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zsarge's review
2.0
I picked this up just because it had a really weird name.
To be clear, it wasn't a bad book but it also wasn't astounding.
To be clear, it wasn't a bad book but it also wasn't astounding.
readerpants's review
3.0
Huh. Another classic from the bizarre-NY-in-the-70s genre of kid and YA lit. I wonder if M.E. Kerr's other books are this odd on re-reading?
annakim's review
3.0
Dinky Hocker's distinctive voice drives this story of teen confusion and angst. When Dinky suffers some setbacks and blows to her self-esteem, the pain she feels is almost palpable even though she is not even aware of her own feelings and actions. While the other adolescent protagonists are generally optimistic and are able to develop, Dinky is much more cynical and this affects her ability to grow with the others.
sc104906's review
3.0
The life of four New York teens. Two want to overcome their over eating habits, and two who have fallen in love. This isn't an action packed novel and it's pretty weird and hard to describe.
lucyblack's review
5.0
I loved this book because...
I like books set in New York and surrounding environs in the 1970's
I like books with anxious teen narrators
I like books with obnoxious teen characters who tell their superiors to suck it
I like books with well described fashion and hair
I like books which feature libraries and cats and interesting food
I like books with political undertones
I like books with stilted dialogue
I like this books cover
I like this books insides too
I like books set in New York and surrounding environs in the 1970's
I like books with anxious teen narrators
I like books with obnoxious teen characters who tell their superiors to suck it
I like books with well described fashion and hair
I like books which feature libraries and cats and interesting food
I like books with political undertones
I like books with stilted dialogue
I like this books cover
I like this books insides too
emdoux's review
4.0
Tucker Woolf, "a male cat-lover who was also a lover of libraries," meets the title character after he is forced to adopt out his cat, Nader, because of his father's newly developed allergies. Dinky is a formidable new owner for Nader, her physical size certainly as intimidating as her raw wit, unflinching honesty (about anything other than herself), and fascination with the odd. When Dinky's cousin Natalia comes to stay with the Hocker family, Tucker finds himself using Nader as an excuse to visit the mysterious, beautiful girl. Of course, Dinky and Tucker's parents have a field day with Tucker's infatuation, something he has not yet verbalized to anyone, let alone Natalia or himself - and when Natalia agrees to go to a dance with him only if Dinky also has a date. So Tucker introduces her to P. John Knight, a wildly opinionated, right wing guy he doesn't really like - but P. John is fat, so Tucker figures the pairing will work out. Luckily for him, it does, but the dance does not go well for he and Natalia; afterward, Tucker's friendships begin to unravel.
This novel presents ordinary people and their ordinary issues in a heavily extraordinary way, detailing their intricacies and inadequacies with effortless diction. Originally published in 1972, the novel may still hold its own with teens who find it today.
Other notes (for class):
- overt foreshadowing of Dinky's psychological issues require inference, yet are still blatant
- Natalia's previous mental illness perhaps one of the first appearances in YA? - check
- constantly places religious characters (Mr. and Mrs. Hocker) in negative light
This novel presents ordinary people and their ordinary issues in a heavily extraordinary way, detailing their intricacies and inadequacies with effortless diction. Originally published in 1972, the novel may still hold its own with teens who find it today.
Other notes (for class):
- overt foreshadowing of Dinky's psychological issues require inference, yet are still blatant
- Natalia's previous mental illness perhaps one of the first appearances in YA? - check
- constantly places religious characters (Mr. and Mrs. Hocker) in negative light
faeriedrumsong's review
4.0
Quick read. Some of the themes/ideas are a little dated - or at least the way they are presented is dated.
LOVE that the Good Samaritan mom is all about helping the little "ghetto kids"
I really like the characters. None of them were easy or predictable. Except Marcus. His relapse was totally predictable.
For the record, I am a liberal democrat. But even though I think of republicans very much the way P. John was before he went away, I still felt like there could have been more depth to that aspect of his character and more reasoning for why he felt so strongly.
Natalia was so likable, Tucker had a great voice, Tucker's parents were SO nice to read (functioning and supportive parents who don't take over your life but don't die are in ridiculously short supply sometimes!)
LOVE that the Good Samaritan mom is all about helping the little "ghetto kids"
I really like the characters. None of them were easy or predictable. Except Marcus. His relapse was totally predictable.
For the record, I am a liberal democrat. But even though I think of republicans very much the way P. John was before he went away, I still felt like there could have been more depth to that aspect of his character and more reasoning for why he felt so strongly.
Natalia was so likable, Tucker had a great voice, Tucker's parents were SO nice to read (functioning and supportive parents who don't take over your life but don't die are in ridiculously short supply sometimes!)
do_you_think_im_spooky's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
megaden's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't like this book at all. Tucker's father has lost his job and developed an allergy to their cat, which leads to him meeting Dinky Hocker, a neighborhood girl with a bad attitude. He doesn't particularly like her, but is intrigued by her live-in cousin so he goes back to visit the cousin, Natalia, and his ex-cat. In order to date Natalia, he has to find a date for Dinky as well which leads to him introducing Dinky to P. John, who's even more annoying than she is. Dinky develops feelings for P. John and is crushed when he thinks of her as more of a weight-loss buddy. Dinky's mother doesn't approve of either boy and P. John ends up getting shipped off to boarding school. He comes back some months later thin and a socialist whereas Dinky has gotten even larger and become obsessed with her aquarium fish. When Dinky's mother wins a humanitarian award, Dinky spray-paints rumors about herself up and down the street as a cry for attention.
One of my main problems with this book was the lack of plot – nothing really happens. I really liked the beginning of the book and thought that Tucker could have been an interesting character, but it never amounted to much. I didn't like Dinky. I didn't like P. John. Natalia's character wasn't very well-developed, so she seemed almost transparent. Her character seemed the most intriguing to me and I would have liked to know more. It seems like I'm one of the few people who didn't love this book, but I just don't get it. If I hadn't been assigned to read it for a class, I probably wouldn't have finished it.
One of my main problems with this book was the lack of plot – nothing really happens. I really liked the beginning of the book and thought that Tucker could have been an interesting character, but it never amounted to much. I didn't like Dinky. I didn't like P. John. Natalia's character wasn't very well-developed, so she seemed almost transparent. Her character seemed the most intriguing to me and I would have liked to know more. It seems like I'm one of the few people who didn't love this book, but I just don't get it. If I hadn't been assigned to read it for a class, I probably wouldn't have finished it.
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