Set in Sheffield, Dear Nobody tells the story of an unplanned teenage pregnancy and the effect it has on the teenagers and their families.

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Product Description

The moving and very real story of two teenagers and an unplanned pregnancy. It is told from two viewpoints - that of Helen as she writes her thoughts in a series of letters to the unborn baby, the Dear Nobody of the title, and of Chris as he reads the letters and relives events as Helen is in labour.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38386 in Books
• Published on: 2001-06-28
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

About the Author
Berlie Doherty was born in Liverpool. She studied English Literature at Durham University and has been a full-time writer, for both children and adults, since the publication of her first book in 1982. She has won the Carnegie Medal twice - for GRANNY WAS A BUFFER GIRL and DEAR NOBODY - and the Writers' Guild Children's Fiction Award for DAUGHTER OF THE SEA. Her books have been translated into 17 languages. Berlie lives in the Derbyshire Peak District.

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Customer Reviews

Nice book but a the ending was a little bit disappointing
In my opinion “Dear Nobody” by Berlie Doherty is very interesting, authentic, touching and a reality-based book. I enjoyed reading it. It is a good book for reading at school. It deals with problems of young people, who have to face unwanted pregnancy, like non-acceptance of society and the way parents deal with the new situation. Furthermore the book is about the problems of growing up and describes the different relationships between teenagers and their parents.

The narrative technique in this book is a two-voice narration. The book deals with the story of Helen and Chris, two English teeneagers, who are confronted with the fact that Helen becomes pregnant. Helen starts writing letters to her unborn child. There is a development in these letters. They describe Helen`s feelings and the events which she goes through during her pregnancy, form not wanting her baby to the decision for her baby. The background story is written from Chris's point of view, who receives the letter. He reads the letters, all beginning with the same words: “Dear Nobody” and sinks in the memory of the last nine months and tells the whole background story parallel to the “Dear Nobody” letters. He describes the events in nine chapters in accordance with the nine months of Helen’s pregnancy.

In my opinion this narrative technique makes the book very varied. The author gives the reader the chance to get deeply enough into both characters and to understand the feelings and thoughts of them. For that reason the reader understands the characters much better. Furthermore I think, the book becomes interesting through the fact that Chris is the narrator of the book. Most books with similar themes are written from the girl’s point of view and the boy is not mentioned in such an important way. Teenagers, to whom the same happened could find himself or herself in the characters of Chris and Helen. Their behaviour could be helpful for them.

Aunt, parents and grandparents bring in various stands of subplot that gives the book a satisfying complexity while losing nothing of the intensity of Helen and Chris's developing predicament and the building pressures they are under.

However, I did not like the ending of the book. It was much too short and there are many questions, which are not clear. The end makes me feel a little bit disappointed. I would like to know how it goes on. It would be also very exciting to see how the relationships of their own families, especially the one between Helen and her mother and the one between Chris and his mother, will have developed during this time. Of course, I would like to read a sequel and so I would recommend the novel to all other teenagers.

One of the most true to life stories you'll ever read...
I first read this book when I was 13 years old as part of my English SAT's. I bought the book at the time, and have continued to read it at least once a year since! Doherty is so expressive about both Helen's and Chris' character that it i felt as though it was i who were creating the characters in my head. I feel as though they are a part of me, and can relate some of their experiences in their environment to my own. The story is imaginative and truthful, giving a real view of how it feels to be a teenager in love. This book is great for young people who are just learning about the world and experiences to be had!

A short review of Dear Nobody
When Helen discovers she is exepting a baby, she cuts off her relationship with Chris, the boyfriend she loves very much. She is confused and tormented, and so is he. Separately , the two high school seniors must come to terms with their child's future- and their own. A riveting and unforgettable love story.
From my point of view the book deals with a problem of young people. The conflict in the future of school exams or to have a family is shown brilliantly in the story of the book. The reader of the story can imagine very well the problems of Chris and Helen. The story is a love story with very emotional moments. If you read the story, you can feel yourself like Helen and Chris. The reaction of their friends and their parents are shown powerful and realistic. All time you read the book, you do not know if Helen and Chris will face the future together or apart. Helen's and Chris's feelings and thoughts touchthe reader very much . Even though the reader cannot stop to read because he wants to know the end of the story. On the other hand the reader has to jump between Chris`s and Helen`s mind, so you must be concentrated to understand the story. It is a fact that you read enthusiastic the story of the book.
All in all it is book that you can read with fun and it is easy to understand.