Dear Nobody: The True Diary of Mary Rose

by Gillian McCain, Legs McNeil

Overview

"A rare, no-holds-barred documentation of an American teenager's life." —Publishers Weekly

Told through the actual diary entries of a real teenage girl, Dear Nobody chronicles Mary Rose's struggles with drug addiction, bullying, and a deadly secret in this raw, authentic book. Her story will inspire you—and remind you that you're not alone.

They call me a freak.

I'm sick of it. It makes me want dangerous, bad things. Drugs—hard drugs—and people who are bad for me, but I don't care, because I'm so lonely and no matter what their intentions are at least they're talking to me…

They say that high school is supposed to be the best time of your life. But what if that's just not true?

More than anything, Mary Rose wants to fit in. To be heard. To be loved. And she'll do whatever it takes to make that happen.

Even if it costs her her life.

Compelling and unflinchingly honest, Dear Nobody is perfect for readers looking for:

• contemporary young adult nonfiction
• true stories about drug addiction
• books like Go Ask Alice and Lucy in the Sky
• stories that spark conversation about issues teens face

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781492609629
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	04/05/2016
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	659,698
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.30(d)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

Editorial Reviews

02/17/2014
Between the ages of 15 and 18, until her death in 1999 of cystic fibrosis, a Pennsylvania teenager named Mary Rose wrote unguardedly in her journals. McCain and McNeil (co-editors of Please Kill Me: An Oral History of Punk) offer a condensed but otherwise unaltered version of her diary entries and the occasional letter. Despite any ethical issues raised by publishing the book, which Mary Rose’s mother touches on in an afterword, Mary Rose’s writing has an immediate and viscerally raw impact as she describes her fights with her mother, a magnet for abusive, criminal boyfriends; her own tempestuous experiences with romance, sex, alcohol, and drugs; and the agony of cystic fibrosis. “I definitely won’t binge anymore,” writes Mary Rose after one rehab stint. “HA! That resolution lasted three days!” opens the next entry. Mary Rose’s enormous pain and the ways she attempts to swallow it are evident in every profane, rage-filled entry; while her anguish is near-constant, it’s spiked with moments of biting humor, elation, and hope. It’s a rare, no-holds-barred documentation of an American teenager’s life, written for no audience but herself. Ages 14–up. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Mary Rose’s diary is a heart-wrenching tale of a young girl trying to figure everything out…It will appeal to teens." — VOYA

"a rare, no-holds-barred documentation of an American teenager’s life." — Publishers Weekly

"The writing style has a beautiful lyricism…Readers will appreciate this unflinchingly honest work." — School Library Journal

"The voice is authentic, this book is an experience." — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher