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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
After Benny's mother leaves small town Dennis Acres, MO after an argument with Benny's father over his hoarding problem Benny is left to take care of himself and his father. He takes on more responsibilities than a typical 12 year old should have to shoulder such as paying the phone bill and making sure he has clean clothes to wear for school.
When he isn't stressing out over the growing pile of junk and garbage taking over his living space, he helps Myron, his dad's best friend, run a local radio station. When Tina Turnipson wins a contest honoring small towns she spreads the news via the radio and stresses the importance of a town cleanup. In an effort to help Benny, the town residents scheme to get his dad out of the house and clean up the mess in his absence. What no one could predict is a devastating tornado that changes everything .
In the aftermath of the storm, the residents of Dennis Acres band together to help each other and miraculously end up the benefactors of a brand new dream town courtesy of the U.S Chamber of Commerce.
Realistic and moving, this is a story about a kid stuck in a difficult situation who can't count on his parents to behave like the grown ups they are supposed to be. The description of Benny's father's hoarding problem is vivid and terrifying. The ending is tied up pretty neatly, and moves a little quickly, especially when Benny is reflecting back on the story and updating readers about things he will accomplish in his adult life, but overall this book is incredible.
The small town and the full cast of characters reminded me of Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos, especially because the radio station features as prominently into the story as the obituaries in Gantos' book.
One of the best kids fiction books I've come across in a while. I'd recommend this book for grades 4-6.
When he isn't stressing out over the growing pile of junk and garbage taking over his living space, he helps Myron, his dad's best friend, run a local radio station. When Tina Turnipson wins a contest honoring small towns she spreads the news via the radio and stresses the importance of a town cleanup. In an effort to help Benny, the town residents scheme to get his dad out of the house and clean up the mess in his absence. What no one could predict is a devastating tornado that changes everything .
In the aftermath of the storm, the residents of Dennis Acres band together to help each other and miraculously end up the benefactors of a brand new dream town courtesy of the U.S Chamber of Commerce.
Realistic and moving, this is a story about a kid stuck in a difficult situation who can't count on his parents to behave like the grown ups they are supposed to be. The description of Benny's father's hoarding problem is vivid and terrifying. The ending is tied up pretty neatly, and moves a little quickly, especially when Benny is reflecting back on the story and updating readers about things he will accomplish in his adult life, but overall this book is incredible.
The small town and the full cast of characters reminded me of Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos, especially because the radio station features as prominently into the story as the obituaries in Gantos' book.
One of the best kids fiction books I've come across in a while. I'd recommend this book for grades 4-6.
emotional
hopeful
This book was crazy. The crazy hoarder dad wasn't even the craziest thing about it (but definitely the most disgusting--the descriptions of the house and his lack of hygiene was gag-inducing.) I could see where the author was going with all of this but it had a weird ending with everyone living happily-ever-after that was just too much for me. Personally, if I was a judge I would have yanked that kid away from that rat-infested, pizza-box-collecting, crazy dad who was more worried about all his broken crap than his kid in a second. I love quirky small towns with quirky small town folk so it was enjoyable enough to read.
Benny's mom has left causing his dad to become more of a hoarder and even more distant. Teased at school, Benny turns to a friend of his father looking for help. With the help of his friends, Benny comes up with different plans and is not the kind of kid to give up when something doesn't go as planned. With an unforeseen twist (pun intended, but you will have to read the book to understand), Benny's life is turned around and good things happen for him, his family and his town.
Parts of this were difficult to read. I had so many questions about why no one stepped in to get Benny's father help-and I had to keep reminding myself that the setting was in the 70s and a rural town. I would love to read a sequel to see how the town adjusted.
"Benny's parents are splitting up. His mom leaves home after a fight about a mysterious splinter that is rumored to be part of an important relic. Benny's dad has always liked clutter, but now, he begins hoarding everything from pizza boxes to old motorcycle parts. As his house grows more cluttered and his father grows more distant, Benny tries to sort out whether he can change anything at all. Meanwhile, a local teacher enters their quiet Missouri town in America's Most Charming Small Town contest, and the pressure is on to clean up the area, especially Benny's ramshackle of a house, before the out-of-town guests arrive."
"Benny's parents are splitting up. His mom leaves home after a fight about a mysterious splinter that is rumored to be part of an important relic. Benny's dad has always liked clutter, but now, he begins hoarding everything from pizza boxes to old motorcycle parts. As his house grows more cluttered and his father grows more distant, Benny tries to sort out whether he can change anything at all. Meanwhile, a local teacher enters their quiet Missouri town in America's Most Charming Small Town contest, and the pressure is on to clean up the area, especially Benny's ramshackle of a house, before the out-of-town guests arrive."
Cleverly written story about a boy and his hoarder dad, but the plot's lack of momentum didn't hold my interest.
Kate Klise couldn't be bad at writing books if she tried. Review here: http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/homesick
This is good. Not "Grounded" good, but good.
Klise has way of writing that can make you feel like you are there in the story. Her depiction of the tornado hitting the town was so vivid, I did feel like I was there.
However, I have some quibbles, most likely the quibbles of an adult reader and not her intended audience.
1. It takes place in 1983. If they didn't tell you that, other than the constant conversations about computers and the coming of a worldwide computer network, it could have been any time.
2. Benny's mom takes off and leaves him with a potentially unstable hoarder, and she's hailed as the good parent. Her son has no food and no phone and lives in squalor.
3. The ending is almost a little too happy--especially since they get what they want through a deception.
Kids will love this, I did, too, despite my quibbles.
Klise has way of writing that can make you feel like you are there in the story. Her depiction of the tornado hitting the town was so vivid, I did feel like I was there.
However, I have some quibbles, most likely the quibbles of an adult reader and not her intended audience.
1. It takes place in 1983. If they didn't tell you that, other than the constant conversations about computers and the coming of a worldwide computer network, it could have been any time.
2. Benny's mom takes off and leaves him with a potentially unstable hoarder, and she's hailed as the good parent. Her son has no food and no phone and lives in squalor.
3. The ending is almost a little too happy--especially since they get what they want through a deception.
Kids will love this, I did, too, despite my quibbles.
Benny Summer is having a rough time – his mom walked out on his dad and will come back when his dad agrees to throw one thing out or “when pigs fly.” As his dad is a pack rat who only seems to have gotten worse recently, it doesn’t seem likely.
The sixth grader lives in a tiny town. When a local teacher with aspirations of writing enters a creative writing contest which could result in the town being wired for computers (it is 1983), something will have to be done.
Benny decides that cleaning up might qualify as his sixth grade community service and his teacher agrees, but Benny’s dad has gotten so bad that he won’t even throw away old pizza boxes and has taken to visiting area dumps to bring back more “finds.”
Something has to be done before the vermin take over, but Benny is just not sure how to go about it.
Well told story with lots of interesting characters. Totally believable about Dad’s growing obsession. For fourth grade and up.
The sixth grader lives in a tiny town. When a local teacher with aspirations of writing enters a creative writing contest which could result in the town being wired for computers (it is 1983), something will have to be done.
Benny decides that cleaning up might qualify as his sixth grade community service and his teacher agrees, but Benny’s dad has gotten so bad that he won’t even throw away old pizza boxes and has taken to visiting area dumps to bring back more “finds.”
Something has to be done before the vermin take over, but Benny is just not sure how to go about it.
Well told story with lots of interesting characters. Totally believable about Dad’s growing obsession. For fourth grade and up.
When pigs fly... not an impossibility, but certainly when just about anything could happen. And it does. I like this town's characters, the foreshadowing of today's technology, and the thought that the US Most Charming Small Town could be made from the splinters of life.