"Jill MacLean's The Present Tense of Prinny Murphy is a moving, engaging, troublesome book that middle school readers will find difficult to put down. The Present Tense of Prinny Murphy is the sequel to the 2008 novel, The Nine Lives of Travis Keating. As good as the first book was, the second instalment is even better. As hard-hitting as the first book was, the second one hits much harder. While the same characters continue to face many of the same problems, MacLean's writing remains fresh and engaging. Issues of bullying, family secrets, alcoholism, loneliness, and child abuse again form much of the framework for her novel and MacLean again handles these issues in a sensitive, skilful manner that at once is interesting and informative.
Highly Recommended."
— CM Magazine
"Beautifully layered and sensitively written, Prinny's story will garner MacLean - and the characters of Ratchet - yet more fans. Let's hope there is a return visit soon."
— Quill & Quire
"MacLean's novel, a sequel to the award-winning The Nine Lives of Travis Keating, is a heart-wrenching, yet ultimately hopeful, depiction of a young girl struggling in a small Newfoundland community. Prinny's narrative voice is authentic, especially when she is describing her frustrations with her mother and her love of the barrens. However, most importantly of all, MacLean realistically shows the fear, humiliation, and desperation caused by bullying and the strength it takes to fight back. This book would be useful for discussions about poetry, alcoholism, or bullying.
Very highly recommended"
— Resource Links
"While Prinny was an appealing supporting character in the previous book, she absolutely shines in this one! Plucky and determined, forthright and earnest, she is a refreshing, utterly likeable protagonist who narrates her story in a voice that is clear and true. . . MacLean once again succeeds in deftly bringing readers into the midst of this small Newfoundland outport and making us care very much about its residents. Especially Prinny Murphy."
— Atlantic Books Today
A companion story to The Nine Lives of Travis Keating (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2008), also set in Fiddler's Cove, Newfoundland. Prinny Murphy's father has kicked her mother out of the house because she will not stop drinking. Her best friend, Travis, has taken to the pretty new girl, Laice, who is nasty to Prinny. And the Shrikes, three girls who Prinny named after a vicious bird that eats smaller birds, invite her to a party, get her drunk, and then blackmail her with embarrassing photos. Her father doesn't speak much. Her mother is off drinking uncontrollably, and Prinny cannot decide if she hates her or wants her home. Without Travis, she does not feel she has anyone to turn to, until a substitute teacher introduces her to LaVaughn, the main character in Virginia Euwer Wolff's Make Lemonade (Holt, 1993). Reading has never been easy for Prinny, but she longs to read every day about LaVaughn and enlists help from Travis, Travis's father, and, eventually, Laice to get through the novel. Through LaVaughn's story, Prinny finds her voice, her strength, and herself. This novel is not tied neatly with a bow, but it does end on a hopeful note. The characters are multidimensional and believable. All of them have flaws and secrets balanced with flashes of goodness. MacLean weaves them into a raw, realistic novel that reminds readers that finding your voice is sometimes harder than using it.'
Delia Carruthers, Roxbury Public Library, Succasunna, NJ
"The characters are multidimensional and believable. All of them have flaws and secrets balanced with flashes of goodness. MacLean weaves (the characters) into a raw, realistic novel that reminds readers that finding your voice is sometimes harder than using it."
— School Library Journal
"In this beautifully engaging book, Prinny, about 12, has much to deal with. . . The exotic northern setting is carefully depicted and plays a major role in both mood and plot. As Prinny learns effective ways to deal with the truly evil, completely believable Shrikes with too little adult support, readers may pick up a point or two. Although this is a sequel (The Nine Lives of Travis Keating, 2009) it out-stands alone perfectly."
— Kirkus
Gr 5–8—A companion story to The Nine Lives of Travis Keating (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2008), also set in Fiddler's Cove, Newfoundland. Prinny Murphy's father has kicked her mother out of the house because she will not stop drinking. Her best friend, Travis, has taken to the pretty new girl, Laice, who is nasty to Prinny. And the Shrikes, three girls who Prinny named after a vicious bird that eats smaller birds, invite her to a party, get her drunk, and then blackmail her with embarrassing photos. Her father doesn't speak much. Her mother is off drinking uncontrollably, and Prinny cannot decide if she hates her or wants her home. Without Travis, she does not feel she has anyone to turn to, until a substitute teacher introduces her to LaVaughn, the main character in Virginia Euwer Wolff's Make Lemonade (Holt, 1993). Reading has never been easy for Prinny, but she longs to read every day about LaVaughn and enlists help from Travis, Travis's father, and, eventually, Laice to get through the novel. Through LaVaughn's story, Prinny finds her voice, her strength, and herself. This novel is not tied neatly with a bow, but it does end on a hopeful note. The characters are multidimensional and believable. All of them have flaws and secrets balanced with flashes of goodness. MacLean weaves them into a raw, realistic novel that reminds readers that finding your voice is sometimes harder than using it.—Delia Carruthers, Roxbury Public Library, Succasunna, NJ
In this beautifully engaging book, Prinny, about 12, has much to deal with. Her emotionally distant, alcoholic mother is usually drunk, her father-though he loves her-won't offer affection, a new girl in her northern Newfoundland village has drawn her only friend, Travis, away from her, she barely stumbles through remedial reading and "the Shrikes," three relentless female bullies, are blackmailing her. Things improve a bit when a teacher introduces her to Virginia Euwer Wolff's Make Lemonade, and Prinny learns her own power from that book's strong protagonist, LaVaughn. Each fully realized character furthers Prinny's coming of age, and just as LaVaughn "jumps off the page" for Prinny, MacLean's characters will inhabit the reader's world. The exotic northern setting is carefully depicted and plays a major role in both mood and plot. As Prinny learns effective ways to deal with the truly evil, completely believable Shrikes with too little adult support, readers may pick up a point or two. Although this is a sequel (The Nine Lives of Travis Keating, 2009) it out-stands alone perfectly. (Fiction. 10-14)
