Painting Caitlyn

With the issue of domestic abuse in the news, teens are looking for insight to help them better understand personal relationships and the cause and effect of these troubling events. Reading and discussing the award-winning novel, Painting Caitlyn, is an excellent way to begin the conversation.

It's been a difficult year for Caitlyn. She feels ignored by her mother and step-father who are obsessed with having a baby, her best friend is always blowing her off for a boyfriend, and she's struggling in art, her favorite subject. Caitlyn is completely depressed until Tyler enters her life and seems to make her problems disappear. Older, gorgeous, and totally into Caitlyn, he makes Caitlyn feel important, needed, and special. But just as things get serious, Caitlyn discovers Tyler’s jealous side. Once she realizes her "perfect" boyfriend is as controlling as he is caring, she is faced with a choice: she can either let this relationship define her, or find the courage to break away.

Selected by the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence for the 2008 "Knowledge Is Power: Building Healthy Relationships Through Reading" program. This initiative partners with libraries and schools to address the epidemic of domestic violence.

Awards and Reviews:

“... a realistic and powerful picture of how subtle and confusing abuse in its different forms can be. Caitlyn's struggle to find herself and the strength needed to feel good about who she is and how she fits into the different pictures of her life will stay with readers long after the book is closed. With nothing too graphic, this would be a title that public and school librarians alike should purchase and add to any subject booklist focusing on raising awareness on dating abuse.” – KLIATT, May 2007

“Peters clearly has her finger on the pulse of teenage dating behavior, and has written an excellent book for any girl who falls prey to a boyfriend’s abusive behavior.” – School Library Journal, Sept. 2006

“... this is more than just a simple problem novel. The characters, including Tyler, and Caitlyn’s family and friends are drawn with real complexity, and the first-person narrative shows the contradiction between attractive, romantic, contrite Tyler, and the bullying boy who is not always in control.” – Booklist, Sept. 2006

"... honest and insightful ... a provocative story with an important message. It is written clearly and simply, and teens will be quick to pick up on the message while hopefully also developing a deeper appreciation for how victims of abuse find themselves in these sorts of situations.” – CM: Canadian Review of Materials, March 2007

“This novel's strength is in its perfectly-paced first-person narration ... Every new revelation comes at exactly the right time and the gradual shift in Caitlyn's attitude is completely convincing ... High marks for handling the difficult topic of abusive relationships without patronizing the reader ... very fulfilling read worth five gold stars.” –  yabookscentral.com, Sept. 2006

“Teen feelings of being alive and loved, truly loved, for the first time, mixed with the uncertainty, stubbornness, and incredibly strong desire to please, are vividly portrayed in this debut novel. Kimberly Joy Peters does a beautiful job of immersing the reader in the heady feeling of young love ... a very enjoyable read.” – teensreadtoo.com

“This is a carefully written book with an important message for young women.” – Kitchener-Waterloo Record, Oct. 2006

“It is one of the best books that I have ever read and I didn’t want to put it down.” - Teen Adviser, Campbell County High School, Kentucky

• Shortlisted, Stellar Book Awards (BC Teen Readers' Choice, 2009)
• Selected, International Reading Association Young Adults' Choices (2008)
• Selected, American Library Association “Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers” (2007)
• Author, Kimberly Joy Peters, won the 2007 Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario Writer's Award – Women's Program, for Painting Caitlyn

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