Mahalia

by Joanne Horniman

Book Overview

MATT LOVED EVERYTHING about Emmy. He loved her freckled, luminous, magical body. He loved her free spirit. He loved the future he saw when he found out Emmy was pregnant. And he loved her answer when... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375823255
• ISBN13: 9780375823251
• Release Date: April 2003
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Length: 184 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.8" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 12 to 16 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 11

Customer Reviews

Mahalia

There are many different books about teenage pregnancies and the struggles of raising a child on your own, but the book Mahalia does not fall into the normal catagorie of those books. For the most part most books focus on the girls point of view, or only concentrate on one side of the story. The book Mahilia tells the story from the fathers point a view. Matt(Mahilia's father) takes care of her after Emmy(Mahilia's Mother) leaves from feeling too much pressure from being a mom at such a young age. Matt is constantly struggling from only thinking about the future, and trying to move on from the past. Remembering his past, and how he was raised by his single mother, early on in Mahilia's life Matt decides he wants somthing better. When Matt takes Mahilia and moves back to his town, he does everything he can to keep from letting his mom take over taking care of Mahalia. Matt and Mahalia move into a house with a 22 year old student, and another girl. They all are struggling with bills, and their own lives but the girls take time to watch Mahalia so Matt can have a break. This story shows the struggle the Matt has between his old life, childless and carefree, and his new life, full of hardships. Towards the end Matt relizes that it's love that keep him and Mahalia together. " Now the man has a child, He knows all the names of the local dogs." - Japanese Poem

Mahalia

Eventhough the plot is somewhat sad it is really an uplifting book about a poor teen single father trying to cope with having a child whose mother has left him. I recommend highly for teenage boys who are in the same predicament. Definitely also for teen mothers. Very realistic plot about the poverty of country side of Australia.

The Best Book!!!

This book is great! It's such a sad book but it is also hopeful and happy. I've read this book many time. I love it!

Tale of a Teenage Father

Matt is 17. His girlfriend Emmy has left with him with their daughter, Mahalia. Matt loves Mahalia more than anything else in the world, but he quickly realizes you can't live on love alone. We follow Matt and Mahalia's life as they move in with his mother, find their own apartment and meet an electic cast of supporting characters who support them in different ways. We see Matt's fatherly pride and love as Mahalia says her first word, takes her first steps and grows up slowly, but surely. Matt grows a lot too, and learns about himself, Emmy's motivations and the Australian world around him.This is not a superb book, but it is a recommended book all the same.