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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
Loved it! It's a bit slow in the beginning, but it sucked me in with the realistic mystery/adventure I think all kids hope to find within their own neighborhood. Plus, it doesn't hurt that it reminds me of my favorite movie at age 12, that I watched over and over. I almost cried a few times at the end, but I was in a public place, so I had to just let my eyes burn as I kept reading wide-eyed. Good job, 2011 Newbery committee!
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I read this to help Grace with her book report and was really surprised at much I liked it. There were times I honestly couldn't put it down, which caught me off guard since it was written for 10-15 year olds. Would highly recommend to children AND adults.
Very well-done children's historical fiction about the ties among community members and the personal histories of immigrants who built rural America. It was refreshing to read such a thoughtful and nuanced historical fiction book (albeit a little too optimistic, in my opinion, in the interest of being hopeful because it's a children's book), and one that has a net positive message about rural communities rather than the dismissive, condescending scorn that seems to be more and more common.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a great middle grade summer read. I loved the writing on this one. Abilene is a young girl sent by her Father to go live in a small town with an old friend of his. Her Dad is working on a railroad and feels it is no place for a young girl. Abilene quickly learns that she does not know much about her father and his past. It is a summer mystery with lovable characters. How much do we really know about our parents and who they were before we came along. It is also a story about finding a place to belong. An enjoyable heartfelt read at any age.
I'm glad I didn't give up on this one. It took me a while to get interested, but the moment Miss Sadie entered the picture with her mysterious ways and insightful stories, I was hooked. Though I figured out the little "plot twist" before the ending, it was still so satisfying to experience Abilene putting the pieces together. I think this is one of those Newbery's adults will like but kids won't appreciate until they're a little older.
Fully deserves its Newbery Award. A deeply moving, funny portrait of a small town, and the girl who changes it. It's not a fast-moving novel, but the slow pace suits the characters and the gradual unwinding of the two stories.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes