. As Simone gets to know Rivka, who is dying from ovarian cancer, she also learns about Judaism, celebrating Shabbat, Hanukkah, and Passover, experiences her first relationship with a boy, and comes to terms with her own spiritual identity. Reinhardt's characters are smart, sassy, realistic American teenagers and her portrayal of a warm, loving, functional adoptive family is refreshing. Highly readable, fast-paced, and thought-provoking, A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life will be enjoyed by YA readers of all faiths.
Courtesy of Teens Read Too January 8, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Sixteen-year-old Simone has always known she was adopted but has never questioned it. She's aware of her dark features in her family of blond hair and fair skin. Her "parents" have talked to her about her birth mother, a woman named Rivka, but Simone has never wanted to learn more simply because she's happy with the family she has.
Then, one day, Rivka calls and wants to get in contact with Simone. With her parents urging her along, Simone is going to face her past--her real mother, her real family, and her true cultural background.
This book was a real treat to read. I enjoyed the different scenes and elements it contained: Simone meeting Rivka and learning the story of her adoption; Simone speaking up for her beliefs (she's an atheist who supports abortion); and Simone dealing with her high school crush.
All in all, this is a book definitely worth reading.
Reviewed by: Safia Abdul
A brief chapter worth reading November 10, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Simone Turner-Bloom is your average above-average teenager. She has a mother, a father and a younger brother. She lives in an upper middle class home and is an excellent student with a gift for math. But, Simone is different from most of her peers in one significant way. She's adopted and doesn't look like her parents or her brother. This doesn't bother her much, because she's happy in her family and really feels an integral part of the Turner-Bloom home.
One day, however, Simone's parents tell her that her birth mother, Rivka, wants to meet her. Simone struggles with this decision for months until, finally, she agrees to invite Rivka to Thanksgiving dinner. And, guess what? Simone finds herself drawn to her young birth mother and they begin a close relationship as Simone finds out about her past from her birth mother. Part of Rivka's past is Judaism, and atheist Simone is drawn to Rivka's practice of Judaism and its culture.
There's a hitch, however, in this happy new relationship and it is the reason Rivka sought Simone out before adulthood. Rivka's sick with ovarian cancer and only has months to live. And, in the background of these momentous changes in Simone's life are everyday teenage challenges--first kisses, boyfriends, a friend's family troubles, etc.
"a brief chapter in my impossible life" is different from most YA fiction in one, very unique way. Everyone involved--from Simone, to her friends and family, past and present--is essentially good. There's no abuse, alcoholism, or cutting in this book. It's a gorgeous examination of what happens when an extraordinary, but perfectly understandable, event challenges an essentially good, well-meaning teen.
Reviewers write a lot about how YA fiction offers much to teens who are struggling with issues, but books like "a brief chapter in my impossible life" are important too. Simone and her story, minus the adoption and math genius issues, are easily recognizable to me and I suspect will be to many teen readers.
"a brief chapter in my impossible life" is a beautifully written story. Simone's voice is strong and sympathetic. "a brief chapter in my impossible life" reminded me most of Justina Chen Headley's "Nothing But the Truth (and a few white lies)." Both are highly recommended.
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