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Please use this topic to submit your overall rating and opinion of the March 2015 book of the month, "Forever Twelve" by Meg Kimball. How do you rate the book? Do you recommend it to others? Why or why not?

For me the premise was a little difficult. The life of 12-year-olds is not my go to choice. With that said, I can tell this author is a very talented writer with an ability to create unique well-thought-out characters. For those reasons, I enjoyed reading the book.

What do you think?

In addition to the poll in this topic, don't forget to add the book to your shelf using the Bookshelves page for Forever Twelve!

I am about 2/3 of the way through this book, so I will give a fuller review when I am finished. I am really enjoying the book so far. Like Scott, reading about a bunch of 12-year-olds is not my preferred subject matter. Still, I became engrossed in the book from the first chapter. The characters are well drawn and I felt like I was right there in the story. The plot device of the advice letters was a nice way of bringing up "tween" problems. I also like the way the author changed perspectives halfway through the story, to include Andi's perspective.

The world of 12 year olds is not my usual cup of tea. That being said this book has many lessons that can reach through the age groups. This book is phenomenally written. I really enjoyed the wholesome humor and watching the characters grow daily. The lessons they learned through their personal struggles usually ended up helping them give advice to the readers of "The Advice Avengers." I really liked it. I do not typically like books that switch perspectives half way through, however, the author develops both characters so well you are eager to see the world out of Andi's eyes.

The point of view of a twelve year old is not what I usually go for, but I thought that the characters were good and the story was well written. This is certainly the perfect book for teens to read. It is a good way to express what goes on in the minds of teenagers. Overall, I think the author of Forever Twelve is a very talented writer.

I believe that the characters were very well developed, and the novel was interesting. I agree that this is a good book for teens to read, as well as adults to take their mind off every day life and reflect to those years. I really enjoyed this book.

I downloaded this book to my Kindle a few days ago. The one fear I had about the book before I started reading it was the age of the characters. I do not remember what it was like to be 12, and I feared I would not be able to connect with Corey and Andi. I give Kimball a lot of credit. She makes characters that are easy to root for. Andi and Corey are intriguing and mostly likable. The one thing that really stands out in this book is the presence of good role models. In a lot of books today, there are no truly good adult figures for young characters to turn to. I really think Kimball made a smart move including them in this book.

Overall, I really love this book. Going along with Andi and Corey on their adventure was a true pleasure!

First off, I would like to say that this is not a book that I would generally choose to read. Now that I finished it, I am so glad that I did, because I loved it. I could not put this book down. I stayed up way later than I should to finish it. I found myself immersed in the world of these kids.

The first two sections of the Forever Twelve had a lighter feel. It kind of reminded me of books like the Babysitter’s Club. I really enjoyed reading about the Advice Avengers. I liked seeing how Corey and Andi answered the questions that they were presented with. The last two sections were darker. Switching to Andi’s point of view in section three was a bit jarring, and it took me some time to get used to. It was interesting to see the juxtaposition of the two characters’ perceptions of each other and themselves.

The story lines about Angelina’s self-harm, Dharma’s foster family, and Andi’s mom were interesting, but I felt that their resolutions were too unrealistic. Those issues generally aren’t resolved with one person’s nice advice. That was my biggest problem with the book. However it didn’t bother me too much, because I felt that it fit with the overall storyline having a positive message.

I think my favorite part of the book was the characters. They were so well-developed and interesting. I also enjoyed the subtle humor in the book. Forever Twelve was an unexpected 4 out of 4 for me!

Lisalovecraft wrote: Switching to Andi’s point of view in section three was a bit jarring, and it took me some time to get used to. It was interesting to see the juxtaposition of the two characters’ perceptions of each other and themselves.

I completely agree with you! I was so used to the other perspective. Switching to Andi was a bit shocking for me, and it did take me a little bit to get use to. However, once I did, I really enjoyed seeing everything through Andi's eyes. I almost preferred Andi compared to Corey, but I think that is because I tend to favor characters who are not perfect.

