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The Secret Window
Meg is afraid to tell anyone when her dreams literally start coming true, but she needs help before she can learn to use her gift of seeing into the future.
176 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1989
About the author
Betty Ren Wright
88 books253 followersBetty Ren Wright is an author of children's fiction including The Dollhouse Murders, The Ghosts Of Mercy Manor and A Ghost in The House among others.
She was born June 15, 1927 in the U.S. and she is currently working on her 26th novel. Ms. Wright lives in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with her husband, George Frederiksen, a painter.
She was born June 15, 1927 in the U.S. and she is currently working on her 26th novel. Ms. Wright lives in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with her husband, George Frederiksen, a painter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 30, 2021
Mrs. Wright has written a lot of ghost stories. This one was mostly free of supernatural elements. Our main character, Meg, has dreams that are visions of the future. The plot focuses on how this plays out in everyday life.
Meg is dealing with parental disunity, a fading friendship, and a new neighbor. It’s nothing scary; just the angst and drama of pre-teens. The story is crafted well. It has good pacing and tension, and it has good lessons—Meg is terrified of being called crazy and of not fitting in. I was just hoping for something more supernatural.
Language: None
Sexual Content: None
Violence: Mild, if any
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
Meg is dealing with parental disunity, a fading friendship, and a new neighbor. It’s nothing scary; just the angst and drama of pre-teens. The story is crafted well. It has good pacing and tension, and it has good lessons—Meg is terrified of being called crazy and of not fitting in. I was just hoping for something more supernatural.
Language: None
Sexual Content: None
Violence: Mild, if any
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
December 5, 2020
Meg is afraid to tell people that her dreams have been coming true. But now she is left with a choice: continue to hide her secret or save the life of someone she cares about.
A supernatural, yet pretty realistic, ESP storyline adds to this short book about learning to be confident in who you are.
A supernatural, yet pretty realistic, ESP storyline adds to this short book about learning to be confident in who you are.
June 10, 2019
Good book, just too young for me and not my personal interests. I couldn't connect to it so I haven't rated it higher, but I do think it's a good book for younger readers to pick up. It talks positively about talking to a councillor when going through a rough time, and also mostly handles having a parent leave the family well. There was one bit that I didn't agree with, but otherwise this is a great, short read that covered a fair few important topics.
November 22, 2017
Meg wrestles with her gift and the choices of those around her.
February 6, 2017
"Meg knows something about herself--something crazy. Her dreams come true. All she's never wanted is to be exactly like her friends, but the dreams make her different. It's a secret she can't share with anyone.
Sometimes the dreams are cheerful--like the one about her brother receiving a scholarship--and other times she wakes trembling and terrified. Gradually, the dreams seem to make everything worse. Her father moves out to "find himself," and her best friend deserts her for an older, more sophisticated crowd.
It's only with the help of her grandmother and a wonderful new neighbor that Meg begins to believe it may be all right to be different. Maybe--just maybe--she can even learn to enjoy her strange "secret window" into the future."
It was cool how Meg always knew things would happen before they did, so when her family was surprised by something she wasn't. And she told her brother Bill that he was going to win the scholarship and described the envelope and everything.
Her mom was unlikable and immediately established herself as an antagonist. The way she treated Meg in comparison to her brother Bill was atrocious. She was angry and impatient that Meg hadn't cut potatoes before she came home from work, and called her Little Mrs. Optimist when Meg said Bill would win the scholarship.
It's so annoying when characters don't tell important information. Bill asked her how she knew the envelope would be tan and the writing blue and she said she was sure he'd win because he's so smart. When he didn't accept that she said she made it up. She was too afraid to tell him in case he reacted like her dad did and got mad.
I also didn't like how he told her to come and make cocoa. Can't he make it himself? Or is that just a girl's job and he expects women to cook and care for him? Meg even put crackers on the table like a little homemaker. It grated on my nerves more when the milk bubbled over the pan and he said some cook. Why didn't he make it himself then?
Meg started to get on my nerves. It's no wonder Gracie ditched her. She said she had been going to call Meg again and change to red shirts but her mom wouldn't let her, and Meg said her red shirt was in the wash. Then Gracie said the teacher was crazy if she thought they were going to walk with the boys, and Meg said they'll have to walk with them bcuz the teacher always wants them to stick together. Quit being so prim and proper and just go with the flow rather than following the rules. She just kept saying lame things.
It was nice though when another girl wore a skirt and was the only girl to do so and Meg told her it was nice.
It was frustrating when the joke about the statue happened. One of the men statues was wearing a hat like Mrs. Cobell's, because the statue had the same nose and bangs like the teacher. The guard saw someone with a yellow shirt, blue pants and black braid so he thought it was Meg, but it was obviously Gracie because they were dressed alike. She had to undergo questioning and a lecture and when Gracie saw her she was laughing. At least Meg marched over and let it be known that she was mad. When she saw everyone looking, including the teacher, she knew that they knew it hadn't been her and that was enough. I finally agreed with her when she didn't set with Gracie and the 8th graders and said she was a good sport but not that good.
She met a girl with a shirt that said God Answers Prayers. Talk to Her. It bothered me when God is called her. He's not a her. Rhoda Deel happened to have a parent that left, the same as Meg, because her dad decided to leave to work on his writing and becoming a published writer. Except her mom left to find herself, not her dad.
Meg wasn't likable as she got jealous of Rhoda talking about her dad so much when her own dad was leaving that she bragged about her brother getting a science award. That was bad form.
And they're both only children. Could they be any more alike?
Meg's mom was terrible. Meg heard her say long ago that having a boy and girl is nice but the second kid was strictly an accident. Nice thing to say.
It was weird how Bill told their mom not to cry, that the scholarship wasn't that important (he would get a job since their dad left) and the author wrote "His mother wiped her eyes." Why would the author refer to a person through the relationship the side character had? She should have said their mother wiped her eyes.
Meg was so annoying. It's hard to read about someone that's being so uptight and babyish. She asked Gracie where Linda's parents were and she said they might've gone out and Meg wouldn't let it go. Yeah, Gracie is a bad friend, getting mad and impatient with her and lying and being more concerned with a popular older girl and her house, but Meg just asked for it.
The party was way too advanced. So far, the book had been juvenile and childlike. Kids' feelings and thoughts and actions. So having kids smoke grass which I guessed was a term for marijuana, and a boy and girl be lying on the floor sharing a cigarette, and the girl to tell Meg that if she broke her toe she'll kill her was way too much. I was shocked. On the bus ride home when she confirmed it was indeed marijuana they had been smoking I couldn't believe it. That is way too young for 12 year olds and young kids reading this shouldn't be exposed to this.
The book was pretty deep at times for a made-up gift. She dreamed things and they usually happened. At the art museum field trip the guide told them the paintings in this one room were of the artists' dreams. And at church with her family and grandma there was a stained glass image of Jacob's ladder who dreamed that it led to heaven and God told him he could keep the land he was on. So she took the lesson that life was better because of dreams.
I didn't get the insults Gracie hurled at Meg. Fink and stool pigeon. What?
Meg was such a doormat. I can't stand characters like her. Gracie accused her of calling the police and getting them all dragged to the police station, searched and their parents called. 2 were charged for possession of marijuana and a drunk boy broke a vase. Meg was begging her to tell her what she did and trying to touch Gracie and just being a doormat. I wanted her to get mad at Gracie and put her down, at least say it's their fault they did illegal things and they all deserve to be in trouble, including her. And oh so aggravatingly Meg said in response to why she left that she had a feeling she shouldn't be there. Why mention feelings at all? Why even come close to the truth if you know it won't be accepted? Just say you didn't like what was happening-what 12 year old is ok with marijuana and underage drinking?-and you didn't want to be there. That's it. Meg stupidly said it wasn't her business what anyone else was doing, as if she's ok with seeing ppl do drugs and drink. Idiot.
I was scandalized that when on the bus, her friend Chris said she thought Rhoda was a boy and Rhoda heard and said she's going to be a sex symbol. Whoa! You're writing for kids. You shouldn't use the word sex! My god, they're just 12 year olds.
Then she had Gracie say to the group at the picnic that if you say one "damn" Meg will snitch on you. Omg. They're 12 years old! I can't believe she's cussing in a book for children. This is so unlike her other books who didn't go anywhere near this level and broach these mature topics.
