A Taste of Blackberries

by Doris Buchanan Smith

Book Overview

What do you do without your best friend? Jamie isn't afraid of anything. Always ready to get into trouble, then right back out of it, he's a fun and exasperating best friend. But when something terrible happens to Jamie, his best friend has to face the tragedy alone. Without Jamie, there are so many impossible questions to answer -- how can your best friend be gone forever? How can some things, like playing games in the sun or the taste of the blackberries...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 006440238X
• ISBN13: 9780064402385
• Release Date: December 2004
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.21 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 5.2" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

A beatifully disturbing heart warming masterpeice

I read this book in 2nd grade, and now in 7th it haunts me still. In second grade when I picked it up, something struck a chord, and something about it made me feel so...in my place, if i can say that. Something about the way I kept reliving what I pictured when I read the book, and that one phrase that I remember to this day "Jamie is dead darling,dead darling", made me realize- this was the first book I'de chosen that would fit in my real reading style. I learned a lot about what I like to read by this book, because it so perffectly quenched my thirst for a book. Something about the way the friendship, and thee personalities, and thoughts, and situations, and reaction...it all just clicked with me. So now I'm reading edgy, bittersweet books filled with tragedy, friendship, loss, and emotions, and all because of this book. And you know what? I wouldnt have it any other way.

Fantastic

I read this book in 3rd grade. It taught me to appreciate the friendships that I have because you never know when something is going to happen to your friends. I never knew that a bee sting could kill a little boy. I would recommend this book to anyone no matter the age. I will tell my children about this book.

Sad Story

I read this book in thrid grade and I don't think any of us had experienced a book so sad. This book is based on the death of the narrerator's best friend due to a bee sting. It shows how the narrerator copes with the trajity. It is a very good book I reccomend to kids in grades 3-5.

Touching, A Good Conversation Starter

I read A Taste of Blackberries as required reading in a Children's Literature class in college. It's the story of a young boy and how he deals with the sudden death of his best friend due to an allergic reaction to a bee sting. My mother had died unexpectedly of a heart attack only weeks before I read it. I'm so glad our instructor chose to include this book in our curriculum! It gave me the opportunity I needed to participate in class discussions of the fears and pain associated with death. And I found I was not alone. Many among us had already lost someone dear to them. Death is a univeral experience, and yet one for which I, and many of my classmates had been totally unprepared. I wish I had been exposed more to that particular reality of life as a child and believe that A Taste of Blackberries opens the door for just such discussions between parent and child or between children and their friends. I find, because it is fiction, that it can be an easy way to broach a difficult and frightening subject with children, then encourage a sharing of feelings.I'd like also to say that this is a fairly short book, written for children. It does not deal with all of the more complex, dark issues and feelings that can be associated with death, nor should it. As I said it's written for kids. I personally found the ending of the book to be realistic, yet uplifting and hopeful.

A Taste Of Blackberries

I came across this book in my sister's bedroom. She's only 7 and i think one of her teachers recommended it to her. Anyways, i picked it up and began reading it for no particular reason. This is a fantastic book. This will become my 2nd favorite book. I'm only in high school but this book moved me deeply. I'm not ashamed to say that i cried while i was reading it. This is such a touching story and i'm sad that jamie had to die but i liked the way that the book ending. It didn't end up really sad. ( i hate sad endings) Normally i don't like books where people die but in this book it was so pure and simple that i don't mind it. I would recommend this book to anyone it is a wonderful book that everyone needs to read. The most heartwarming part of this book is where the main character offered (silently) to be Jamie's mom's "substitue son." That part made me cry too. The most interesting part of this book is that the name of the character is never revealed. It makes the story seem so much more personal, as if the reader is actually the main character and is experiencing everything along with him. I can't tell you how many times i love this book, but i love this book! Read it or else you are missing out on one of the best books ever written! :-)