Jesska6029 wrote:I downloaded this book to my Kindle a few days ago. The one fear I had about the book before I started reading it was the age of the characters. I do not remember what it was like to be 12, and I feared I would not be able to connect with Corey and Andi. I give Kimball a lot of credit. She makes characters that are easy to root for. Andi and Corey are intriguing and mostly likable. The one thing that really stands out in this book is the presence of good role models. In a lot of books today, there are no truly good adult figures for young characters to turn to. I really think Kimball made a smart move including them in this book.

Overall, I really love this book. Going along with Andi and Corey on their adventure was a true pleasure!

That was one of the things that I feared as well. It's very rare to find a book in the perspective of a twelve year old, that isn't considered a children's book that is. I was also concerned that I wouldn't be able to connect with the characters. However, Meg Kimball did a great job at making these characters interesting and likable. I would have never expected to like a book like this, but I actually did. I guess we have all got to be open to new experiences, especially when it comes to picking out a book.

I finished the book 2 days ago and loved it! The author has a knack for creating characters and situations that paint a picture for the reader. I became absorbed in the story, and could picture Corey and her mom talking at the kitchen table, Bruce and Corey walking to school, Corey talking to the principal in his office. Everything seemed realistic to me. I know that some people, including me, may think that the kids in this book are too good. Well, that was a nice change to read about. I don't like it when an author feels they have to make a character have tons of problems in order to stand out. Sometimes kids are just good, and their parents, too. I am happy to hear that the author is working on one or more sequels.

I thought the plot device of the letters was a neat way to introduce issues that some of the schoolkids had. It was a great way for Andi and Corey to become friends, but the Advice Avengers column didn't overwhelm the plot. The only thing that I thought was a bit unrealistic was how close Andi and Corey were with Tyler and Bruce. At that age, most boys are a bit shy around girls. I know the school paper was the catalyst to the group becoming friends, but it seemed odd to me that they were all eat lunch together everyday, the boys would meet the girls between classes, etc. It just seemed to me something that would be a little more natural at age 14 or 15.

The story flowed very naturally. I never felt that the pace dragged at all. One of my favorite parts of the book were the conversations between Corey and her mother, and between Andi and her father. Although Andi's father was a little geeky, I found their conversations humorous in a nice way. My dad wasn't as bad as Andi's father constantly asking what she learned in science each day, but he was similar in that he asked about school in detail every night at the dinner table. Corey's mother was just such a great role model for Corey, and a great sounding board. This book is a refreshing change from so many young adult books that have characters that have no one in their family to look up to. Even in the popular Harry Potter series, Harry is treated like a subhuman by his horrible relatives, forced to live in a cupboard under the stairs.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I really enjoying this coming-of-age story, that is also a sweet tale of friendship and family.

-- 08 Mar 2015, 00:29 --

bookowlie wrote:I finished the book 2 days ago and loved it! The author has a knack for creating characters and situations that paint a picture for the reader. I became absorbed in the story, and could picture Corey and her mom talking at the kitchen table, Bruce and Corey walking to school, Corey talking to the principal in his office. Everything seemed realistic to me. I know that some people, including me, may think that the kids in this book are too good. Well, that was a nice change to read about. I don't like it when an author feels they have to make a character have tons of problems in order to stand out. Sometimes kids are just good, and their parents, too. I am happy to hear that the author is working on one or more sequels.

I thought the plot device of the letters was a neat way to introduce issues that some of the schoolkids had. It was a great way for Andi and Corey to become friends, but the Advice Avengers column didn't overwhelm the plot. The only thing that I thought was a bit unrealistic was how close Andi and Corey were with Tyler and Bruce. At that age, most boys are a bit shy around girls. I know the school paper was the catalyst to the group becoming friends, but it seemed odd to me that they were all eat lunch together everyday, the boys would meet the girls between classes, etc. It just seemed to me something that would be a little more natural at age 14 or 15.