The book got more frustrating and it wasn't good for my blood pressure at all. Meg didn't stand up for herself at all. I wanted her to tell Gracie off and put her down once and for all. But she only opened her mouth and nothing came out and everyone looked away. I expected the feisty Rhoda to chime in and put her down, but I guess the author's idea of a comeback is to avoid it all together, because she only had Rhoda ask if anyone wanted to go for a walk. Gracie morphed into a psychopath who seemed so far out of reality I don't believe anyone had ever acted like this. She absolutely wouldn't believe Chris that the neighbors called, insisted Meg had done it and was screaming and crying and acting like a nutcase. Then, when she finally said if she didn't call the police then she's crazy, bcuz who leaves a party after they just got there? Really? You're really having her be accused of crazy bcuz she left a party that kids were drinking and doing drugs at? It was a very flimsy thing to have her latch onto. She just wanted Gracie to imply her gift was crazy, but there's no way Gracie would even come close to knowing Meg had a gift. Having her be so upset bcuz she left the party so soon was ridiculous.
Then, as if this book couldn't get any worse, Gracie ran to the boat and got in a boat. Yeah, your average pre-teens just want to go for a row when they get really mad... Meg knew it was her dream and ran to get help. While gone, Gracie fell out in the water. She was rescued, good for her, and life went on, with Gracie basking in the attention almost losing her life got her. And she didn't learn a lesson because she didn't tell anyone Meg was the reason she's alive. Her mom was a jerk until the end, absolutely reminded me of why some people shouldn't be parents, totally upsetting to read about. She actually looked at her like she does at Bill, but then said "Well, work goes on, even with a heroine in the house," which completely rubbed me the wrong way.
Meg asked if she wanted help with the windows and she impatiently waved her off. She sucks. And what also sucked is that Meg talked to her grandma literally as she was on the way to the bus. And she didn't even come out and say she had that gift. Her grandma just knew. What a total waste. We waited such a long time for her to talk to her grandma and she was asking hypothetical questions about dreams coming true and crap and only asking her grandma about her gift without saying anything about hers. Why? Why couldn't she just talk about it? She feared it until the end. She thought it was a problem until the end.
Rhoda and Bill and Meg talk about her gift, because Rhoda wanted to know how she knew Gracie needed help before she fell in, and Bill saw the entry in her journal that she knew about the scholarship. Rhoda thought it was cool. This wasn't good at all. No part of it was good. I don't know what I was supposed to get out of this.
Sometimes the dreams are cheerful--like the one about her brother receiving a scholarship--and other times she wakes trembling and terrified. Gradually, the dreams seem to make everything worse. Her father moves out to "find himself," and her best friend deserts her for an older, more sophisticated crowd.
It's only with the help of her grandmother and a wonderful new neighbor that Meg begins to believe it may be all right to be different. Maybe--just maybe--she can even learn to enjoy her strange "secret window" into the future."
It was cool how Meg always knew things would happen before they did, so when her family was surprised by something she wasn't. And she told her brother Bill that he was going to win the scholarship and described the envelope and everything.
Her mom was unlikable and immediately established herself as an antagonist. The way she treated Meg in comparison to her brother Bill was atrocious. She was angry and impatient that Meg hadn't cut potatoes before she came home from work, and called her Little Mrs. Optimist when Meg said Bill would win the scholarship.
It's so annoying when characters don't tell important information. Bill asked her how she knew the envelope would be tan and the writing blue and she said she was sure he'd win because he's so smart. When he didn't accept that she said she made it up. She was too afraid to tell him in case he reacted like her dad did and got mad.
I also didn't like how he told her to come and make cocoa. Can't he make it himself? Or is that just a girl's job and he expects women to cook and care for him? Meg even put crackers on the table like a little homemaker. It grated on my nerves more when the milk bubbled over the pan and he said some cook. Why didn't he make it himself then?
Meg started to get on my nerves. It's no wonder Gracie ditched her. She said she had been going to call Meg again and change to red shirts but her mom wouldn't let her, and Meg said her red shirt was in the wash. Then Gracie said the teacher was crazy if she thought they were going to walk with the boys, and Meg said they'll have to walk with them bcuz the teacher always wants them to stick together. Quit being so prim and proper and just go with the flow rather than following the rules. She just kept saying lame things.
It was nice though when another girl wore a skirt and was the only girl to do so and Meg told her it was nice.
It was frustrating when the joke about the statue happened. One of the men statues was wearing a hat like Mrs. Cobell's, because the statue had the same nose and bangs like the teacher. The guard saw someone with a yellow shirt, blue pants and black braid so he thought it was Meg, but it was obviously Gracie because they were dressed alike. She had to undergo questioning and a lecture and when Gracie saw her she was laughing. At least Meg marched over and let it be known that she was mad. When she saw everyone looking, including the teacher, she knew that they knew it hadn't been her and that was enough. I finally agreed with her when she didn't set with Gracie and the 8th graders and said she was a good sport but not that good.
