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Michelle and Debra
Michelle and Debra, Mormons and best friends, see their lives diverging at the end of their teen years, as Michelle meets and decides to marry a boy who follows the standards of their church while Debra must deal with the many times she has violated its teachings on chastity.
137 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 1990
About the author
Jack Weyland
60 books227 followersJack Weyland is the best-selling author of young-adult fiction for the Latter-day Saint market. In fact, the modern genre of Latter-day Saint-themed popular fiction is one he is largely responsible for creating with his overwhelmingly popular novel Charly. His interest in fiction began with a correspondence course in creative writing taken during a summer at BYU where he was doing research work. Since then he has published more than two dozen books, and over fifty of his short stories have been published by the LDS Church magazine The New Era.
Born in Butte, Montana, Jack received a B.S. degree in physics from Montana State University and a Ph.D. in physics from BYU. Currently he teaches physics at BYU-Idaho. He formerly taught physics at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
Jack and his wife, Sheryl, are the parents of five children and have four grandchildren. His hobbies include racquetball and singing.
Born in Butte, Montana, Jack received a B.S. degree in physics from Montana State University and a Ph.D. in physics from BYU. Currently he teaches physics at BYU-Idaho. He formerly taught physics at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
Jack and his wife, Sheryl, are the parents of five children and have four grandchildren. His hobbies include racquetball and singing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
February 7, 2014
Another one read as a teen. Once again, so heavy handed. Don't have sex before marriage. If you do, it will ruin your life and every hope for positive future relationships. However, if you wait, life will be perfect... Blah blah.
September 15, 2016
Michelle and Debra written by Jack Weyland. Michelle and Debra have been friends since before they can remember. Michelle is the type of girl that follows directions first time given, and is very obedient. Debra on the other hand, is a wild girl who likes to push the boundaries and is constantly in trouble. While Michelle is mostly able to control her friend, some of Debra's personality is starting to rub off on her. They both made decisions at young ages that changed their lives. As the teen years came and went by, Michelle and Debra begin to have difference of opinion. While both Michelle and Debra were raised Mormons things are starting to change. This book helps people understand what its like to be raised almost the same, and how different decisions can change your lives.
June 28, 2013
I really, really did not like this book. It was intended to teach youth about the importance of staying morally clean by contrasting a "good" girl with a "rough" girl. Well, turns out the rough girl has a lot more interesting life than the good girl. The good girl essentially doesn't go out with anyone until she meets the man she marries. She's never tempted once because she never goes anywhere. What kind of example is that?
That said, I probably would have loved this book when I was a teenager. So maybe that's the important thing.
That said, I probably would have loved this book when I was a teenager. So maybe that's the important thing.
February 16, 2012
This was a book that I read then decided to give it to my two teenaged daughters. It talks about standards and some of the happenings of dating girls that are teens. It tries to build good behavior and I felt could give some insight to my daughters. Jack Weyland is a very good author. My daughters talked of these books I gave them in a humorous way. I think they appreciated it but cautiously.
November 17, 2008
This is a good book for teenagers to read! I think it shows the effects of our decisions in a realistic way, both good and bad.
October 7, 2013
Well, that took awhile to read :/ My health, tumblr, and a slow book are my reasons for that. Honestly, I didn't get very interested in this book until Shane and Michelle met. This book did teach some very important things that people in the church often question. Normally, I enjoy books where the perspective changes, but I didn't like it in this book because the time also skipped and changed in a very confusing way for me. Also since the book was in third person, changing people to focus on doesn't help the reader stay in tune. Overall, okay book, good lesson, okay writing. I really liked a quote from page 90 where Shane was thinking about how he admired Michelle for the way she always kept trying no matter how hard things were for her.
February 21, 2011
I have an appreciation for Weyland's novels. They bring gospel principles to the forefront. In this book, Debra struggles with the law of chasity before marriage. I feel it is books like this one that could be gentle teachers for the youth in the LDS church. Weyland does a nice job examining the pros and cons of virtuous decisions. He leads the reader to form their own opinions. I recommend this for the youth, as an alternative to a sermon from church leaders and parents. I believe as a teenager, I would have given this book four stars.
