Ducky Diary Two - Personal associations

books:


	• Ducky, Diary Two (California Diaries) Ann M. Martin Scholastic, 1998 - 144 pages average customer review:based on 18 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

Ducky Diary Two - Personal associations

I found this book to be inspiring and upsetting at the same time. It made me cry a lot. I can totally relate to Ducky, Alex and Sunny having been in all the positions. Dealing with my father's death at 16, dealing with the at times suicidal depression and still finding the time to worry about everyone else.

Ducky's book made me feel like I was reading one of my own diaries, so it was a little spooky, but I find Ducky to be a great character, someone who will give himself over and over until he reaches exhaustion, then he'll still keep going. It is an inspiring piece of work that the basic message is you know you're gonna make it.

Cheers, Mel

for more information click here

So Emotional

I've read most of the California Diaries book, and overall, I'd have to say that this is the best one written. Ducky, and especially Alex, seem so real that you don't want the book to end. The end gets very emotional when Ducky is taking him out of the garage, so much that it moved me to tears. Even if you don't face the same problems you can relate to Ducky and Alex, in a way that shows you to never give up. The CD series is more grown up than the BSC, since their problems are more realistic. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a well-written,though sometimes emotional, book that keeps you turning the pages to the very end.

for more information click here

for more information click here

Repeats are good

Wow! This book first of all connected to me since I have had experince with depression(unfortunatly). I could see the pain that both Ducky and Alex were experincing. Not only was the plot good, but the characters were also well written. The only problem i had with this is that is was sort of a repeat of the first book. That didn't stop me from reading it though. The ending is the best and i almost cried! i suggest people who love the series should read this book.

Ducky....hang on..

this is one of the most emotional CD books i've read(besides Sunny #3 and some others). Ducky really struggles to hang onto one of the few guy friends he has left, who is dealing w/ serious depression. i love Ducky's sense of humor, and sometimes i wish he was MY bestfriend. toodles.

for more information click here

5 STARS???? Should have been 100!!!

What can I say about Ducky Diary Two, #10 in California Diaries series? It was fantastic, informative, magnificent, amazing, superb, spectacular, great, thoughful, well-written, and addressed a VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE in today's society: DEPRESSION. For those of you who are not familiar with the California Diaries series, particularly the character of Ducky, here's a quick overview:
California Diaries is a series that addresses very important issues in a familiar, informative, yet well-written way. Ducky McCrae is sixteen years old, and he is the only guy in the series: the other diaries are by Dawn Schafer, Sunny Winslow, Maggie Blume, and Amalia Vargas, all 13 years. Dawn is facing family and friendship changes, Sunny's life has been twisted around because her mum is suffering from cancer, Maggie has big family problems and is now being treated for anorexia, and Amalia is getting over an abusive boyfriend and trying to help everybody, especially Maggie.
Ducky has many changes and pressures in his life. He tries to be "Good Old Ducky" to everyone, but he feels he is taken advantage of. His parents go on lonnnng business trips to Ghana and Sri Lanka, leaving him with his irresponsible clod of a brother, 20-year-old Ted. Ducky also faces friendship changes: his longtime best friends, Jay (formerly JASON) and Alex, have both changed dramatically. Jay decided the Cro Mags are heaps cool and now only cares about girls, and Alex has severe depression. The book revolves around Alex and his problems. (There's nothing bad about this.) Ducky tries to help him but how much can he take of...well, blank stares? Finally Ducky gets three words that help him: NEVER GIVE UP.
This strong message flows throughout the book. Try, and then try again. Never, ever give up. It may sound corny, or stupid, but in actuality it is a very important message and is very fitting for the book.
Anyway. So Ducky, who has tried to help Alex throughout the entire series up to this point, doesn't give up. He's an optimist who sees the best in everything and always offers help. But in this particular case, Ducky finds that he doesn't seem to be able to do enough: Towards the end of the book, Alex tries to commit suicide and was succeeding until Ducky saved his life. The passages that illustrate this scene are very heartfelt and well-written. They show just how serious this problem is.
A great thing about this book is that Ducky, after Alex's suicide attempt, writes down notes on the warning signs for severe depression and teen suicide. The author, Ann M Martin, gets this VERY IMPORTANT information across, and is giving those out there who are trying to help people with depression some advice and help.
The book goes on to tell how Alex survived, but has to be sent to a treatment center in Chicago. Ducky then goes to Alex's house to see how he is doing and to say goodbye, but Alex acts as if nothing happened. Ducky is shocked and angered by this, understandably, and what follows is one of the rarest occurrences in the whole entire series: we see Ducky blow up and shout angrily, calling Alex selfish. I would definitely say that the passages for this scene are the best in the entire series, beating out Sunny Diary Three (but not by much!). I certainly wouldn't have expected this, because Sunny Diary Three (#12) is an outstanding book, but Ducky Diary Two was fantastic. Here is some of the passage:

>>>D: "I'm just so glad you're HERE, Alex. God, I was worried. I couldn't just leave you. Not after last night. So...how do you feel? I mean - why? You know, last night? When did you - what made you do it?"
A: "Ducky, it's no big deal. Really."
The words smack you. They throw you back.
The same old lines. Right back to where you left off.
As if nothing happened.
You seize up. You feel empty. Helpless. The door is slamming shut again and it feels too familiar.
Only now you know what's inside. You know what Alex is holding back.
And you'll be damned if you let him get away with it.

for more information click here

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4

Ducky works hard to be the best friend possible. But when it comes to Alex, who is very depressed, Ducky doesn't seem to be able to do enough.

hot