Characteristically provocative gothic comedy, with sublime undertones.
An exhilarating summer marked by death, gore and fire sparks deep thoughts in a small-town lad not uncoincidentally named “Jack Gantos.”
The gore is all Jack’s, which to his continuing embarrassment “would spray out of my nose holes like dragon flames” whenever anything exciting or upsetting happens. And that would be on every other page, seemingly, as even though Jack’s feuding parents unite to ground him for the summer after several mishaps, he does get out. He mixes with the undertaker’s daughter, a band of Hell’s Angels out to exact fiery revenge for a member flattened in town by a truck and, especially, with arthritic neighbor Miss Volker, for whom he furnishes the “hired hands” that transcribe what becomes a series of impassioned obituaries for the local paper as elderly town residents suddenly begin passing on in rapid succession. Eventually the unusual body count draws the—justified, as it turns out—attention of the police. Ultimately, the obits and the many Landmark Books that Jack reads (this is 1962) in his hours of confinement all combine in his head to broaden his perspective about both history in general and the slow decline his own town is experiencing.
Characteristically provocative gothic comedy, with sublime undertones. (Autobiographical fiction. 11-13)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-374-37993-3
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Even though the story’s resolution is slightly contrived, readers will be cheering for these girls as they bravely go forth,...
Wise-cracking eighth-grader Maureen is the self-described “anti-cool” heroine of this droll tale of a talent-show showdown.
When Maureen impetuously foils the nefarious lunchtime plot of the ThreePees, the reigning triumvirate of the “Pretty, Popular, and Perfect” crowd, a unique alliance comes together. Suddenly Maureen becomes an unwilling co-conspirator with fellow social misfits Allergy Alice and Beanpole Barbara to wrest talent-show victory from the ThreePees. With a keen eye, Sitomer portrays the callous social hierarchy of middle school. Although Maureen wields her often self-deprecating humor as a shield, Alice and Barbara, along with readers, see the girl behind the bravado. In their bid to take a stand, a fragile friendship forms among the trio. As tensions increase, the girls’ histories are revealed: Maureen struggles with her feelings over her father’s long-ago abandonment, and Alice harbors a devastating secret. Despite her somewhat abrasive humor, Maureen remains a likable character. Unfortunately, the ThreePees remain flatly one dimensional, never breaking out of their stereotypical roles.
Even though the story’s resolution is slightly contrived, readers will be cheering for these girls as they bravely go forth, proudly proclaiming their nerdiness. (Fiction. 11-13)Pub Date: July 5, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4231-3996-6
Page Count: 230
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: June 20, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
With so many top-notch writers on tap, it's surprising this collection is only solid rather than exquisite; still, those...
This charitable benefit anthology gathers all-stars for both hits and misses on the theme of wishing.
Twelve stories are accompanied by five poems and one warmly vivid graphic short. Francisco X. Stork introduces Pablito, Breaker-Breaker and Sherry B in a stellar tale of teens supporting one another in a group home. Sofia Quintero's "The Great Wall," about a Jamaican-American girl with a thing for the Chinese-food delivery guy, is entertaining enough to overcome its brick-to-the-head lack of subtlety. Meg Cabot's nerdy hero, seeking a friend, is heartbreakingly funny. The stories cover First World problems, far from the Sudanese refugees described in the saccharine foreword by Mia Farrow, but that distance only helps the collection. John Green's "Reasons" directly addresses some of the moral issues underlying the desire to rescue people from other countries in a thought-provoking piece about a boy in love with a sponsored Kashmiri child. Ann M. Martin's epistolary tale shows two girls with different sets of financial and social problems finding support in each other's friendship. As for the poetry, with offerings from Naomi Shihab Nye, Marilyn Nelson, Gary Soto and Nikki Giovanni, even these tiny verses are lovely.
With so many top-notch writers on tap, it's surprising this collection is only solid rather than exquisite; still, those readers willing to brave anthologies will be rewarded . (Anthology. 11-13)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-399-25454-3
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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