She met a girl with a shirt that said God Answers Prayers. Talk to Her. It bothered me when God is called her. He's not a her. Rhoda Deel happened to have a parent that left, the same as Meg, because her dad decided to leave to work on his writing and becoming a published writer. Except her mom left to find herself, not her dad.
Meg wasn't likable as she got jealous of Rhoda talking about her dad so much when her own dad was leaving that she bragged about her brother getting a science award. That was bad form.
And they're both only children. Could they be any more alike?
Meg's mom was terrible. Meg heard her say long ago that having a boy and girl is nice but the second kid was strictly an accident. Nice thing to say.
It was weird how Bill told their mom not to cry, that the scholarship wasn't that important (he would get a job since their dad left) and the author wrote "His mother wiped her eyes." Why would the author refer to a person through the relationship the side character had? She should have said their mother wiped her eyes.
Meg was so annoying. It's hard to read about someone that's being so uptight and babyish. She asked Gracie where Linda's parents were and she said they might've gone out and Meg wouldn't let it go. Yeah, Gracie is a bad friend, getting mad and impatient with her and lying and being more concerned with a popular older girl and her house, but Meg just asked for it.
The party was way too advanced. So far, the book had been juvenile and childlike. Kids' feelings and thoughts and actions. So having kids smoke grass which I guessed was a term for marijuana, and a boy and girl be lying on the floor sharing a cigarette, and the girl to tell Meg that if she broke her toe she'll kill her was way too much. I was shocked. On the bus ride home when she confirmed it was indeed marijuana they had been smoking I couldn't believe it. That is way too young for 12 year olds and young kids reading this shouldn't be exposed to this.
The book was pretty deep at times for a made-up gift. She dreamed things and they usually happened. At the art museum field trip the guide told them the paintings in this one room were of the artists' dreams. And at church with her family and grandma there was a stained glass image of Jacob's ladder who dreamed that it led to heaven and God told him he could keep the land he was on. So she took the lesson that life was better because of dreams.
I didn't get the insults Gracie hurled at Meg. Fink and stool pigeon. What?
Meg was such a doormat. I can't stand characters like her. Gracie accused her of calling the police and getting them all dragged to the police station, searched and their parents called. 2 were charged for possession of marijuana and a drunk boy broke a vase. Meg was begging her to tell her what she did and trying to touch Gracie and just being a doormat. I wanted her to get mad at Gracie and put her down, at least say it's their fault they did illegal things and they all deserve to be in trouble, including her. And oh so aggravatingly Meg said in response to why she left that she had a feeling she shouldn't be there. Why mention feelings at all? Why even come close to the truth if you know it won't be accepted? Just say you didn't like what was happening-what 12 year old is ok with marijuana and underage drinking?-and you didn't want to be there. That's it. Meg stupidly said it wasn't her business what anyone else was doing, as if she's ok with seeing ppl do drugs and drink. Idiot.
I was scandalized that when on the bus, her friend Chris said she thought Rhoda was a boy and Rhoda heard and said she's going to be a sex symbol. Whoa! You're writing for kids. You shouldn't use the word sex! My god, they're just 12 year olds.
Then she had Gracie say to the group at the picnic that if you say one "damn" Meg will snitch on you. Omg. They're 12 years old! I can't believe she's cussing in a book for children. This is so unlike her other books who didn't go anywhere near this level and broach these mature topics.
The book got more frustrating and it wasn't good for my blood pressure at all. Meg didn't stand up for herself at all. I wanted her to tell Gracie off and put her down once and for all. But she only opened her mouth and nothing came out and everyone looked away. I expected the feisty Rhoda to chime in and put her down, but I guess the author's idea of a comeback is to avoid it all together, because she only had Rhoda ask if anyone wanted to go for a walk. Gracie morphed into a psychopath who seemed so far out of reality I don't believe anyone had ever acted like this. She absolutely wouldn't believe Chris that the neighbors called, insisted Meg had done it and was screaming and crying and acting like a nutcase. Then, when she finally said if she didn't call the police then she's crazy, bcuz who leaves a party after they just got there? Really? You're really having her be accused of crazy bcuz she left a party that kids were drinking and doing drugs at? It was a very flimsy thing to have her latch onto. She just wanted Gracie to imply her gift was crazy, but there's no way Gracie would even come close to knowing Meg had a gift. Having her be so upset bcuz she left the party so soon was ridiculous.
