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Type of bind: Paperback
EAN num: 9780060541408
ISBN number: 0060541407
Label: HarperTeen
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 304
Printing Date: August 01, 2005
Publishing house: HarperTeen
Age index: Young Adult
Release Date: July 26, 2005
Sale Popularity Level: 214545
Studio: HarperTeen
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
The funny thing about stop signs is that they're also start signs.
Mayzie is the brainy middle sister, Brooks is the beautiful but conflicted oldest, and Palmer's the quirky baby of the family. In spite of their differences, the Gold sisters have always been close.
When their father dies, everything begins to fall apart. Level–headed May is left to fend for herself (and somehow learn to drive), while her two sisters struggle with their own demons. But the girls learn that while there are a lot of rules for the road, there are no rules when it comes to the heart. Together, they discover the key to moving on – and it's the key to their father's Pontiac Firebird.
This critically acclaimed, totally compelling book is perfect for readers looking for both a fun ride and a life–changing journey from one of today's best new YA writers. And it fits perfectly in the glove compartment.
Amazon.com Review:
When Mike Gold has a heart attack and dies in his 1967 Firebird, the car sits in the family garage untouched for a year. May, Brooks, and Palmer Gold--all teenage girls in what May calls the 'Tall, Blond, and Wonderful Family'--suffer from neglect as well when their mother goes to work overtime at the hospital to pay the bills. The three girls deal with their father's death in different ways: Brooks quits softball and starts drinking, Palmer ferociously focuses on pitching and TV, hiding her panic attacks from everyone, and May tries to keep the family together. As the family unravels, the Firebird endures. Palmer uses the back seat as a place to escape, Brooks takes it out for a spin when she's drunk (and gets arrested), and for the grand finale, the three girls take the battleship-sized car to Camden Yards to throw their father's ashes on the pitcher's mound. Fortunately, this is the act that allows the girls to start anew, like the phoenix rising.
Readers will appreciate the character of the only really steady force in this novel--the frizzy-haired, wonderfully goofy Pete Camp, May's one-time nemesis who ends up helping out the family and ultimately winning her heart. As engaging, wryly funny, and issue-rich as Ann Brashares's The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Maureen Johnson's The Key to the Golden Firebird will no doubt appeal to a similar audience of teens dealing with their budding sexuality, peer pressure, and much, much more. (Ages 12 and older) --Karin Snelson
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Rated by buyers 
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"The key to hope, the key to love, the key to sisterhood." This quote is found on the front cover of the book. I think that this quote really shows the true meaning of the Golden Firebird. This car is the key to the future of the Gold family.
THE KEY TO THE GOLDEN FIREBIRD by Maureen Johnson is about a mourning family in the suburbs of Philadelphia. When Mike Gold dies in his 1967 Golden Firebird, he leaves behind three daughters and a wife. Palmer, Brooks, and Mayzie must learn to cope with life without their father. Their mother works all night to make more money. After her father's death, Palmer, a star softball player at age fourteen, withdraws from her family. All she does is watch television and play softball. Brooks is eighteen and is also a star softball player. Soon Brooks begins to hang around with the wrong crowd and starts drinking. Mayzie is sixteen and is considered to be the brains of the family. She is the only one who works and makes money for the family. As the girls mourn their father's death in different ways, they realize that the only way to overcome the tragedy is to stay together.
I really enjoyed THE KEY TO THE GOLDEN FIREBIRD. It had the perfect balance between romance, conflict, and excitement. As a teenage girl I can relate to the drama between boys, drugs, sports, and sisters. Most teenage girls above the age of eleven would enjoy this book. From this book, I learned that no matter what happens, you can count on your family. I have read other books by Maureen Johnson and this is my favorite one. When I read this book, I could not put it down! I liked how the author wrote from all the sisters' point of view. I became absorbed in the characters and felt like I was actually them. Overall, it is a fantastic book.
Rated by buyers -
The book The Key to the Golden Firebird by Maureen Johnson was published by the Harper Collins Publishing houses in 2004. It has a total of 297 pages and the genre of the book is fiction. In this book you'll find yourself reading about death, drugs, love, and friendship.
This book is about three teenage sisters who struggle with their father's death. It takes place in the suburbs of Philadelphia and is told in the third person omniscient. The three sisters, Brooks, Mayzie, and Palmer, come up against the problems with money and severe depression. Brooks, who's only eighteen, gets involved with drugs; Mayzie overworks herself and tries desperately to find love; Palmer with draws herself and only goes out to play softball. As the problems worsen the girls realize the only way to overcome their personal obstacles is to work together.
After reading The Key to the Golden Firebird I noticed that this book can relate to every teenage girl, with the peer pressure, the boys, the sports, and the jobs. This story is very powerful and helps you to realize that you're never alone no matter your situation. It always made me want to read on and see what would happen subsequent because everything that happened was described in such great detail it made me feel as if it was really happening to me.
This book is a great book and I would recommend it to any teenage girl whether she's going through a hard time and she can relate or not. It really inspires me to try to help others going through a hard time and if I ever need any help that I can always find someone who will listen.
Rated by buyers 
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The death of their father sends the three Gold sisters into a tailspin. Brooks, the oldest, starts drinking. Palmer, the youngest, withdraws herself from everyone. May, the middle sister and the responsible one, is left alone. This is okay with her, since she is busy with her job at the coffee shop and studying. The girls are in danger of becoming complete strangers when the key to their father's car, a golden Firebird, is discovered. Together the girls take a trip that brings them together and sets them at ease-- finally-- with their father's death. This book is about the the importance of family and friends when problems arise, as well as discovering who your true friends really are. A touching, but not preachy, story on the impact of sisterly bonds, this book will strike a chord with girls everywhere, whether or not they have a sister.
Rated by buyers -
The Gold family has had a very hard time. Their dad died a year before the story takes place, ever since then they've had money problems and Brooks started drinking. There are three girls in the gold family, Brooks is the oldest, and May is in the middle and Palmer in the youngest. Brooks and Palmer are both in softball. They're in softball because their dad loved softball. May is really good at school and she works. Palmer is only a freshman and she is the starting pitcher on the varsity team, and she is doing a summer softball session. Brooks met this guy Dave and he convinced her to quit softball.
My dislikes of this book was when Brooks went to Dave's Party and got wasted. I didn't like that because Brooks could have been a great softball player. My Favorite part of the book was when Brooks got a DUI, because she finally got what she disserved.
I would recommend this book to girls that lost their dad because it would let them know that they are not the only ones that lost their dad. This book is for kids that like to read about real life stuff. I hope that you enjoy this book like I did.
Rated by buyers 
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Am I the only one who couldn't stand this book? It was so dull! It took me about two months to read it because I was constantly putting it down to read other, more interesting books. I didn't like one of the characters-- not one. It finally picked up near the end, but I disliked this story. Very Much.
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