What Jamie Saw

Lucas Mouthaan

Would you ever throw a baby? Imagine seeing your baby sister fly through the air, almost hit the ground, but your mom saves the day by catching her. What would you do next after the disaster has passed? This is the story of What Jamie Saw, by Carolyn Coman.

In this book, Jamie and his mother witness Nin, Jamie’s baby sister, fly through the air as Patty’s (now) ex-boyfriend, Van, throws her. But luckily, Patty catches Nin before she hits the floor and becomes seriously injured. Because of this act of domestic violence, Patty, Nin and Jamie have to find a new place to stay, since they were living in Van’s house, to keep themselves safe from Van and his anger. In What Jamie Saw, Coman describes the constant sense of living in fear that the family experiences. She also describes the situation that the family is in as they lay low and hide from Van for a while, trying to stay safe.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was that it was written in third person limited. I enjoyed reading about how a little kid saw and felt about the domestic violence towards him and his family. Another aspect that I enjoyed about this fiction story was that all of the events that happened in the book seemed realistic. Realistic fiction is great because it is more believable than a fantasy story. I also really enjoyed the characters, Jamie and Patty especially. This book’s plot was also very enjoyable. t. I loved how fast the events seemed to move and how thrilling and scary the plot was as a whole.

I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys books that are relatable and realistic. If you have read this book and liked it, I would recommend an Andrew Clements book like Things That Are since it is pretty realistic and relatable, feeling-wise, just like What Jamie Saw.