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Wendy Darling's Reviews > Fifteen
Fifteen
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by
Wendy Darling's review
bookshelves: sweet-old-fashioned, favorite-ya, crush-worthy-boys, readalong, read-2012, illustrated, realistic-fiction, historical-fiction, 40s-50s-60s, california
Apr 14, 2011
bookshelves: sweet-old-fashioned, favorite-ya, crush-worthy-boys, readalong, read-2012, illustrated, realistic-fiction, historical-fiction, 40s-50s-60s, california
I wish I could go on a date in the 50s, in no small part because Stan Crandall is ever so dreamy. If you haven't met him yet, and you have a weakness for nice boys with a winning grin, you really should swing by to pick him up for your next book date!
Stan is the object of affection in Fifteen, and he has a golden tan, green eyes, brown hair with a dip in it, and a sincere smile. Jane Purdy meets him one summer afternoon when he saves her from a babysitting disaster, and though he asks her out shortly afterwards, she's never quite sure of herself when it comes to their relationship. Why should a popular boy like that like her anyway, when there are smooth girls like Marcy Stokes around? With her casually streaked blonde hair, Marcy is the "cashmere sweater type" who always has a way of making Jane feel completely out of place.
Remember when boys helped girls with their coats, when it was scandalous not to wear stockings, when high schools sponsored steak bakes, and when the triple feature was followed by a trip to the local soda shop? No? Well, I don't either, but I get to pretend I'm living in the 50s every time I reread one of Beverly Cleary's teen romances. She's more well known for her beloved middle grade books, but she brings the same sort of warmth and wisdom to her YA novels as well. While some of the customs and details are charmingly dated, the themes of self-discovery and heartbreak are timeless and, I daresay, universal.
After all these years, this book still feels so honest and engaging to me, and is such a great story about making the transition between childhood and adulthood. Jane tries her best to deal with her many uncertainties, from school to unfamiliar cultural experiences to her dating woes, and I feel such sympathy for her wistfulness at feeling left out of something and the small fibs she tells when she's trying to be sophisticated. And as liberated and independent as women are supposed to be now, I can't imagine there is a girl out there who doesn't identify with Jane's thrill at the prospect of beach picnics and swimming parties on Stan's arm. The author also does a wonderful job of creating a familiar sense of time and place, whether it's Jane's comfortably worn in home with her parents or a sitting on a rock by the river on a date.
The golden age of America depicted in Beverly Cleary's novels is idyllic and perhaps idealized, with nuclear families and strong moral values taking center stage. But that is exactly what I like so much about them. I love the sweetness and simplicity of this escapism, and I love Fifteen in particular because it's wonderful to read stories about ordinary girls like Jane--and how her attraction to Stan is mostly based on the fact that he's nice. How novel is that? Very much so, in these jaded times.
Stan Crandall may not be be the first guy teenage girls think of anymore when they fantasize about swoon-worthy boys. But he's welcome to stop by and take me for a ride in his powder blue coupé anytime.
Random Side Note
Incidentally, if you ever decide to try making a chocolate coke float, which is Jane's drink of choice at Nibley's Confectionery and Soda Fountain, I'd recommend using the usual paper-wrapped plastic straw as opposed to the paper ones that are so popular these days. The striped paper one I used looks pretty in the photo, but it got soggy before I'd even finished drinking it! And I didn't even have the distraction of sitting across the table from a cute boy. (view spoiler)
Stan is the object of affection in Fifteen, and he has a golden tan, green eyes, brown hair with a dip in it, and a sincere smile. Jane Purdy meets him one summer afternoon when he saves her from a babysitting disaster, and though he asks her out shortly afterwards, she's never quite sure of herself when it comes to their relationship. Why should a popular boy like that like her anyway, when there are smooth girls like Marcy Stokes around? With her casually streaked blonde hair, Marcy is the "cashmere sweater type" who always has a way of making Jane feel completely out of place.
Remember when boys helped girls with their coats, when it was scandalous not to wear stockings, when high schools sponsored steak bakes, and when the triple feature was followed by a trip to the local soda shop? No? Well, I don't either, but I get to pretend I'm living in the 50s every time I reread one of Beverly Cleary's teen romances. She's more well known for her beloved middle grade books, but she brings the same sort of warmth and wisdom to her YA novels as well. While some of the customs and details are charmingly dated, the themes of self-discovery and heartbreak are timeless and, I daresay, universal.