The story flowed very naturally. I never felt that the pace dragged at all. One of my favorite parts of the book were the conversations between Corey and her mother, and between Andi and her father. Although Andi's father was a little geeky, I found their conversations humorous in a nice way. My dad wasn't as bad as Andi's father constantly asking what she learned in science each day, but he was similar in that he asked about school in detail every night at the dinner table. Corey's mother was just such a great role model for Corey, and a great sounding board. This book is a refreshing change from so many young adult books that have characters that have no one in their family to look up to. Even in the popular Harry Potter series, Harry is treated like a subhuman by his horrible relatives, forced to live in a cupboard under the stairs.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I really enjoying this coming-of-age story, that is also a sweet tale of friendship and family.

Oops, sorry about the typos. The phrases should read "they were all eating lunch" and "I really enjoyed this coming-of-age story". Sorry about that!

Like many stated before me this would not usually be my first choice of subject, however, after the first few chapters I found the book to be enjoyable. The characters were well developed and intertwined. I felt that the relationships between the girls and the adults in their life may have been a bit far fetched for this day and age, as the average twelve year old girl seems to be far more withdrawn from the adults in their life. I found myself hopeful that my girls and I may share the same kind of relationship in their future. I felt that their teacher may have been depicted as a little bit of a scatter brain, and distracted very easily.
I felt that the problems the girls faced through out the story were amazing examples of what the average twelve year old girl would face in this day and age, and that it would give adults a better understanding of what their daughters may be facing. It also created an awesome example for young women as to how to have healthy friendships with boys that may come into their lives, and this is one of the most difficult topics I am dreading having to deal with as my girls grow.
I only gave this book three out of four stars simply because I had to continually remember that the story was written for twelve year old children and that the writing and structure of the story was geared towards that audience. I feel that a book like this should draw a reader of any age back in time and remind them what it is to be twelve again rather than having to constantly train your brain to read it as a twelve year old would.
Over all I am very excited to share this book with my girls as they continue to grow. I feel it will be an amazing way to show them some of the things they may face in their life, how they can handle the difficult situations they will face, and most of all that having a strong relationship with the adults in their life is important. I would definitely recommend this book to parents that have a twelve year old daughter as an aid to understanding them better, and encourage them to share it with their daughters. Over all excellent story!

Jesska6029 wrote:

Lisalovecraft wrote: Switching to Andi’s point of view in section three was a bit jarring, and it took me some time to get used to. It was interesting to see the juxtaposition of the two characters’ perceptions of each other and themselves.

I completely agree with you! I was so used to the other perspective. Switching to Andi was a bit shocking for me, and it did take me a little bit to get use to. However, once I did, I really enjoyed seeing everything through Andi's eyes. I almost preferred Andi compared to Corey, but I think that is because I tend to favor characters who are not perfect.

Yeah, it didn't take me long to adjust to the different perspective. I also like characters that aren't perfect. It makes them seem a little more relatable and realistic. I think it is better that we were introduced to the story through Corey's eyes first, it gives more depth to Andi's perspective.

2/3 of the way through and enjoying. Will post pack soon what I thought of it

I thought that this book was very cute, overall. It was one of those books that you could pick up and read without having to deal with any topics that were "too" heavy. It took me back to my middle school days which wasn't that long ago. I had to smile because I was on my middle school and high school newspaper as well so the excitement regarding putting the paper together was a fun topic to read about.

At some points I thought that the characters were very believable but other times I was not so sure. Corey can be very cynical at times which can be a typical 12 year old. However, I think that at times the characters aren't completely realistic. Perhaps I am a cynic myself, but I think that typical 12 year olds are not as accepting as the ones that Corey comes in contact with. For someone to go from a total outcast to suddenly 'fitting in'? It just doesn't seem realistic from what I have heard from my nieces who are similar in age to Corey and certainly wasn't the way that it was when I went to middle school.

Again, overall I think that the book was very light hearted. I did notice a couple of spots where "Andi" was spelled "Andy", however, and a few other mistypes. However, overall I enjoyed the book.

Although I loved the book and already posted my review, I do have one question. Where did the book take place? Did I miss something? I generally like to have a sense of place in a book, whether it's a small town in Iowa, the overall state where they live, etc. Was it ever mentioned?