Bruises

by Anke de Vries

Book Overview

Judith is a battered 12-year-old who blames herself rather than her mother for her mother's constant and increasing physical abuse. Michael, one of her classmates, recently suffered from the emotional... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 188691009X
• ISBN13: 9781886910096
• Release Date: March 2003
• Publisher: Front Street
• Length: 172 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

Bruises

This book is about a girl whom gets beaten by her mother. Even though Judith doesn't do anything wrong her mother finds an ecuse to beat her. When Judith meets micheal, they become good friends. Micheal has secrets about his family too. Judith hates the fact that she can't tell Micheal the truth about her mother. She hates lying to Micheal. Micheal may just be he strength Judith is looking for.I enjoyed reading the book Bruises. It was a very interesting book. Every time you would think that you were going to lose interest in the book then it would catch your attention again. I like that at the end of every chapter it would end so that you would just want to keep readng. Each chapter ended with a mystery it ended so that you would want to know what happens next. i think that this book has a good message. The message is tht a good friend will stick by you no matter what happens.

Could Judith be your best friend?

I liked the book Bruises, by Anke De Vries. It kept my interest throughout the whole book,there was never a dull moment, I could hardly put it down. I liked the fact that the book was so intensified, it was like a real life situation. Abuse like this happens every day and not many people realize it. While reading the book, I felt like it was coming to life around me, it became a part of my life. I felt sad when Judith was sad, and I became emotionally involved in the book with all of the different situations. I didn't like the way the book ended. I was expecting more to the ending, I actually flipped back through the last chapter thinking I'd missed something. I wish the author would have elaborated. Where did Judith go when she left the train station in her old city? It left me wondering if she moves in with Michael and Aunt Elly or if she finds her Aunt Ria. I also wanted to know if her brother, David, stays wih their mother or does Judith tell the police. Do they take David away from her? The book made me question what happened; and I was so interested that it disapointed me not to know. My favorite part was when Judith finally adjusted to being important to Michael and becomes used to Aunt Elly welcoming her with a kiss at lunch eveyday. The part that I disliked the most was when Judith's mother cuts the bear up that Michael bought Judith on his vacation to America. I would highly recommend this book for teenagers, male or female. I believe it will help a lot of teens that are in this situation, if they're not, it may help them understand other friends around them better. Many children are cruel to their classmates because they don't understand what's going on with them.

A wonderful book

In Bruises, by Anke de Vries, two children form a close friendship. Judith has physical bruises from her mother, who beats her. Michael, who used to live in America, has emotional bruises from his father. Michael's father believes that Michael is lazy, and constantly works him in school. Michael later moves back to Holland with his Aunt and Uncle. He learns there that he is dyslexic. Judith is a shy, outcast in her class. Mr.Beekman (the teacher) can't help wondering why Judith always misses gym, and wears thick turtlenecks and hot days. Of course, people tease her for it, which is why she is such an outcast. When Mr.Beekman and Michael discover the bruises, Judith lies and makes up a story of how they got there. She continues to lie. Her mother constantly beats her over a boyfriend, or her job. Judith does all she can to please her mother, taking Dennis to daycare, and cleaning the house. But nothing works. Judith learns to blame herself for the beatings. Suddenly, they move to Leiden, and Judith is separated from Michael. Michael rides to her house, having gotten back from a trip to America, and finds it empty. The lady in the apartment below tells Michael the truth about Judith's bruises, and Michael is shocked. With the help of his teacher, they find Judith, and Michael tells her of the danger she is in, and Judith listens. And the end is a suprise! But read this book, it is so good!

A Book That I Will Remember

I was sitting in class and I noticed my friend had a book. I asked her what it was about and then I read the first chapter. I loved it. I checked it out from the library. It was one of those books you can't put down. I believe that book is a good book for people of all ages and should be given credit for the good message it puts oout for kids being abused. It makes you feel like your inside the girl's mind.This book deserves the awards it has gotten and many more.

Painful and Mindboggling

I found it gruesome to read the acts this young girl's mother gives. It's sad to see how some people hold things in until they explode. Even though at times this book was painful to read, my curiousity level on this book was at an all time high from the beginning until the end. This book was rather short, could have been longer...but even though it's short on pages, the reading level and maturity is another thing.