After all these years, this book still feels so honest and engaging to me, and is such a great story about making the transition between childhood and adulthood. Jane tries her best to deal with her many uncertainties, from school to unfamiliar cultural experiences to her dating woes, and I feel such sympathy for her wistfulness at feeling left out of something and the small fibs she tells when she's trying to be sophisticated. And as liberated and independent as women are supposed to be now, I can't imagine there is a girl out there who doesn't identify with Jane's thrill at the prospect of beach picnics and swimming parties on Stan's arm. The author also does a wonderful job of creating a familiar sense of time and place, whether it's Jane's comfortably worn in home with her parents or a sitting on a rock by the river on a date.
The golden age of America depicted in Beverly Cleary's novels is idyllic and perhaps idealized, with nuclear families and strong moral values taking center stage. But that is exactly what I like so much about them. I love the sweetness and simplicity of this escapism, and I love Fifteen in particular because it's wonderful to read stories about ordinary girls like Jane--and how her attraction to Stan is mostly based on the fact that he's nice. How novel is that? Very much so, in these jaded times.
Stan Crandall may not be be the first guy teenage girls think of anymore when they fantasize about swoon-worthy boys. But he's welcome to stop by and take me for a ride in his powder blue coupé anytime.
Random Side Note
Incidentally, if you ever decide to try making a chocolate coke float, which is Jane's drink of choice at Nibley's Confectionery and Soda Fountain, I'd recommend using the usual paper-wrapped plastic straw as opposed to the paper ones that are so popular these days. The striped paper one I used looks pretty in the photo, but it got soggy before I'd even finished drinking it! And I didn't even have the distraction of sitting across the table from a cute boy. (view spoiler)
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Quotes Wendy Darling Liked
“The humiliation that Jane had felt turned to something else--grief perhaps, or regret. Regret that she had not known how to act with a boy, regret that she had not been wiser.”
― Fifteen
― Fifteen
Reading Progress
April 14, 2011
– Shelved
April 23, 2012
–
Started Reading
April 23, 2012
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 55 (55 new)
Hah, that's The Luckiest Girl, which I also love! But this one has a special place in my heart. :) A friend and I are doing a big Beverly Cleary readalong week and this was the first book we read (last Sunday). We just read Luckiest Girl last night, too.
I loved this book. Beverly Cleary was one of my favorite authors as a kid. The book really is timeless.
She's still one of my favorite authors, YAL! It's amazing to me how many of her books are so excellent. I never tire of reading them.
Wow, haven't read BC since I was in elementary school.
I reread many of her books every year, Experiment. :) She's just one of those dear, familiar favorites.It was pretty tasty, Kay! But I think I'm good on floats for another 10 years or so, hah.
Great review, Wendy. Now I want to visit the 50s for a short while :)
Great review Wendy, where do you find these blast from the past? You've been spot on with your 'crush-worthy-boys' books so far so I'm definitely going to try to hunt this one down together with Taming the Forest King.
Thanks Karina and Nataliya! It's fun to revisit beloved times I never knew. ;)And ooo, are we twins when it comes to love interests, Alyssa? :) I look forward to hearing what you think of this one, then! Btw, Mlle left a comment on my Forest King review saying she would be willing to give up her copy--if you have trouble finding it, you can try messaging her to see if she still has it.
I wonder about that myself, Wendy! LOL. I've managed to get hold of both the Forest King and Fifteen on Abe Books, so that's OK. Thanks for letting me know, anyway.
Oh good! I'm glad you got copies of both. I forgot to answer your previous question, btw--Forest King was recommended by Gail Carriger when she did a guest post on my blog, and I read all the Beverly Clearys when I was a kid. I knew they were outdated even then...but I still loved them. I hope they make you all shy and giggly too. ;)
I've never heard of this book until now, and come to think of it, haven't read a book set way back in such an early time period, but I'm glad you brought it to my attention. Stan and Jane sound like characters that are definitely worth getting to know. On another note, that chocolate float looks utterly divine.
I love Beverley Cleary, but I had never heard of Fifteen before. I might have to revisit the "Cleary" days, and enjoy a little bit of the 50's. Thanks for the fun review!