Then, as if this book couldn't get any worse, Gracie ran to the boat and got in a boat. Yeah, your average pre-teens just want to go for a row when they get really mad... Meg knew it was her dream and ran to get help. While gone, Gracie fell out in the water. She was rescued, good for her, and life went on, with Gracie basking in the attention almost losing her life got her. And she didn't learn a lesson because she didn't tell anyone Meg was the reason she's alive. Her mom was a jerk until the end, absolutely reminded me of why some people shouldn't be parents, totally upsetting to read about. She actually looked at her like she does at Bill, but then said "Well, work goes on, even with a heroine in the house," which completely rubbed me the wrong way.
Meg asked if she wanted help with the windows and she impatiently waved her off. She sucks. And what also sucked is that Meg talked to her grandma literally as she was on the way to the bus. And she didn't even come out and say she had that gift. Her grandma just knew. What a total waste. We waited such a long time for her to talk to her grandma and she was asking hypothetical questions about dreams coming true and crap and only asking her grandma about her gift without saying anything about hers. Why? Why couldn't she just talk about it? She feared it until the end. She thought it was a problem until the end.
Rhoda and Bill and Meg talk about her gift, because Rhoda wanted to know how she knew Gracie needed help before she fell in, and Bill saw the entry in her journal that she knew about the scholarship. Rhoda thought it was cool. This wasn't good at all. No part of it was good. I don't know what I was supposed to get out of this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2018
I’m conducting a historical self-discovery and existential experiment for something I’m working on by rereading books from my youth. I read this years ago back in fourth grade. When I recently repurchased it, I remembered having read and really enjoyed it but couldn’t remember the storyline at all. So this was the first one in the 1980’s pile that I recently compiled and it didn’t disappoint.
I was pleasantly pleased to remember all of my old views on it as I read through it. It even conjured up some very deep and sedentary memories that I had no idea were so deeply entrenched in my subconscious.
I still find dream visualization and actualization a fascinating topic. I thoroughly enjoyed this little book (again) and would highly recommend it to any fourth-grader or grown-up willing to go down memory lane.
I was pleasantly pleased to remember all of my old views on it as I read through it. It even conjured up some very deep and sedentary memories that I had no idea were so deeply entrenched in my subconscious.
I still find dream visualization and actualization a fascinating topic. I thoroughly enjoyed this little book (again) and would highly recommend it to any fourth-grader or grown-up willing to go down memory lane.
October 6, 2022
Back around 5th-6th grade, I made the genre jump from Babysitter's Club and Ramona to (light) horror. Wait Till Helen Comes was the most memorable, of course, but Betty Ren Wright's books were there too. I particularly recall one about a ghost in a mirror at night that was particularly terrifying to 10/11 year old me (mirrors are always scary at night). Will have to see if I can find that one...
Anyway, revisiting Secret Window: I recall the story had a lot of tension and there was this constant feeling of impending doom, which, of course, Little Kid Me ate right up. Unfortunately it didn't hold up on the Adult Re-Read, and was actually kind of boring. Just a story about a girl who can forecast the future in her dreams and who was afraid to tell anyone her secret (why, I don't know). Probably not the author's best work. Some things are just best left in the past.
Anyway, revisiting Secret Window: I recall the story had a lot of tension and there was this constant feeling of impending doom, which, of course, Little Kid Me ate right up. Unfortunately it didn't hold up on the Adult Re-Read, and was actually kind of boring. Just a story about a girl who can forecast the future in her dreams and who was afraid to tell anyone her secret (why, I don't know). Probably not the author's best work. Some things are just best left in the past.
September 18, 2019
Thank you, library, for the creeptastic cover of this edition.
Wavered between four and five stars for this one. The premise--Meg has dreams that come true--is eerie and compelling enough, of course, but the story also offers up round characters with real problems and real reactions to those problems. It didn't really feel dated, either, which is a big accomplishment for a YA novel written in the '80s. Meg's resolution with her dad felt just a bit too forced, which is why I ended up with four stars. Still, it's definitely stood the test of time.
