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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An old-mansion-turned-school, decrepit statues on the soccer field, goats as a science project, a girl who wears a blazer every day, Greek gods, sacrifices to a purple-shirted scarecrow, a whole hoard of Shakespearean insults—
Strong character development, noteworthy themes, raw emotion, delicious humor, falling and then flying—
This book is so much more than I expected. I love it.
Strong character development, noteworthy themes, raw emotion, delicious humor, falling and then flying—
This book is so much more than I expected. I love it.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
This was such a fun take on a fictional “oral history” in a unique middle grade tale. A great cast on the audiobook.
Loved this interview-multiple narratives story about Caitlyn, who moves to a hippie school in VT. The kids come to life as they navigate seventh grade and hold a reality TV show-like contest to discover who is the next Paulie Fink (or chaos agent). Fun, compelling, and beautifully written.
A slight departure from TTAJ, with characters that were slightly more relatable. I loved the camaraderie among the kids and how they worked things out in imperfect ways. And, how their relationships were complicated without being stereotypical. Also, it was funny.
This reminds me of a reverse Stargirl. The "normal" girl goes the the school where everyone can act like they want without any unwritten rules. Add a touch of reality tv and some tough topics, and you have The Next Great Paulie Fink.
This book would be best read with support to kids due to the topics discussed. There's a lot to unpack (maybe too much) so it could be easy for a kid to miss out on something important.
This book would be best read with support to kids due to the topics discussed. There's a lot to unpack (maybe too much) so it could be easy for a kid to miss out on something important.
A sweet middle grades story grounded in humor to explore the heavier topics of fitting in and figuring out.
The Next Great Paulie Fink is a confusing story. Our main character is Caitlyn, who, having moved with her mother from upstate New York to Mitchell, Vermont, is starting 7th Grade at a small rural school. The school is located in an old mansion--instead of a typical school building. All grades are housed in the same building since it's such a small town. There are only 10 other students in Caitlyn's entire 7th grade class. On the first day of school the other students discover that not only do they have a NEW student (Caitlyn), one of their classmates (Paulie Fink) has NOT returned this year. No one knows why. Her classmates regale Caitlyn with stories about Paulie and his antics in the classroom and somehow the students decide it would be a good idea to hold a reality TV-like contest to choose the "Next Great Paulie Fink." Inexplicably, they choose Caitlyn to be in charge of the competition. She proceeds to set "challenges" for the class in which they must display specific aspects of Paulie's personality, with one student being eliminated after each challenge.
Sound weird? It is. The story is confusing and so is the structure of the book. The story is told through a mishmash of voices, sometimes Caitlyn in the present, sometimes various students in the class through a supposed 'interview' Caitlyn conducted after the completion of their competition, and sometimes through emails from teachers or the Principal.
This book frustrates me for a number of reasons: (1) I almost chucked it in the Didn't Finish pile because the story is organized so poorly and I couldn't get a handle on any of the characters OR the actual plot for about the first 100 pages; (2) all the kids' voices sound very similar so it's hard to know who's talking unless you pay attention the structure of the page, or the font of the words; (3) The premise is patently ridiculous--the idea that in a town so small (852 people) that there are only 11 students in the 7th Grade (the highest grade in the school so far) the kids would NOT know that Paulie--and presumably his family--has left over the summer is laughable; and (4) Caitlyn's story has so much potential when she starts speaking a little more about her behavior in her previous middle school that it irritates me it was not fleshed out and made the focal point of the book.
We find out more about Caitlyn after slogging through the first 100 pages. We discover that when she started middle school last year she found herself in unfamiliar territory. She looked for a way to navigate the social situation that develops in that environment. She determined that the best way to do so was to belong to a group. This meant that she was consistently cruel to one specific girl (Anna) in order to ally herself with a larger group to avoid being in Anna's social position. At the Mitchell School Caitlyn begins to consider her behavior toward Anna in a different light. The reader has access to the insecurity and abject fear that often motivates the hurtful, bullying behavior of individuals.
