Author:Jill Maclean Published:Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Fiction
An alcholic mother,a distracted father, a best friend who spends all his time with his new girlfriend and three relentless schoolyard bullies: Prinny Murphy's past , present and future certainly are tense. Adding to her misery,she still cannot escape the fact that she can not read well enough to quit remedial reading lessons.
I love this book it showed me how any person can change from being mean to even having an addiction for example Laice was so mean to Prinny but then anround the end they become best friends. Prinny's mom was an alcoholic and by the end she found a sollution to stop drinking but every now and then she would forget and start drinking and then she would feel sick. EITHER WAY I LOVED THIS BOOK IT WAS MY F.A.V.O.U.R.I.T.E.
ReplyDeletelisette
As I sayd before I loved this book this book is the first book I have read from Jill MacLean and I plan to read lots more. I loved this book so much that when I started reading it I could'nt get my eyes off it I read it during recess,breakfust,when I was done my lunch, and I would even do my house chores so that I could go to bed fast and by the time I would be done it would probably be about 6:00pm and then I would go to bed turn on my night light and by the time I came back to reality it would be like 10:00pm not saying that going to bed late is good but what I am saying is that this book was really good and I am not saying this to impress anyone I am saying this because literally everytime I would have to put the book down I would have to find time and every oppurtunity I had I wouldnt play or anything I would read and you know I really don't like reading but this book really got me into reading even my mom loved it no lies i LOVED it too. This book also showed me another lesson like Prinny stand up for what is right. secondly this book taught me that if you have a misunderstanding with friends or family you would wanna clear things up instead of assuming things.
ReplyDeleteLisette
I really liked it because the main character, had awful surroundings.Also it is very much like Home Free and it was a tiny bit inappropriate. It also had suspense
ReplyDeleteI really loved this book but i really feel bad because Prinny had a mother that was an alcoholic and his father didn't pay any attention to him.
ReplyDeleteHannah
I liked this book, some of the reasons I liked this book were that it shows you what some people have to deal with in life, and that it makes you realise that some people have life alot worse than you, but this book was also a little bit more mature.
ReplyDeletebrandon 5
I really enjoyed this book because it caught my attention just like the last book she wrote called The Nine Lives of Travis Keating. The character Prinny went through a lot because her mother was an alcoholic. She did not get any attention from her mom and didn't seem to live her life to the fullest because she wasn't happy. Her dad was was distracted and must have cared for her but she never had the courage to just go up to him and hug him. They did not have a strong connection to each other. Overall, I would recommend this book for others read and to find out how Prinny handles or take control of her life.
ReplyDeleteKatie :)
this book makes me realize how the world really is for some people.this book was very emotional and things kept coming up during the story that made it more tense.i love how lace and prinny became friends and that both their lives aren't perfect because no ones live really is.-KYANA:P
ReplyDeleteI LOVE THIS BOOK! It was fascinating how real the characters were, and how solid they are as truly living people in this book. I found myself (silly as it may seem) happy when Prinny and Laice became friends, and it was interesting how the characters managed to find hope and happiness in some of the worst possible situations for happiness to thrive. The characters really drew you into the book, but it wasn't because they were perfect, it was because they weren't! It is something to relate to if you can say "Hey! That character isn't perfect, just like me!" Nobody is perfect, so it makes sense that a story's characters should never be. I think the message of the book is to stand up for yourself, and even though maybe have made some stupid mistakes in your life, and things aren't perfect, everything is going to be okay. Aurora
ReplyDeleteDear Lisette, Anon, Hannah, Brandon, Katie, Kyana, and Aurora,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for all your thoughtful and insightful comments. I'm so glad you enjoyed reading "Present Tense" - I enjoyed writing the book very much. I knew when I was writing "The Nine Lives of Travis Keating" (the prequel to "Present Tense") that Prinny needed her own book to tell her own story. I really wanted to find out more about her, and about her parents.
I liked what you said about Prinny and the other characters not being perfect - as you say, none of us are. I'm glad the book it was suspenseful; and that you were happy when Prinny and Laice became friends - I don't think it's silly at all to care what happens to characters in a book - isn't that one reason we read? To find out about other people's lives, and thereby enlarge our own (and hopefully, expand our capacity for empathy)?
Keep reading, all of you!
With very best wishes,
Jill
Dear Lisette,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting two comments. I'm so glad that Present Tense encouraged you to read! I love reading - I think it's one of the reasons I ended up writing - and of course Prinny didn't like reading, either.
There are so many other wonderful books out there - I'm sure you'll find them...or perhaps they'll find you.
Jill
Dear Jill Maclean,
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your books!!! I read your other book from last year's silverbirch selection (The Nine Lives of Travis Keating,) and I LOVED it sooo much! I also loved your book from this year's silverbirch, The Present Tense of Prinny Murphy, because you kept me interested throughout the whole book, so I NEVER wanted to stop reading!! I hope you write more books because I will most definetly read them!
