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goodem9199's review against another edition
4.0
Judith Ivey narrates this audio and I HIGHLY recommend it! She is amazing. Story of a young girl who finds out that her family has been hiding an autistic-savant uncle for 20 some years. They become friends...joy and heartbreak ensue. I found the end of this book and it's tie in to the title to be unforgettable!
book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
Book on CD performed by Judith Ivey
This is a wonderful Newbery Honor book written for middle-school-aged children. Set in about 1960, it focuses on Hattie Owens and her family. Hattie loves the small town in which she lives with her parents in the boarding house they run. It’s an insular world but Hattie knows every corner of it, and she enjoys her friends and neighbors. Her experience, however, is far different from that of her grandparents, who also live nearby, but who are quite wealthy. And then, the summer she turns twelve, an uncle she had never heard of appears. Adam has been living “at school” (really a residential institution for the mentally disabled), but the school has closed so he has come home while his parents search for other accommodations for him. Hattie relates the events of the summer of Adam in this story.
There are some serious issues dealt with in this novel, but Martin handles them deftly, honestly and with compassion. Hattie is a bright girl, curious and resourceful, polite and obedient. She is entranced with Adam who is more like a large child than an adult man. He is effusive and enthusiastic about everything. He’s also impulsive and prone to having a meltdown when under stress.
As Hattie pieces together the truth about her uncle she comes to understand a bit about what it means to grow up and the different ways in which people react to the unexpected. She learns that it is better to “lift the corners” and peek at what is hidden rather than try to forget about what is unpleasant or uncomfortable. She learns, too, that being different does not make you a lesser person.
Judith Ivey does a marvelous job of performing the audiobook. She is a gifted actress, and I particularly liked the way she interpreted Adam’s effusive speech patterns.
This is a wonderful Newbery Honor book written for middle-school-aged children. Set in about 1960, it focuses on Hattie Owens and her family. Hattie loves the small town in which she lives with her parents in the boarding house they run. It’s an insular world but Hattie knows every corner of it, and she enjoys her friends and neighbors. Her experience, however, is far different from that of her grandparents, who also live nearby, but who are quite wealthy. And then, the summer she turns twelve, an uncle she had never heard of appears. Adam has been living “at school” (really a residential institution for the mentally disabled), but the school has closed so he has come home while his parents search for other accommodations for him. Hattie relates the events of the summer of Adam in this story.
There are some serious issues dealt with in this novel, but Martin handles them deftly, honestly and with compassion. Hattie is a bright girl, curious and resourceful, polite and obedient. She is entranced with Adam who is more like a large child than an adult man. He is effusive and enthusiastic about everything. He’s also impulsive and prone to having a meltdown when under stress.
As Hattie pieces together the truth about her uncle she comes to understand a bit about what it means to grow up and the different ways in which people react to the unexpected. She learns that it is better to “lift the corners” and peek at what is hidden rather than try to forget about what is unpleasant or uncomfortable. She learns, too, that being different does not make you a lesser person.
Judith Ivey does a marvelous job of performing the audiobook. She is a gifted actress, and I particularly liked the way she interpreted Adam’s effusive speech patterns.
roseleaf24's review against another edition
4.0
While we still have so far to go with compassion for neurodivergence, it is amazing to see how far we have come in the last fifty years. This was a powerful book. I enjoyed it just as a story with strong characters and an engaging plot, but I hope that modern readers could find ways to better how they interact with those who are different.
ashleysmith9's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mary00's review against another edition
3.0
3 1/2 stars. This short Newbery Honor book was engaging and well-written, but I ultimately felt that it was lacking just a little "something" for me to give it 4 stars. I didn't feel the emotions of the culminating event quite as much as I should have. I didn't get to know some of the characters quite as much as I would have liked to. Having said that, it was worth reading and kept me hooked until the end.
hpacala's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Touching story of accepting others and their quirks
jenniferreads2's review against another edition
3.0
Yikes I wish I had known this had suicide before I read it. Otherwise I never would've read it since suicide is a trigger for me. The story involves Hattie and her mentally ill uncle who commits suicide at the end. While it's a well written story it hits far too close to home for me. I lost my mentally ill brother to suicide so this book just opened some old wounds. Good read if you haven't experienced suicide but really wish there had been some warning before I read it
vll295's review against another edition
I first heard about this book from my blogging friend Melissa. She suggested it because she knows that I am a big fan of Ann M. Martin! I really liked this book because it was very different than the typical books I have read from her. This book has to do with mental illness and how you make sense of that. In this case, it is from a character who has never met her Uncle before. I enjoyed the book very much.