This story is one with which many middle school readers can identify: yes, I have ugly thoughts sometimes but I can choose how I behave toward other people. Unfortunately, this story is left in bits and pieces around the ridiculous Paulie Fink contest.
Don't get me wrong, the Paulie Fink story could absolutely work on its own as a light, fun, silly story. But Caitlyn's story and the Paulie Fink story just don't go together. The author never succeeds in weaving all the disparate elements of the book into any kind of cohesive narrative. Sadly, The Next Great Paulie Fink is a confusing--and consequently irritating--jumble of ideas and images that never really organize themselves into the kind of story I expect from Ali Benjamin. I will not be recommending this one to readers of any age.
Sound weird? It is. The story is confusing and so is the structure of the book. The story is told through a mishmash of voices, sometimes Caitlyn in the present, sometimes various students in the class through a supposed 'interview' Caitlyn conducted after the completion of their competition, and sometimes through emails from teachers or the Principal.
This book frustrates me for a number of reasons: (1) I almost chucked it in the Didn't Finish pile because the story is organized so poorly and I couldn't get a handle on any of the characters OR the actual plot for about the first 100 pages; (2) all the kids' voices sound very similar so it's hard to know who's talking unless you pay attention the structure of the page, or the font of the words; (3) The premise is patently ridiculous--the idea that in a town so small (852 people) that there are only 11 students in the 7th Grade (the highest grade in the school so far) the kids would NOT know that Paulie--and presumably his family--has left over the summer is laughable; and (4) Caitlyn's story has so much potential when she starts speaking a little more about her behavior in her previous middle school that it irritates me it was not fleshed out and made the focal point of the book.
We find out more about Caitlyn after slogging through the first 100 pages. We discover that when she started middle school last year she found herself in unfamiliar territory. She looked for a way to navigate the social situation that develops in that environment. She determined that the best way to do so was to belong to a group. This meant that she was consistently cruel to one specific girl (Anna) in order to ally herself with a larger group to avoid being in Anna's social position. At the Mitchell School Caitlyn begins to consider her behavior toward Anna in a different light. The reader has access to the insecurity and abject fear that often motivates the hurtful, bullying behavior of individuals.
I watched the way she turned her locker dial slowly, hoping no one would notice that she didn't have anyone to talk to. Everything she did wrong reassured me. I mean, maybe I didn't know how to be...but at least I knew more than Anna did.
I guess I wanted her to know that, too. Because I started doing things. Maybe I'd get my friends to stare at her. ...We'd keep our eyes on her until she looked up. Then we'd laugh. Not because she was doing anything funny, but because we wanted her to know she was someone people laughed at.
This story is one with which many middle school readers can identify: yes, I have ugly thoughts sometimes but I can choose how I behave toward other people. Unfortunately, this story is left in bits and pieces around the ridiculous Paulie Fink contest.
Don't get me wrong, the Paulie Fink story could absolutely work on its own as a light, fun, silly story. But Caitlyn's story and the Paulie Fink story just don't go together. The author never succeeds in weaving all the disparate elements of the book into any kind of cohesive narrative. Sadly, The Next Great Paulie Fink is a confusing--and consequently irritating--jumble of ideas and images that never really organize themselves into the kind of story I expect from Ali Benjamin. I will not be recommending this one to readers of any age.
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Happy pub day to The Next Great Paulie Fink! Thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada who provided me with a free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I loved Ali Benjamin's debut novel, [b:The Thing About Jellyfish|24396876|The Thing About Jellyfish|Ali Benjamin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1439121354s/24396876.jpg|43981451], and she hasn't published anything new in several years, so I was thrilled when I saw she was publishing a second novel! Both of Benjamin's books are middle grade and I'll admit, when I read the plot synopsis for Paulie Fink, it didn't appeal to me quite as much as her first book because it sounded more juvenille. But don't let that deter you from reading this one because I ended up really liking it!
