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Book Review of Annie's Baby: The Diary of Anonymous, a Pregnant Teenager

Annie's Baby: The Diary of Anonymous, a Pregnant Teenager
reviewed on + 47 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


From School Library Journal
Grade 6-10-A book that's sure to be as popular as Go Ask Alice (S & S, 1971), which was also edited by Sparks. Annie, 14, falls head over heels for handsome, wealthy 16-year-old Danny when he befriends her. She lies to her mother to go out with him and he takes her to drinking parties in his red convertible. Annie is soon totally dependent on him despite his frequent bad moods and erratic behavior. When he rapes her, he tells her that she led him on and made him lose control. She continues to love him even as he abuses her both physically and emotionally. Annie is heartbreaking in her trust and hope that Danny will turn back into the sweet, gentle boy she fell in love with only a few months earlier, and she becomes desperate when her period fails to come on schedule. Finally, she has to tell her mother and figure out what to do. The diary format is a surefire draw for teens and preteens. This book has the same errors in grammar and flow problems as Alice, but they lend realism to the narrative. Not as graphic as the earlier title, Annie's Baby displays a 14 year old's naivet about sexuality and bodily functions. This book will grab your attention.