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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
Hnnnghhhhh. If you can look past the anachronistic premise (a grandpa dies and leaves the family...his butler?), IT'S SO GOOD. Dang. Gary D. Schmidt is the master of gut punches straight in the feels. And HOW did a middle-years book get me to care about cricket?! I mean, I still don't understand it really, but I CARE now. ("You made me care more!")
"Make good decisions and remember who you are" might very well become my tiding to my eventual kids. Powerful.
(Minor complaint: tf is "half-percent" milk? Is that a weird New York-ism? It took me a hot minute at the start of the book to figure out the setting, what with all the references to Australia + that weird name for milk.)
"Make good decisions and remember who you are" might very well become my tiding to my eventual kids. Powerful.
(Minor complaint: tf is "half-percent" milk? Is that a weird New York-ism? It took me a hot minute at the start of the book to figure out the setting, what with all the references to Australia + that weird name for milk.)
Reread (actually re-listen) with my 13 year old. This book is sneaky good. You think you’re in for a lighter read, but nope, while it is less wordy than Wednesday Wars or Okay For Now, this one also contains big life issues. But true to himself, Gary D. Schmidt weaves love, humor, and redemption throughout, and the fact that it’s all wrapped up in one giant cricket (the game, not the insect) metaphor makes it even more lovable. Also, how fun for American kids to imagine an English butler coming over to save the day! My only gripe is that the audiobook narrator botched the pronunciation of Swieteck, which would make it difficult for listeners to pick up on the Easter eggs that Mr. Schmidt so lovingly dropped for his devoted readers (er, listeners).
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
This book dealt with some heavy topics but instead of the focus being on that I had to read all about how to play cricket. And why was a 12 year old driving the car???
This book is awesome! It could really hit home with kids who have lost siblings and who come from families where a parent has left the family.
Many thanks to Miss Angie, who buys the juvenile books for our library system, for recommending this book. If you ever get a request for a fiction book about cricket, this is it! I enjoyed the light humor throughout, it's been a while since I read a book from the perspective of a 14-year old boy.
The book also deals with grief, although it's only from the perspective of Carter and his parents. I enjoyed the bits about cricket, and I have Downton Abbey to thank for my limited prior experience on the subject. Also, I started the book with Carson's voice and image in my head for the butler, but that got a bit ridiculous so I switched to Mr. Belvedere.
The book also deals with grief, although it's only from the perspective of Carter and his parents. I enjoyed the bits about cricket, and I have Downton Abbey to thank for my limited prior experience on the subject. Also, I started the book with Carson's voice and image in my head for the butler, but that got a bit ridiculous so I switched to Mr. Belvedere.
Superbly written modern-day Mary Poppins story that explores grief, family, forgiveness and cricket.
3.5 stars, and it kills me to give a Gary D. Schmidt book this rating because there was such a fantastic story interwoven between all of the cricket stuff. But the cricket parts of the book dominated too much and were too confusing to follow for a non-cricket player/fan, even with all of the explanations given. Still worth a read though.