Why We Broke Up (2011) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Characters edit see section history

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• Minerva 'Min' Green: Our lovable, movie-obsessed heroine. She is the narrator of the story. She has just broken up with Ed, and has decided to return all of the items that she has kept during their relationship. The novel is written as a letter from Min to Ed explaining why they broke up. Everyone is always calling her different, including Ed. She goes by Min to her friends.
• Ed Slaterton: Basketball co-captain, Min's boyfriend. The novel is written as a letter to Ed from Min explaining each of several items in a box, all of which were a part of their relationship. Ed was a player until he meet Min.
• Al: Min's best friend. They do everything together, and have a lot in common — including their love of old films. Al is the one person Min can always count on and tell anything.
• Annette DuBois: The only ex Ed still keeps contact with.
• Jillian Beach: One of Ed's many ex-girlfriends.
• Lauren: Min's friend.
• Joan: Ed's sister. She helps out with the house since their mom is ill. She likes jazz music and loves to cook.
• Trevor: Ed's friend, with whom he shares everything - including intimate details of his relationship with Min.
• Lottie Carson: A movie actress who stars in several of Min's favorite movies.
• Joe: Min's former boyfriend
• Amy Simon: Add a description of this character.
• Ann Rosenberg
• Steve Sturmine
• Todd
• Jordan
• Christine Edelman
• Mr. Nelson
• Greta

Quotes edit see section history

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• “Every last souvenir of the love we had, the prizes and the debris of this relationship, like the glitter in the gutter when the parade has passed, all the everything and whatnot kicked to the curb.”

  Minerva

• “You know I want to be a director, but you could never truly see the movies in my head and that, Ed, is why we broke up.”

  Minerva

• “Either you have the feeling or you don't.”

• “I stopped looking at her and looked, my God it was beautiful, at you. I kissed you. I can feel it, my mouth on you, I have a feeling now of the feeling I had then, even though I don’t have it anymore.”

  Minerva Green

• “The days were all day every day, get a grade, take a note, put something on, put somebody down, cut open a frog and see if it's like this picture of a frog cut open. But at night, the nights were you, finally on the phone with you, Ed, my happy thing, the best part.”

  Minerva Green

• “You'd said "traffic-jam pileup" like it was a real thing everyone said, "World War Two" or "love at first sight."”

  Minerva Green (about Ed Slaterton)

• “It didn't last, it wasn't clear for much longer, and that's why we broke up, but when I close this book and give it to you, I don't think about that, just us holding the book in our hands to buy it and take it here with us, because damn it Ed, that's not why we broke up. I love it, I miss it, I hate to give it back to you, this complicated thing, it's why we stayed together.”

  Minerva Green

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

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Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Daniel Handler (Author)
2. Maira Kalman (Illustrator)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• Michael L. Printz Award (January 2012: Honor Book)

Notes for Parents edit see section history

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Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Children's Books