Katie :o)
Wow!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt really is you oh I wish I could meet you I have so many questions for you but I just wanted to say that you are living my dream which is to be writer and I also wish you wright way more books because I guarantee you that so many other people will read your books and love them because your imagination is great. I love this book not only because of you the author but because of how it doesn't get you to sorta drift off meanwhile you are reading it instead it keeps you interested the whole way thru.GREAT job keep it up!!
Lisette
One question are the stories you write tru or are they made up?
ReplyDeleteDear Katie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. I'm glad you liked Travis's story too. It was very exciting last spring for me to be at Harbourfront when they voted for the Silver Birch. Maybe I'll see you there this year.
best wishes,
Jill
Dear Lisette,
ReplyDeleteTwo more comments - you're well on your way to being a writer! That's a wonderful ambition to have, because you can do it anytime, any place, and all you need is a piece of paper, a pencil and lots of imagination.
My stories are made up, but there are elements that are "true". My grandson had had to move to northern Newfoundland, like Travis in Nine Lives; and like Prinny, I loved Make Lemonade. So you kind of weave together reality with fiction...the more fictional, the better. Imagination is a great gift, and I believe yours will flourish.
best,
Jill
I really liked the book the present tense of prinny murphy, because every page you complete, you want to read more.Alot of people said that i couldent read it because it was really complacated,but i got through and ended up really enjoing it.I hope that their will be more books like this? Dina
ReplyDeleteDear Dina,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your comments. I'm glad you liked Prinny's story, and that it wasn't so complicated as to discourage you.
Happy reading!
Jill
This book was really good. Since I liked the book "THE NINE LIVES OF TRAVIS KEATING" and I saw that Jill Maclean was the same author as last year then I knew i just had to read "The Present Tense of Prinny Murphy." i feel really sorry for Prinny because she had an alcholic mother and all though I read about it alot, I don't think I could bear to experience it in real life. Jill, did you have any inspirations to write this book? Eric 5
ReplyDeleteThis was one of the best books I ever read because Prinny had so many problems but in the end she got along with her life and she ended up making friends!Who is you're favourite author?MARCEL$$$
ReplyDeleteDear Eric,
ReplyDeleteSorry I've taken so long to reply...I'm writing my fourth book and sometimes it takes over. Now I'm trying to catch up!
I'm glad you liked Nine Lives, and wanted to read Present Tense. I have a real soft spot for Prinny. I knew even when I was writing the first book, about Travis, that I very much wanted to tell Prinny's story, from her point of view.
I have had experience in my personal life with alcoholics...and with being bullied. So I guess experience was part of the inspiration. But mostly it was simply that I wanted to know more about Prinny and her life.
Best wishes, and happy reading,
Jill
Dear Marcel,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your coment. And I'm really glad you enjoyed Prinny's story.
I have so many favourite authors! Virginia Euwer Wolff, who wrote Make Lemonade; Karen Hesse; Don Aker; Pete Hautman; Sharon Creech; Martha Brooks...I could go on!
With best wishes,
Jill
I really enjoyed reading "The Present Tense of Prinny Murphy". I like how the plot was realistic. For example, Prinny's mom was an alcoholic and in reality there are many people who are like Prinny's mom, and not many books that I've read have a character who has a problem like that. I also liked how Prinny's problems started going away at the ending where Prinny's family was reunited, Laice became her new friend, and when she started improving a lot in her reading. It was very heartwarming. This is my most favourite Silver Birch fiction book so far. :)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading the book "THE PRESENT TENSE OF PRINNY MURPHY." I like how the author used some information of dealing with real situations like how to live with an alcholic mother. I also liked how the Murphys got reunited from the horrible nightmare, where the family got split apart alone, with their own problems.
ReplyDeleteI was also wodering how you came up with the plot? :-)
This a very creative book, I'm glad I don't have a tense life like prinny murphy. Anyways, I am alomost done this book. I wonder why, probley because I am a quick reader or I enjoyed reading this book so much I just could not tear myself away from it. I can't wait to share all my wonderful thoughts about "THE PRESENT TENSE OF PRINNY MURPHY" thank you and have a great day!
ReplyDeleteSolah
I really liked the book, "The Present Tense of Prinny Murphey." As Anna said, I really liked how the plot was realistic because it was really easy to realate it to the real world and what is happening. For example, many people live with a acholic mother just like how Prinny's mom was an alcholic. I love books where I can relate the characters to me or to the real world and that is just what the book did. Great job Jill MacLean!! CLARA :)
ReplyDeletei relly liked the book "The present Tense Of Prinny Murphy." Becuase it was really touching and intense because you never no what would happen next, like how much worst will her life get?!
ReplyDeleteBERNADETTE:)
I finished "THE PRESENT TENSE OF PRINNY MURPHY" it was very interesting. The part I liked best is when prinny was able to survive her tense life. I liked this part because it is very hard to live through a tense life like that and that was very powerful. The character I liked best was Prinny. Why? because she was very powerful and able to live through her tense life.
ReplyDeleteSolah