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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Great book about using resources and that conspiracies are "fun" but taken too far can affect our judgment. Put in a way for middle schoolers to understand. Best character: Londyn
Only criticism: Mack is described as smart, understanding, kind, likeable, direct & thoughtful especially by the MC, Eleanor. Not once I don't think did he say his best friend (Eleanor) wasn't getting replaced. He just joked around to make her feel better. I get he is in 7th grade but he extends thoughtfulness to everyone throughout the book but doesn't extend that to Eleanor in direct language. Maybe I'm looking too deeply.
Best recommendation by Heidi so far.
Only criticism: Mack is described as smart, understanding, kind, likeable, direct & thoughtful especially by the MC, Eleanor. Not once I don't think did he say his best friend (Eleanor) wasn't getting replaced. He just joked around to make her feel better. I get he is in 7th grade but he extends thoughtfulness to everyone throughout the book but doesn't extend that to Eleanor in direct language. Maybe I'm looking too deeply.
Best recommendation by Heidi so far.
The calamity of it all seems to encompass the middle schoolers' year. I enjoyed the idea of Grandpa Joe and his prepper mentality. Some part of the story fell short for me, and I don't know if it's the fact that I predicted the ending or if it was the naivety of the kids. I just was never fully engaged with the plot or characters. 85
McAnulty is a stellar writer, and I enjoyed this novel in many ways, but the heart of the book felt wrong to me. Kids are already so often not believed, told they're overreacting, and denied any sort of meaningful power. The best middle grade fiction counteracts that - shows kids having or gaining agency, shows them being right about things even when grownups dismiss them. This book does the opposite of that. It shows Eleanor being wrong and naive and misguided and gullible, more and more as the book goes on, and everyone around her (including the reader) either knowing it from the start or realizing it eventually, and pitying her for it. I felt, worst of all, like the author pitied her too. That made my heart hurt. It's especially unfortunate given that kids reading this book are staring down multiple "TEOTWAWKI" global crises within their lifetimes. So to have a whole book that treats the fear of that as sad and pitiable and actually secretly just about a best friend leaving town... it felt really tone deaf.
Eleanor is freaking out. Her Grandpa Joe is driving her nuts with his mandatory doomsday prep drills. With the exception of her best friend, Mack, everyone at school hates her. Mack is probably abandoning Eleanor to go away next year to an awesome school for the blind. And now, a website that Eleanor has found is claiming that an asteroid is going to hit Earth in April. Can she make everyone believe her before the asteroid hits?
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
Even though this book is about an impending apocalypse, it's upbeat, funny, and entertaining. And, really, it's not about the end of the world at all. It's about friendship—finding friends, losing friends, and the fear of being alone, with no friends. Everyone, especially middle schoolers in the throes of the friend-drama years, can relate to some aspect of this novel. That's what makes it so engaging. Add in likable characters, a trendy prepper plot, and vivid storytelling and THE WORLD ENDS IN APRIL is a winner all around. I loved it.
I'm drawn to the themes in Stacy McAnulty's The World Ends in April. Who can Eleanor believe? Friendship is hard. Families are harder. And middle school is scarier than an asteroid.
This book had me laughing out loud! Eleanor and her friends bond over the end of the world, but should they trust everything they read on the internet?
A fun read with excellent lessons with resources to facilitate discussions about preparedness and finding honest sources on the internet.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
A fun read with excellent lessons with resources to facilitate discussions about preparedness and finding honest sources on the internet.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The World Ends in April is a unique, insightful, and sensitive look at the way some children handle change. Among other things, it shows the value of credible information sources and explores how kids can better deal with difficult life situations. With a strong cast lovable — albeit stubborn — characters, this is a book worth reading.
If you enjoy books featuring characters with a physical disability, STEM-related books, or books about grandparents, you’ll enjoy this one.
Read the full review on my blog.
If you enjoy books featuring characters with a physical disability, STEM-related books, or books about grandparents, you’ll enjoy this one.
Read the full review on my blog.