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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
Overall I like this and think it's cute. I'd probably recommend it to a middle grade reader, but by the end I don't think it fully manages to express the ideas it's trying to.
Just an all around fun, feel-good book. As an adult, I do feel like Paulie Fink is a bit of a Greg Pikitis to the poor principal, but it's hard not to enjoy a book about a good prankster. And the outcome of the "reality show" was soooo satisfying! I laughed loudly and broadly.
4.5 stars
WOW. I really enjoyed this sucker. Which is very gratifying, because I feel like lately, I have truly loved a lot of new middle-grade books; they've all just been fine, or meh, or OH DEAR LORD NO. (And I know that just because *I* don't love a middle grade book doesn't make it crap because I'm not the target audience...but still.)
Caitlyn Breen has moved with her mother from New York to Vermont, to a very rural community and a small school. Her ten fellow classmates (that's right, only 11 kids in her 7th grade class!) are devastated to discover on the first day of school that THE Paulie Fink is not returning to their school this year. Caitlyn has no idea who this Paulie Fink kid is or what makes him so special, but she hears lots of stories from both her classmates and teachers about this legendary kid. It is decided that what Mitchell School needs is a new Paulie Fink, so a reality show-style competition is held to search for the Next Great Paulie Fink...and as an impartial newcomer, Caitlyn is deemed the best person to run the competition.
Even though the main character (and her classmates) are 7th graders, this is a book I would absolutely feel comfortable having in my elementary school library--particularly because the school in the story is a K-7 elementary school. Nothing inappropriate for elementary-aged kiddos, in my opinion (there's one swear word--the phrase "all hell breaks loose" is used, but that's about as "mature" as it gets). And what doesn't this book have? There's crazy stories, there's goats, there's kids tossing out Shakespearean insults at each other...!
This was a fun read--I had a hard time putting it down. I wish I could talk about it in person with my students now (I will as soon as I possibly can and in the meantime, I can do a video review). With the state of the world being what it is, this was a nice little escape, and I can't wait to get this book for my school library and, subsequently, put it in someone's hands.
WOW. I really enjoyed this sucker. Which is very gratifying, because I feel like lately, I have truly loved a lot of new middle-grade books; they've all just been fine, or meh, or OH DEAR LORD NO. (And I know that just because *I* don't love a middle grade book doesn't make it crap because I'm not the target audience...but still.)
Caitlyn Breen has moved with her mother from New York to Vermont, to a very rural community and a small school. Her ten fellow classmates (that's right, only 11 kids in her 7th grade class!) are devastated to discover on the first day of school that THE Paulie Fink is not returning to their school this year. Caitlyn has no idea who this Paulie Fink kid is or what makes him so special, but she hears lots of stories from both her classmates and teachers about this legendary kid. It is decided that what Mitchell School needs is a new Paulie Fink, so a reality show-style competition is held to search for the Next Great Paulie Fink...and as an impartial newcomer, Caitlyn is deemed the best person to run the competition.
Even though the main character (and her classmates) are 7th graders, this is a book I would absolutely feel comfortable having in my elementary school library--particularly because the school in the story is a K-7 elementary school. Nothing inappropriate for elementary-aged kiddos, in my opinion (there's one swear word--the phrase "all hell breaks loose" is used, but that's about as "mature" as it gets). And what doesn't this book have? There's crazy stories, there's goats, there's kids tossing out Shakespearean insults at each other...!
This was a fun read--I had a hard time putting it down. I wish I could talk about it in person with my students now (I will as soon as I possibly can and in the meantime, I can do a video review). With the state of the world being what it is, this was a nice little escape, and I can't wait to get this book for my school library and, subsequently, put it in someone's hands.
Slow going in the beginning for me, but the end was sweet.
This book snuck up on me. I went in not expecting much and was gobsmacked by how profound it ended up being.
Let me first just say: I ADORED THIS BOOK — it was such a unique tale and incredibly heart-felt at points. In short: Caitlyn Breen is new to Mitchell, Vermont and is starting her first day on seventh grade at Mitchell School. One of the first things she learns upon entering the school is that Paulie Fink is missing. Fink was a long-term legendary student in the same class and, without warning, he just didn’t show up to school this year.
Told with interspersed interviews from different viewpoints, we come to know each character very personally. I also appreciated how Benjamin wove history lessons (for example: Ancient Greece and scapegoats), literature discussions (for example: Shakespeare poking fun at people), and science topics (ecosystems) into the story, showcasing how these topics were quite relevant to modern life and relationships. Ultimately, the reader learns a valuable lesson about how limited our perceptions are when we look at others. Oh my goodness, while there are some more somber moments, I seriously laughed in this one. I mean, EVERY student has their own dance, statues are erected, and there are GOATS at this school! The depth of this story took me by surprise and I truly hope it will find a home in many school and public libraries, this year!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
Told with interspersed interviews from different viewpoints, we come to know each character very personally. I also appreciated how Benjamin wove history lessons (for example: Ancient Greece and scapegoats), literature discussions (for example: Shakespeare poking fun at people), and science topics (ecosystems) into the story, showcasing how these topics were quite relevant to modern life and relationships. Ultimately, the reader learns a valuable lesson about how limited our perceptions are when we look at others. Oh my goodness, while there are some more somber moments, I seriously laughed in this one. I mean, EVERY student has their own dance, statues are erected, and there are GOATS at this school! The depth of this story took me by surprise and I truly hope it will find a home in many school and public libraries, this year!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
How can I describe my love for this book? I laughed out loud so many times reading Paulie Fink. The characters are incredibly funny and heart-warming. Ali Benjamin does a wonderful job using Greek philosophy to inform the plot. The moral of the story (that people experience situations differently, and they can all be valid) wasn't preachy at all and felt sincere and convicting.
It takes a while to really get into this story of Caitlyn, who has started the year at a new very quirky school, the same year that Paulie Fink left. Paulie Fink is legendary and he left without saying a word to anyone, which only makes his mythical status rise. We see all this from Caitlyn's perspective, as she tries to figure out what it's like to be in a school where her class is only 12 kids who have all been together for years. Turns out, having that small a group changes the dynamics. You can't have the cool kids versus the nerds because you don't have enough kids.
Instead, they wind up having a reality competition to find the "next great Paulie Fink," which Caitlyn runs since she didn't know him. That part leads to lots of interesting interviews and deep dives into everyone's back story which is very interesting. Most of the kids get to have some sort of depth, and there's a nice twist at the end. It's definitely a great book to read with a class in middle school to discuss some of those really hard things you have to deal with at that age.
Instead, they wind up having a reality competition to find the "next great Paulie Fink," which Caitlyn runs since she didn't know him. That part leads to lots of interesting interviews and deep dives into everyone's back story which is very interesting. Most of the kids get to have some sort of depth, and there's a nice twist at the end. It's definitely a great book to read with a class in middle school to discuss some of those really hard things you have to deal with at that age.
I listened to this on audio with my 11 year old son. It is such a fun book that also has some depth to it. Perfect for middle grade.