Reviews of Kissing Brendan Callahan
Kirkus: September 15, 2005
”Aspiring writers, first kisses and mother-daughter conflicts are standard fare in teen novels. Newcomer Amessé, however, turns the ordinary into a clever turn of events with convincing characters.”
Booklist: November 15, 2005
“Readers who are edging into adolescence will understand Sarah’s dilemma as she tries to find a workable path between her own strong urge for independence and her mother’s stalwart expectation of dutiful obedience. Well-rounded characters people this inviting story that reassuringly chronicles the ups and downs of Sarah’s life.”
School Library Journal: December 2005
“It’s summer on Staten Island, NY, and Sarah is adjusting to having a new baby brother. The soon-to-be seventh grader is a passionate, budding romance writer who wants to be free of her journalist mother’s overbearing, closed-minded, fact-based way of thinking...” “The insecurities and emotions of adolescents come through loud and clear in this innocent yet candid coming-of-age novel”