Please Help Me Find This Book
Okay, so. My sister and I have been looking for this book on and off for almost five years now and we have had no luck. I bought it at a Scholastic Book Fair in 2004-7 (elementary school-ish) but I’m sure it was written before that. It may be a book for teenagers or middle schoolers. There were some dark themes. I do not think it was a kids book.
The title is something like “The Secret Journal of Julien/Julian” or “The Diary of Julien/Julian” or “The Secret Code of Julien/Julian.” We’re pretty sure the cover was black with red lettering and white scribbles on it. The cover night have said “Dairy” but all scribbled out.
It’s about a boy or teenager named Julien, and I’m pretty sure it was spelled with an ‘e’ because the character was very adamant about being called “JuliEn not JuliAn.” He was always talking about how “JuliAn” sounds like “Julie-Anne.”
Anyways, The book was written in code, like leetspeak, where numbers stood in for letters and names were often replaced by initials. It was great because you had to figure out the code as you read. He also has a pretty hard time comprehending the things that happen to him and he has a hair trigger temper. For this reason, my sister and I are pretty sure the main character was on the Autism spectrum.
I strongly remember there being a mean step-mom and step-brother and step-sister. The dad was totally oblivious. At one point, Julien was forced to sleep in the garage??? with a bare matress and a bucket???? I think???? The step-mom gave Julien the diary which is what the book is. Julien, not wanting any ‘girly’ things, makes sure the reader knows it’s a journal.
He was also really set on finding his mother who he referred to as “Her” and “She” and eventually “M.” He tries to run away multiple times, but is either found by a family member or returns home because something happens. The mother might also be dead???? and that’s why the dad remarried and seems depressed?
Every time my sister brings up this book and how we can’t find it, I loose my mind trying to figure out what it is. If BookTumblr has any ideas whatsoever about the title of this book, please please please let me know! For my sanity!