Awww. I read this when I was about twelve. It made me yearn to be a teenager. It was sweet.
I really want to read this book now Wendy! You know how much I love the 50's *sigh*
love the info about the chocolate coke float!
I love this book! I think I still have this and The Luckiest Girl around here somewhere... I have to find them!
It's an awfully sweet book, Tammy. :) Please do give this one a try, Betsy! If you enjoy her middle grade books, I'm sure you'll enjoy her YA as well.
I read this as a preteen too, Tracy, and I had the same reaction you did--I couldn't wait to be a teenager so I could experience all the same things Jane was going through. Well, except for the more angsty parts, hah.
Ooo, you must read this, Maree! I am quite sure you'll love it. :)
Thanks, Sharon--I had to consult with my readalong partner as to whether I should put the coke or ice cream in first, since it's been at least a decade since I had a float of any kind.
I love it too, Nicole! In my early twenties, I went and bought up just about all the ones I loved when I was little. I have such a strong attachment to the library binding with the old illustrations (because I checked them out over and over again as a child) that I even made sure to buy those exact same ones. And, um, I added the old cover art to this edition so I could have it too. ;) I know, I'm such a nerd.
I loved this book! Thank you for the reminder to re-read it, Wendy.
I read this one a few years ago. SO adorable. I recently gave my copy to an 8 year old I know and she gobbled it right up. Sweet & dreamy. Cleary is great.
Wendy, I do the same thing! I gave away a whole bunch of my books when I was about 13 and I regret it sooo much. I've still got a lot of the ones I had as a kid, but I've been rebuying the "lost" ones for years. I always get ones with the same cover art when I can.
Sometimes to amuse myself I watch high school educational videos from the fifties (thanks YouTube!) and am frequently distressed than I will never, for example, attend a weenie roast with my best gal friends, or have some boy give me his letterman sweater to show we were going steady.I feel like this book would affect me in much the same way. :D
This book never gets old for me, Anne and Phoebe. Really, none of the Clearys that I love ever do. I may notice different things as an adult, but I have just as much affection for them now as I did as a child.Nicole, I sometimes wonder how much the bill would total up to if we ever added up how much money we spend trying to recapture our childhoods, hah. :) It's funny, one of my other readalong books this week was Beezus and Ramona and I couldn't find my copy so I had to borrow a new one with the new cartoony illustrations. :( It made me kind of unhappy, especially since they didn't show Beezus' wonderful drawing of the dragon with lollipop scales and candy cotton breath. I always loved that.
Oh man, weenie roasts, Monica...that memory I associate strongly with the Ginnie and Geneva books. And there's a letterman sweater in The Luckiest Girl. *sigh*
I've never liked this one very much (I think Jane and I are too different; I found her frustrating), but I've had many conversations with friends who read all these books too about how ill-prepared they made us for life as teenagers in the 1980s and 1990s. We learned all these fabulous social skills, and they were just... wasted... Here's a question we like to ponder. It only occurred to me a few years ago, and I was startled, because it seems so obvious but I never thought about it. We know that Beverly Cleary based Ramona on herself, and that at least aspects of all of her teen characters are based on herself, yet the four teenagers are fairly different. So which girl does Ramona grow up to be--Jane, Barbara, Shelley, or Jean?
I love nice. I'm looking for nice!! Love the review :) I've never read her and always wanted to - now I'm sold.
Wendy wrote: "We know that Beverly Cleary based Ramona on herself, and that at least aspects of all of her teen characters are based on herself, yet the four teenagers are fairly different. So which girl does Ramona grow up to be--Jane, Barbara, Shelley, or Jean? "Ooo, great question, Wendy! I have both of Beverly's memoirs, but I have yet to read them--have you? I wonder if I'll find out the answer to your question after I finish.
My readalong partner and I read THE LUCKIEST girl last night and I think that one's definitely her most serious and bittersweet book, so I wonder if it'll turn out to be Shelley, especially since that character also had aspirations to be a writer/journalist. I wasn't a huge fan of Sister of the Bride, but it could be that Beverly was a mix of all those girls. I can't really picture Ramona Quimby being any one of them, though. She was already so determined and spirited at the age of 4 that I think she'd be much more confident than her YA sisters.