August 3, 2009
I read this as a young teenager and recall being completely traumatized and scarred for life (in a good way). I can remember coming upstairs one night from reading it in tears and sobbing to my mom about how I NEVER wanted to do drugs. My mom said I didn't have to finish the book if it was upsetting me that bad. There was no way I could not finish the book and skip on that feeling of closure. Best anti-drug/alcohol prevention I could have ever had...and I willingly inflicted it upon myself.
July 6, 2012
This book really made me think about what it means to be mormon, and what my plans for the future are. Deborah was not even close to a good role model. I loved how happy Michelle was, and the last scene was my favorite. Note: Does have some sexual content, not recomended for anyone under the age of 10. I was surprised my mom let me read it. It got too hot one night, and I couldn't fall back to sleep, so I picked up this book and finished it in approxamitely 2 1/2 hours, starting at 2 AM.
March 14, 2017
I read this when I was 12. I loved it and wanted to be just like Michelle. It was a little shocking at my age what the subject was, but I'd already heard more in school by then and some of the kids were sexually active so in that sense it wasn't new.
And in real life as I grew up I saw this plot played out amongst people I knew. So it isn't unrealistic.
It can be a little dated (no cell phones and internet and such) but I think it still holds up well.
And in real life as I grew up I saw this plot played out amongst people I knew. So it isn't unrealistic.
It can be a little dated (no cell phones and internet and such) but I think it still holds up well.
June 18, 2008
I received this as a birthday gift when I was a teenager. At that young age I was a little shocked and embarrassed about the subject matter (chastity), but evidently so was my mom, so it was good to get some discussion about the topic from SOMEPLACE! I went on to read several more books by the same author, each about a different gospel standards topic.
August 5, 2009
As I started reading this book I could tell that it was written for a younger audience but I kept reading it in anticipation of having my children reading it when they are 15 or so. I thought it did a good job of demonstrating what happens when we cling to obedience in the gospel versus try to live on the edge (and ultimately fall).
March 16, 2014
My grandma bought me this book when I was about 12. It was my first Jack Weyland book and made such an impression on me as a young girl. This book began my love of Jack Weyland. I can't wait for my daughter to read his books and I hope that she will find the same strength that I did through these fictional stories that deal with real-life situations.
February 21, 2008
This book is about two friends who are Latter-day Saints. One follows her beliefs, one does not at first but eventually does and they live happily ever after. Not really my cup of tea but I read it anyway.
February 23, 2008
My 3rd and possibly favorite Weyland. Perhas because it showed the two girls and how their different decisions had such different consequences. It was also nice to see the guy's side of growing up and making good or bad decisions. But this one definitely destroyed BYU reality for me. Not good.
July 22, 2008
I loved reading Jack Weyland novels when I was a teenager. I particularly remember this one as being influential to me in my decisions of how I wanted to live my life. He is not the best writer in the world, but his books were fun and uplifting and I always enjoyed them.
September 24, 2009
I remember reading this book as a teenager because my mom bought it for me. I had a friend that this book reminded me of and it made me realize the effect of good friends in my life and in making good decisions.
January 14, 2008
Another Jack Weyland true-to-life tale on how it is hard to grow up and bad choices have consequences. Fast, good read.
Read
February 22, 2008a book about best friends who want to be chaste but find it hard because they are such great friends and their feelings are so deep.
February 27, 2008
Just seeing this cover takes me back in time to crimped hair and boy drama...wait....I still have that!
February 28, 2008
Ah... nothing like youth and Jack W. Good times. Good times.
April 2, 2008
one of my top two jack weyland books
April 16, 2008
My Grandma bought this book for my sister and me when we were going into highschool. It's a typical Jack Weyland book. It is a nice book, but not a great read.
June 12, 2008
cheesy.
Read
June 26, 2008Read in high school. Don't remmber the plot. They're all the same anyway...
June 27, 2008
Loved!
July 14, 2008
Another great Weyland book
July 29, 2008
I started reading Jack Weyland books as a teenager and have read and re-read and re-read them over the years. They are just fun, quick reads with good morals...perfect for a teenage girl.
September 18, 2011
Good. Interesting look at friendship.
August 22, 2008
I just re-read this, 1st time was 15 years ago. I loved how he showed that picking the right friends when you are young can make all the difference in who you trun out to be as a adult.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews