Clean Break (novel) facts for kids
First edition
|
|
| Author | Jacqueline Wilson |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Nick Sharratt |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
|
Publication date
|
21 March 2005 |
| Media type | Print (hardback and paperback) |
| Pages | 169pp |
Clean Break is a popular children's novel written by Jacqueline Wilson. It was first published in Britain in 2005. The story explores what happens when a father leaves his family. It shows how the children and their mum cope with big changes.
Contents
Story of Clean Break
The main character is a young girl named Emily, often called Em. She lives with her mum, her half-sister Vita, and her half-brother Maxie. They all live at their grandmother Ellen's house. Em and her siblings love their dad very much, even though he is technically their stepfather.
Em is a sensitive person and sometimes worries about her weight. On Christmas Day, Em, Vita, and Maxie open their presents. Vita gets a reindeer hand-puppet called Dancer. Maxie receives a set of special felt-tip pens. Em gets a pretty 'emerald' ring.
Later that day, Em overhears a conversation. She realizes her dad has a secret. Em bravely talks to her father, and he admits he has been seeing someone else. By the next morning, he has left the family home.
Life After Dad Leaves
After Em's dad leaves, the family finds it hard to manage without him. Em, Vita, and Maxie all believe Dad will come back. Dad later calls their mum to arrange to see the children on New Year's Day.
On New Year's Day, the children visit their dad, Frankie. He is at the home of his new partner, Sarah. Sarah is not very kind or friendly. During a visit to a park, Em, Vita, and Maxie see their dad kissing Sarah. It makes them feel surprised and a little sad. Sarah is an actress, and she and Frankie soon move to Scotland. When the children return home, they don't want to say goodbye to their dad.
The children tell their mum that Sarah and Dad don't seem to get along. They hope he will come home soon. Their mum feels very sad and misses Frankie's support. Their grandmother, Ellen, doesn't understand how much the family still loves him. She doesn't think they should take him back.
New Experiences and Challenges
Emily accidentally meets her biological dad at a fair. This makes her feel scared because he had caused difficulties for her mum when she was younger. Em's Gran decides to take them on a holiday. While on holiday, Gran also finds a new boyfriend.
Em discovers she is good at swimming during the holiday. When they return home, she starts taking swimming classes.
Later, Em travels to London to meet her favorite author. There, the family sees Frankie again. He has apparently broken up with Sarah and has a new girlfriend named Hannah. He has also moved back to London. Emily runs after Frankie, but she falls and breaks her arm. Vita's reindeer puppet, Dancer, also gets broken. Her dad stops and takes her to the hospital.
The story ends on Christmas Eve, almost a year after Frankie left. Frankie sends Dancer back to them as a Christmas present. Someone then taps on the door, pretending to be Father Christmas. The book finishes with the line, "It looked like it was going to be the best Christmas ever." This suggests that her stepfather might have returned.
Characters in Clean Break
Main Characters
- Em – The main character and narrator of the story. She loves reading and making up stories about Vita's puppet, Dancer. She also loves her special emerald ring. Em has blonde hair and a gentle nature. She cares deeply about her siblings, Maxie and Vita. When her dad leaves, she feels very sad and misses him terribly. She is very sensitive to how others feel.
- Vita – Em's half-sister. She has a special reindeer puppet named Dancer. Vita has brown hair and likes to be fashionable. Sometimes she teases Em about her size. But when the family is sad, she looks to Emily for comfort. Em often cheers Vita up with Dancer.
- Maxie – Em's half-brother. He received expensive felt-tip pens for Christmas. Maxie has autism, which means he has some unique ways of doing things. For example, he doesn't like sleeping in a proper bed or wearing pajamas. He can also be a fussy eater due to sensory issues. When his dad leaves, he pretends he has forgotten him. But Em discovers he writes letters to his dad using his special pens. Maxie is innocent and loves his family very much.
- Mum – Em, Vita, and Maxie's mum. She is usually cheerful and positive. But when her husband leaves, she becomes very sad. She starts losing weight and cries often at night. Sometimes, when she is upset, she says things she doesn't truly mean. She loves her children and wants them to have a happy childhood.
- Dad – Em's stepfather, also called Frankie. He leaves the family on Boxing Day to live with his new partner, Sarah. He is usually very loving and caring. Em wonders why he suddenly stopped loving their mum and their home. He often apologizes and means it, but he never explains why he left. When his children ask if he still loves them, he cries and hugs them close.
- Ellen (Gran) – Em, Vita, and Maxie's grandmother, and Julie's mother. She can be a bit grumpy sometimes. However, she truly wants the best for her family. It breaks her heart to see her daughter and grandchildren so sad. She is upset with Frankie for leaving.
Other Characters
- Dancer – Vita's beloved reindeer puppet.
- Jenny and Yvonne – Em's friends.
- Mrs Marks – Em's teacher.
- Jenna Williams – Em's favorite author, who appears in the book. Jacqueline Wilson has said this character is based on herself.
- Sarah – The woman Dad is seeing. When Em, Vita, and Maxie meet her, she is rude and unpleasant. She is very thin and has short black hair. She also bites her nails.
