Reading Response for Finally 12

            The book I’m reading is called “Finally 12” by Wendy Mass is a young adult book about Rory Swenson the main character growing up. Rory has been waiting all her life to finally be 12, for her parents to finally live up the promises that they have said over the years. She thinks she ready for anything now that she’s finally 12… but is she? Through this journey of Rory Swenson life, following her through the months of growing up we find out that maybe everything she ever wanted isn’t what she thought it would be.

            Rory Swenson isn’t the most popular girl you could say but she has a plan for that. On her 12^th birthday she has kept all the things her parents have promised her for her birthday over the years. In the book she even says “I bet my parents are hoping I’ll forget some of the things they’ve promised me over the years. But I’ve been writing them all sown so not a single on slips through the cracks.” The quote shows that Rory is very persistence to get these promises and won’t let one single one slip out of her sight.   One of the first things she does when turning 12 is get rid of all the kiddies things in her room, this means her favorite teddy bear called Throckmorton, when she does this is thinking to be grown up you have to throw away your childhood which is very wrong. In the end of the book I think she learns that she can still be a little kid no matter how old she is, the last sentence in the book is “maybe Sawyer (her little brother) and Throckmorton would like to join me in the fort.” This is a really important quote in the sentence because she thought that growing up was the best thing and she couldn’t wait for it, but towards the end of the book she realizes that growing up isn’t everything and she learns that she can always still be a little kid no matter how old you feel.

            I felt that this related to teen issues a lot because every teenager wants to grow up already and leave his or her child hood behind. I think the author was trying to get across the message that you can never leave behind your childhood because that’s such a big part of who you are. I think at a point people forget that you can try as hard as you want to forget your childhood but it is a huge part of you and will always have a place in your heart.