The Next Great Paulie Fink is about 7th grader, Caitlyn Breen, who is a new student at Mitchell School. Caitlyn's mom got a new job and moved them both to rural Vermont from New York, a decision that was not very popular with Caitlyn. Her new school seems totally backwards from her old school and doesn't seem to follow any of the social "rules" she learned in New York. The kids in her new class all seem eccentric to Caitlyn and they are caught up in the disappearance of one of their former classmates, Paulie Fink.
Paulie was the class clown and beloved by his classmates. But he doesn't return for 7th grade and no one knows what happened to him. He leaves a void behind that the kids want to fill with a new Paulie, so they decide to have a reality show competition to find the Next Great Paulie Fink. Caitlyn's struggles to get on board with the competition since she never knew Paulie, but her classmates convince her to judge the competition and suddenly she's thrust into a totally new world that scares her, but challenges her.
Granted, it's been a few years since I read The Thing about Jellyfish, but this book had quite a different tone from that book. It's a lot funnier and it has a large cast of characters to carry the story. It's overwhelming at first trying to keep track of Caitlyn's classmates, but eventually they all start to develop personalities of their own, and while Caitlyn is always our central character, I really loved some of her classmates as well.
Like I said, I initially wondered if I would glean much from this book as an adult reader, or if it really was tailored for kids. But I ended up really liking it and even though the themes were younger, I still thought the author did a great job at making this a well rounded story that could be enjoyed at any age. I particularly liked how she approached bullying in this book. Moving to a new school and finding it absent of the social structure that was in her last school, Caitlyn starts reflecting on some of the interactions she had with her former classmates and how some of her actions may have been hurtful. Because her class is so small (a dozen students), and because they are so rural, her classmates are all very supportive of one another and Caitlyn initially struggles with that. She protected herself in her old school by growing a hard shell and disconnecting her emotions from those around her, and in her new school, she struggles to let herself be vulnerable and that hard shell actually creates a barrier with her new classmates.
I also really liked the author's exploration of legends and kleos (glory). Paulie was a legend at Mitchell and in their search for the next Paulie, the students learn about kleos and what makes someone memorable or a legend. The catch is, kleos can make us forget things too. When we glorify someone, it's easy to forget the things that made them human or the things that annoyed you about them. We later discover that Paulie was really just as human as the rest of the students, but because of the reputation he developed at Mitchell, the students started over-hyping who he was and to an extent, lost sight of the real Paulie and failed to notice the unique things that they have to offer in their quest to be more like Paulie.
I liked a lot of the secondary characters, but (no surprise I'm sure) Fiona was definitely my favourite. Fiona wears a power suit to school every single day because she wants to one day be a powerful woman. She's not great at school and struggles to pay attention in class. But she is buoyed by her belief that "well-behaved women seldom make history". All of the students at Mitchell had so much spunk and I loved watching a group of kids be so great at supporting one another. Was it realistic? I'm not really sure. But I think that was kind of the point. Mitchell school was doing something right - it didn't seem like a place should exist like this, but somehow it did. When you find something special like that, it's worth protecting, even if it challenges your worldview.
Mostly though, this book was just a lot of fun. There's lots to make you laugh and lots to make you think. I think Caitlyn's classmates are right in that sweet spot where they're still children, but are about to become teenagers. Caitlyn was pushed to mature a little earlier growing up in New York, which is why she has hardened herself against the world. But these students are still idealistic and not yet jaded about the world. Overall, I loved the balance of humour and life lessons about growing up.
I loved Ali Benjamin's debut novel, [b:The Thing About Jellyfish|24396876|The Thing About Jellyfish|Ali Benjamin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1439121354s/24396876.jpg|43981451], and she hasn't published anything new in several years, so I was thrilled when I saw she was publishing a second novel! Both of Benjamin's books are middle grade and I'll admit, when I read the plot synopsis for Paulie Fink, it didn't appeal to me quite as much as her first book because it sounded more juvenille. But don't let that deter you from reading this one because I ended up really liking it!
