The book is about a girl who lives in a town in a remote area of Maine. During the winter her pond freezes and her mother enjoys skating on it. One winter during a "Freak" accident her mother is hurt and the author ( in first person) writes how all of this affects her and her family.

After alot of misfortune, she does find love from two very unlikely sources. One at first almost makes you feel sickened, then the other a more normal relationship.

After so many years and the author trying to get her life together, the first "love" comes back and the second love has to rescue him.

I enjoyed this book, but sometimes it became alittle confusing because the author remembers things and memories, but not always in sequence to what is happening in the story.

I don't know where this little gem of a book was hiding, but I certainly am glad that I found it. I was immediately drawn to the main character, Elizabeth and found myself rooting for her in her desire for a family life and then later on through her trials with love and loss. To me this book is about the choices we make and how everything that happens to us leaves it's mark on us somehow.

Copyright © 2003 by Diana Guerrero
The Skating Pond is full of breathtaking prose. The rich imagery and descriptions were a delight. Once hooked, I didn't put up much of a fight and followed Elizabeth's journey from adolescence through motherhood surviving challenges and memories. I devoured this novel and will definitely put Ms. Corey on my list of authors to watch.

Losing Eddie was a interesting book. It dealt with many aspects of life. I like how Deborah Joy Corey tells this story. It is told by a little girl about nine and a half year old. She emphasizes what it was like to grow up on a dirt road in rural New Brunswick. The little girl also emphasizes to us what it is like growing up in a disfunctional family. Her fathers drinking problem, mothers illness, Sister's abusive house hold, and brothers rebellious teenage ways gives you much insite as to how messed up her family actually was but behind all that they all love each other and at some points in the book you see just how much they love one and other. This book also touched close to home in the sense that I also live in New Brunswick and I also know what it is like to live here. Although I do not share some of her insight in life I do know that most of her description do sound a lot like New Brunswick. I found this a very descriptive book. It was a great book read it!

The book Losing Eddie deals with alot of unfortunate things, and there was alot of dramatic happenings in the novel. The novel shows how hard some kids have it a home, and it makes us realize how good we have it.
The novel describes a nine year old girl's summer vacation where she learns many hard things. The young girl tells the story, which includes death of a loved one, the way alcohol affects a family, and how important it is to have close friends. Personally, I liked the book and found it a good learning experience. The reason I found the book enjoying was because Laura the narrator never gave up. She tried to find good in everyone, including the ones who made her feel sad. She also tried to find reason with everyhing that happened.
At the end of the novel Laura gave up with trying to be a grown-up, and understanding everything. She decided to just be a kid, and enjoy it while it lasts. Everyone could learn a few good things from Laura, including the belief in yourself, and the trust in others.

The book "Losing Eddie" deals with loss of loved ones and the importance of having friends to be there for you during hard times. I like the book because it dealt with some very personal subjects. The book "Losing Eddie" can be kind of confusing at times where the author jumps from one topic to another with no detail explaining what was happening. Deborah Joy Corey writes about a nine and a half year old girl who has many home problems. The young girl (who is also the narrator) goes through many rough times. She is always there for her friends in their times of need and acts as though she is an old women talking to younger children. Laura, the narrator, tries to understand all the things that older people tell her. She goes through such things as the death of a loved one, the feeling of loneliness and growing up all at the same time. Laura finds there are many things that she doesn't understand by the end of the novel, but decides to just be a kid and have fun. By the end of the novel, Laura is proud of who she is and who her family is. This book is a must read for anyone who has ever doubted themselves. If this small girl can stand up for herself and be proud to be who she is, then so should everyone else. You never know how good you have it until you hear someone else's sad story, such as Laura's.