Wavered between four and five stars for this one. The premise--Meg has dreams that come true--is eerie and compelling enough, of course, but the story also offers up round characters with real problems and real reactions to those problems. It didn't really feel dated, either, which is a big accomplishment for a YA novel written in the '80s. Meg's resolution with her dad felt just a bit too forced, which is why I ended up with four stars. Still, it's definitely stood the test of time.
July 12, 2021
We had to read an "older" book for my YA literature class. This book dealt with difficult themes in a really easy to understand way. It is for a younger audience, however, which made it fairly difficult to connect with.
This book is a great resource to be given to kids who have lost someone and would be of great benefit to teachers for this reason. It discusses counseling and how it can really help.
Warnings:
Drugs: Weed is done at a party.
Sex: None
Rock and roll: Loss of a family member. Underage kids are at a party with weed. Divorce.
Language: None
Violence: None
This book is a great resource to be given to kids who have lost someone and would be of great benefit to teachers for this reason. It discusses counseling and how it can really help.
Warnings:
Drugs: Weed is done at a party.
Sex: None
Rock and roll: Loss of a family member. Underage kids are at a party with weed. Divorce.
Language: None
Violence: None
April 15, 2022
An enjoyable nostalgia read.
Think I last read this book back when I was in elementary or middle school. If I had been reading it for the first time now, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it so much, as I would have expected more paranormal happenings (based on the book summary) and less slice of life, but since I have a soft spot for the book from my childhood, my brain only wants to acknowledge the positives. :P
Think I last read this book back when I was in elementary or middle school. If I had been reading it for the first time now, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it so much, as I would have expected more paranormal happenings (based on the book summary) and less slice of life, but since I have a soft spot for the book from my childhood, my brain only wants to acknowledge the positives. :P
May 3, 2023
Very sweet short book. Teaching life's little lessons. The extra star is for Rhoda. One of the most likeable characters I have ever come across in any book. Carefree and non-chalant and someone who loves others as well as herself. Good one Betty Ren Weight.
October 27, 2020
Nostalgia read! Loved this book as a kid!
November 25, 2021
Two and a half stars
My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:
https://youtu.be/xya-KnBpl-o
Enjoy!
My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:
https://youtu.be/xya-KnBpl-o
Enjoy!
December 1, 2022
This is a really good short story, on friendships, and dreams.
January 5, 2012
it really, really frustrates me when books feel dated and therefore ineffectual.
originally published in 1982, [The Secret Window] needed some heavy lovin' for its latest printing in the 90s. but sadly here is no way that betty ren wright edited this book in 1991. i'm sorry, it's just not possible. at a very pivotal moment, the teen protagonist attends a boy-girl party and smells something sweet in the air. she, bewildered and upset, queries, "is that grass???"
no wonder this girl doesn't go to the cool kid parties more often.
look, i'm not into drugs and i am deeply opposed to our nation's youths partying like cast-offs from "dazed and confused" BUT if you are going to write about drug-addled teenagers, please, please, please get the slang right. i had this violent flashback to high school when i asked my father if i could go to a club with some of my friends. he said i could on the condition that if any of them were "smoking dope" that i needed to call him for a ride.
yeah, he lost me at "dope"...
of course, this is only a small part of the failings of this book. the protagonist meg is a mousy little do-gooder wrapped up in a bottle of precocious second sight. she has dreams, dreams that come true! her horrible friend gracie is constantly trying to be one of the "cool kids" but she stinks. she mocks her teacher and gets meggiepants in trouble. at the aforementioned boy-girl-grass .party, she freaks out thinking that meg blew the proverbial whistle and called the cops. she doesn't seem to realize that meg, for some inexplicable reason, refuses to get her friend in any kind of trouble at all.
even though she's AWFUL.
the end culminates predictably in meg using her gift to save her awful friend even though her friend barely acknowledges it and their friendship is severed forever by their lack of commonalities.
it's an okay book; betty ren wright is good at creating broken and dysfunctional families, but she writes them with such venom and anger that you feel like 1. either she herself is badly broken and angry or 2. she only writes in cartoon extremes.
which is a pity.
originally published in 1982, [The Secret Window] needed some heavy lovin' for its latest printing in the 90s. but sadly here is no way that betty ren wright edited this book in 1991. i'm sorry, it's just not possible. at a very pivotal moment, the teen protagonist attends a boy-girl party and smells something sweet in the air. she, bewildered and upset, queries, "is that grass???"
no wonder this girl doesn't go to the cool kid parties more often.