The Next Great Paulie Fink is about 7th grader, Caitlyn Breen, who is a new student at Mitchell School. Caitlyn's mom got a new job and moved them both to rural Vermont from New York, a decision that was not very popular with Caitlyn. Her new school seems totally backwards from her old school and doesn't seem to follow any of the social "rules" she learned in New York. The kids in her new class all seem eccentric to Caitlyn and they are caught up in the disappearance of one of their former classmates, Paulie Fink.
Paulie was the class clown and beloved by his classmates. But he doesn't return for 7th grade and no one knows what happened to him. He leaves a void behind that the kids want to fill with a new Paulie, so they decide to have a reality show competition to find the Next Great Paulie Fink. Caitlyn's struggles to get on board with the competition since she never knew Paulie, but her classmates convince her to judge the competition and suddenly she's thrust into a totally new world that scares her, but challenges her.
Granted, it's been a few years since I read The Thing about Jellyfish, but this book had quite a different tone from that book. It's a lot funnier and it has a large cast of characters to carry the story. It's overwhelming at first trying to keep track of Caitlyn's classmates, but eventually they all start to develop personalities of their own, and while Caitlyn is always our central character, I really loved some of her classmates as well.
Like I said, I initially wondered if I would glean much from this book as an adult reader, or if it really was tailored for kids. But I ended up really liking it and even though the themes were younger, I still thought the author did a great job at making this a well rounded story that could be enjoyed at any age. I particularly liked how she approached bullying in this book. Moving to a new school and finding it absent of the social structure that was in her last school, Caitlyn starts reflecting on some of the interactions she had with her former classmates and how some of her actions may have been hurtful. Because her class is so small (a dozen students), and because they are so rural, her classmates are all very supportive of one another and Caitlyn initially struggles with that. She protected herself in her old school by growing a hard shell and disconnecting her emotions from those around her, and in her new school, she struggles to let herself be vulnerable and that hard shell actually creates a barrier with her new classmates.
I also really liked the author's exploration of legends and kleos (glory). Paulie was a legend at Mitchell and in their search for the next Paulie, the students learn about kleos and what makes someone memorable or a legend. The catch is, kleos can make us forget things too. When we glorify someone, it's easy to forget the things that made them human or the things that annoyed you about them. We later discover that Paulie was really just as human as the rest of the students, but because of the reputation he developed at Mitchell, the students started over-hyping who he was and to an extent, lost sight of the real Paulie and failed to notice the unique things that they have to offer in their quest to be more like Paulie.
I liked a lot of the secondary characters, but (no surprise I'm sure) Fiona was definitely my favourite. Fiona wears a power suit to school every single day because she wants to one day be a powerful woman. She's not great at school and struggles to pay attention in class. But she is buoyed by her belief that "well-behaved women seldom make history". All of the students at Mitchell had so much spunk and I loved watching a group of kids be so great at supporting one another. Was it realistic? I'm not really sure. But I think that was kind of the point. Mitchell school was doing something right - it didn't seem like a place should exist like this, but somehow it did. When you find something special like that, it's worth protecting, even if it challenges your worldview.
Mostly though, this book was just a lot of fun. There's lots to make you laugh and lots to make you think. I think Caitlyn's classmates are right in that sweet spot where they're still children, but are about to become teenagers. Caitlyn was pushed to mature a little earlier growing up in New York, which is why she has hardened herself against the world. But these students are still idealistic and not yet jaded about the world. Overall, I loved the balance of humour and life lessons about growing up.
I enjoyed this a lot, but I went to a weird little school like Mitchell, so I identify strongly with the Originals and their shenanigans. I thought the mixture of formats was very effective, and I think the new girl point of view was an excellent choice. An unusual story, hard to put down. Also, goats! And lots of legendary school hijinks. Goofy and fun.