K. wrote: "I love nice. I'm looking for nice!! Love the review :) I've never read her and always wanted to - now I'm sold."Dearest K., who is my lovely book soul sister in so many ways, you must must must must read Cleary. Her books will warm your little heart. :)
Oh, I love Beverly Cleary's memoirs as much as I love her other books--especially the first volume. I grew up in Portland (I was in elementary school when the first memoir came out, and that's when I read it) so it was very exciting.I liked Sister of the Bride when I was a kid, but I enjoy and appreciate it much more now. I didn't understand it as a [purposefully, I believe] feminist book when I was a kid, and much of the humor went over my head. While it isn't quite as sophisticated or deep as The Luckiest Girl, it's also not really a book for the younger set.
Ah hah, that's interesting. I read SISTER as a teenager and wasn't engaged by it, but I should probably give it another shot sometime then. I have a copy on my shelf, so that should be easy!I keep planning thwarted trips to Portland (I've never been). Klickitat Street and the park with the statues is obviously high on my list of priorities.
When you go, talk to me. It'll mean more after you read the memoirs, but not far away you can visit Cleary's first home (it's the farm in Emily's Runaway Imagination) and see her parents' graves (again, will mean more after the memoirs--you get to know her parents really well). Actually, you can see HER grave. It's a little bizarre, just sitting there, waiting.I would definitely reread Sister of the Bride with an adult's perspective.
I will definitely hit you up for recommendations--thank you! And I'll make sure to read the memoirs before I go. Since Portland's relatively close to me, this is one author pilgrimage that might actually happen in the near future. Unlike the endless amounts of time I've plotted going to Prince Edward Island for Anne and upstate New York for Almanzo Wilder's farm.That's a little creepy about BC's grave, though.
Wendy Darling wrote: "Dearest K., who is my lovely book soul sister in so many ways, you must ..."We are, aren't we? Haha! I'll definitely give this a try. Perhaps sooner than later...how can I not, when you make it sound like such a good time ;)
I think I read just about everything Cleary wrote. She was such a huge part of my childhood. Nice review. :)
You'll try this? Then my work here is done, K. :DYay for Beverly Cleary lovers! I'm glad to find so many friends who love her as much as I do, Stacia. And thank you!
It's so true, no matter where we are in time, our wants, dreams, and concerns are the same. Lovely review Wendy. :)
Just so, Rachel. :) Thank you!
Lovely review Wendy this sounds like such a sweet book! I will add it to my pile to check out over the summer, it feels like a perfect summery sort of read! :)
I love this book!!! I've owned a seriously beat up paperback copy of this since middle school and have read it so many times I've lost count. The Luckiest Girl is also one of my all time favorites!
Aw, thanks Elena. If a book has sweet confections in it, it's a big plus for me!Matthew, I hope you found someone special to give your ID bracelet to. ;)
I just reread The Luckiest girl as well--both are so good in different ways. :) Hope you find a copy of this one too, Shaylee.
Thanks Jasprit! It IS the perfect, sweet summer read and I think you'd enjoy it.
And yay! I love both those books too, Michelle. I think I'm going to try to reread Jean and Johnny soon, too.
I love the added touch of applicable photos! They add a little extra something! Yum! It sounds like a delightful escape to another time. :)
So awesome to see how an old one is still a relevant one! Thanks.
I remember reading this a while ago. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book!
Thanks Christina! I enjoy doing the occasional visual accompaniment. :)Liza, this one, like just about all of Beverly Cleary's books, definitely withstands the test of time. I like that it's such a nice snapshot of 50s teen life, too.
Yay! I love this one too, Monika! So nice to find a fellow BC fan. :)
You've just brought back such happy, delightful memories of reading this series of teen books by Beverly Cleary when I was 14. I had the HUGEST crush on Stan.LOVED THIS BOOK!
My mom the librarian had really old copies of the entire series (Jean and Johnny, Fifteen, The Luckiest Girl, etc.) that I read, and then I picked up used copies a few years ago to share with my little girl when she gets a little older.
Thanks for the nostalgia-evoking review.
My library does not have this. O_O I can't find any of the First Love series. Is she really unwell-known for her YAs?
Wendy, lovely review! I must check this out at the library. As I said before, thank you for reminding me of this wonderful book.
This sounds like such a lovely book, and there's nothing wrong with a hot boy :)Excellent review!
But the boys are always so charming. <3