look, i'm not into drugs and i am deeply opposed to our nation's youths partying like cast-offs from "dazed and confused" BUT if you are going to write about drug-addled teenagers, please, please, please get the slang right. i had this violent flashback to high school when i asked my father if i could go to a club with some of my friends. he said i could on the condition that if any of them were "smoking dope" that i needed to call him for a ride.
yeah, he lost me at "dope"...
of course, this is only a small part of the failings of this book. the protagonist meg is a mousy little do-gooder wrapped up in a bottle of precocious second sight. she has dreams, dreams that come true! her horrible friend gracie is constantly trying to be one of the "cool kids" but she stinks. she mocks her teacher and gets meggiepants in trouble. at the aforementioned boy-girl-grass .party, she freaks out thinking that meg blew the proverbial whistle and called the cops. she doesn't seem to realize that meg, for some inexplicable reason, refuses to get her friend in any kind of trouble at all.
even though she's AWFUL.
the end culminates predictably in meg using her gift to save her awful friend even though her friend barely acknowledges it and their friendship is severed forever by their lack of commonalities.
it's an okay book; betty ren wright is good at creating broken and dysfunctional families, but she writes them with such venom and anger that you feel like 1. either she herself is badly broken and angry or 2. she only writes in cartoon extremes.
which is a pity.
May 13, 2012
In the first chapter or two it mentions a girl having her period, which is something I could have dealt with as a book for my 7-year-old. But then the unsupervised middle school party with weed sort of pushed it into the "not yet" area.
I'm not sure I'll want her reading it at 9 either, but when she is 9 at least now I know what my issue was :-)
Other than that it's a pretty stereotypical family breaking up, kid going through that, with the fun sort of "secret window" part thrown in. I loved Betty Ren Wright as a kid and look forward to sharing her with Sam but not yet :-)
I'm not sure I'll want her reading it at 9 either, but when she is 9 at least now I know what my issue was :-)
Other than that it's a pretty stereotypical family breaking up, kid going through that, with the fun sort of "secret window" part thrown in. I loved Betty Ren Wright as a kid and look forward to sharing her with Sam but not yet :-)
May 26, 2022
I quite enjoyed this book. Meg was a really mature 12-year-old, and while this book was short, she sure did learn a lot. She also had a lot to deal with, with her father leaving, and her best friend Gracie pretty much being a butthole throughout the entire story.
Meg did even come clean as far as the dreams at the very end of the book, and the fact that she made a new friend that was a much better person than her current best friend made the book worth reading. :)
Meg did even come clean as far as the dreams at the very end of the book, and the fact that she made a new friend that was a much better person than her current best friend made the book worth reading. :)
October 23, 2009
This book is a swell book. I gave it 2 stars simply because the author should have wrote a lot more about the conclusion. He should have wrote more about how Meg overcame her fears and problems. The plot is quite unique as well. Instead the author was very brief about the ending of the book. I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a mysterious book.
November 16, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. Through this story Meg has learned a lot even when her friendship wasn't that great. When she was seeing those weird dreams at the end of the story it was very tough for her. At the end she meet a new friend and when she helped her a lot this book had a meaning and a moral and something to think about.
November 23, 2010
Meg sometimes has dreams that are different. They come true. The story also addresses some issues common with teens in a fairly realistic manner. Excellent realistic introduction to prophetic / precognitive dreams.
January 2, 2015
Meg has dreams that come true. Sometimes those dreams scare her, and she is afraid that if anyone found out about it they would think she was crazy.
This was almost a 5 star book. It held my attention and I think middle-school and junior high girls would enjoy it.
This was almost a 5 star book. It held my attention and I think middle-school and junior high girls would enjoy it.
October 2, 2008
this book is very mysterious because the girl can see in the future
November 4, 2008
I liked this book, because it was interesting, but also really scary at some parts, and it kind of makes you angry and sad! I LOVE IT THOUGH
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March 12, 2009
THIS IZ A KOOL BOOK!!!!!!!LOVE IT
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March 18, 2009GOOD
November 26, 2014
This was my favorite book when I was a kid... I read it over and over again. I wish I could find my copy!
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January 9, 2015This book was just brought back to my memory today, my sister and I definitely had it, definitely read it, probably a few times, but I don't really have any recollection of it.
July 13, 2016
I really enjoyed this book it was so good I remember reading this as a kid
December 8, 2023
Been wanting to read this one for a while....it was good!
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