I Can't Tell You

by Hillary Frank

Book Overview

After he opens his big mouth in a big fight with his best friend, Jake concludes that talking = trouble. He decides that communicating through writing is safer. Through notes scribbled on napkins and in notebooks, on upside-down calculators, and on walls with pudding-covered fingers, Jake explores new ways to express himself. But there are also the notes he never sends. To his flirty friend. Who is just a friend. But could be more than a friend. But...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 061849491X
• ISBN13: 9780618494910
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.0" x 7.0"
• Age Range: 13 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Talking + me = trouble

"Talking + me = trouble." Though it's simple and to the point, the statement of main character, Jake Jacobson, describes most of the events in I Can't Tell You, by Hillary Frank. The novel, however short, is full of realistic occurrences, like the loss of close friends, relationships gone wrong, and learning how to cope with your mistakes. The story's ability to relate to high school and college students makes it a spectacular page turner for teens of all ages that are just looking to escape the fantasy world and unravel a realistic, relatively simple, yet enjoyable read. The plot, though basic and easy to follow is very likable and readable. Jake Jacobson, a college student, and his best friend, Sean have a falling out over a few things Jake said about Sean's previous relationship. To protect himself from losing anymore friends or making any other mistakes through speaking, Jake decides to write notes instead. Through his note writing he gets closer to his friend, Xandra, and soon he begins to think of her as more than a friend to wrestle and joke with, but as a girl he might actually love. Interesting and unique writing techniques are used by Hillary Frank in I Can't Tell You. Written entirely through notes to his friends, and to his unborn sister, it's easy to get an insight on how Jake might be feeling at any given time and therefore it's easy to become attached and to keep reading to find out if Jake will ever open his mouth again. I Can't Tell You is a quick and interesting read that I suggest all young adults pick up from their local bookstore or library, curl up in a comfortable chair and read to the end. Through romance, college life, and "the funny" I've come to find that this novel is one I've wanted to read on more than one occasion, and I highly recommend it.

THE BEST BOOK EVER

I CAN'T TELL YOU! I think this book was the best book ever.This book writen by Hillary Franks is about teenagers.This is mostly about Jake, Xandra and Jake's best friend Sean.Jake is a big talker so then he deisides to write leters to his friens and to Xandra.Jake is trying to win Xandras love by sending leteres and useing up-side down calculaters.Jake uses any type of paper or anything he finds just to write to his friens,he uses note books,composite notebook,board on Jakes door and on Xandras,paper note with orange cover , and many other things.This is probably the best book you will ever read I totaly recomend it if you are a person who like to right notes.Tise all takes place in there college in a very cold seasone (winter).Jake gets in a fight with Sean and that is because Jake and his big mouth kills it then latter Jake tells Sean all this stuff then the y latter are friends agin.

Delicious!!!

"i can't tell you" by Hillary Frank is a wonderfully delicious story that will draw the reader in from the very first page. Jake is just a normal college student who after opening his big mouth in a fight with his best friend, decides that talking altogether is dangerous and a waste of time. From then all of the communication between him and his friends is through notes and messages. We then follow Jake on his hilarious journey to win the heart of Xandra and discovers the true meaning of "just friends". Highly recomended!

I devoured this book

I CAN'T TELL YOU by Hillary Frank may be one of the best young adult books I've read in quite some time. It's funny, heartbreaking, and easy to relate to...and it doesn't try to glorify being a young adult or falling in love. After a huge fight with his best friend Sean, Jake decides that he can't ever get into any trouble if he just stops talking altogether. As his friendship with Sean is dying, he becomes closer to his friends Paul, Roger, and Xandra. But when Jake realizes that he doesn't just want to be friends with Xandra, things start getting a bit messy. He doesn't know how to explain himself and he doesn't know what do about it, so...he decides to do nothing. Told entirely through notes passed back and forth, I CAN'T TELL YOU is an interesting and original story. The friendships between Jake and Paul, Roger, and Xandra are all incredibly realistic, and the course of a friendship turning into unrequieted love is scarily accurate. Highly recommended. Overall grade: A+

Inventive!

Inventive, touching, witty and just plain REAL! I work with teenagers everyday and this book does a remarkably good job of capturing their honest emotions and "speech" patterns... Usually YA lit falls short when trying to be "hip" to the current teenage culture but this one hits it right on the money. Terribly original yet a story that everyone will relate to. Keep it up, Hillary!