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suzannedix's review against another edition
1.0
I just can't continue with this one. Despite being read by the author, if I hear "nefarious minions," "No Joke City" or "Planet Uhara" one more time I might scream. The repetition grows more and more tedious especially with a very slow moving story with a hard to like main character. I made it to pg. 57 and I am going to set this one aside (thank you Nancy Pearl for giving all us Type-A readers an "out!).
I honestly don't know what grade to recommend this for. The writing is advanced for grade 5 but grade 7 wouldn't enjoy a story about a really immature 5th grader.
I honestly don't know what grade to recommend this for. The writing is advanced for grade 5 but grade 7 wouldn't enjoy a story about a really immature 5th grader.
book_nut's review against another edition
3.0
I spent the entire book absolutely furious with the adults.
yapha's review against another edition
3.0
My main problem with this book is that Ebony-Grace is not a likable character and most of her problems are caused by her own actions. Fans of Star Trek may enjoy it. For grades 4 & up.
ARC provided by publisher
ARC provided by publisher
5elementknitr's review against another edition
1.0
This was suggested by a friend, but even that friend said she was mistaken. She'd read the first couple chapters, and thought we'd like it.
The writing is SO repetitive. It's set in the 1980's, so autism wasn't really a diagnosis that was looked into, but the obsessive focus of the main character in this book seems to point toward the spectrum (I conjecture with my admittedly limited knowledge on the subject).
Here's the thing...
If EG's obsessions and unwillingess to talk about ANYTHING else is getting on her mom's nerves, her dad's nerves, her best friend's nerves, and even her grandfather's nerves (the man who started her on that path), how is it NOT going to fray every last nerve of a complete stranger/the reader.
The areas of the book where she wasn't constantly repeating herself were few and far between, but the writing in those precious respites was really lovely. And the reader (who is also the author) was really good.
The part about the grandfather's issues was really unclear, and for quite awhile it seemed he was in trouble with the law? And a horrifying moment when EG's dad asks if she and gpa were keeping secrets together, I thought, "If he's molesting her, I'm going to throw this book across the room" which would've been especially bad considering I was listening to it on my phone. He's not, and he's also not in trouble with the law.
The other thing I didn't like about this book was the whole "middle-school, mean girls" aspect, but that may just be me projecting, remembering my own time in 1985 as the weird kid.
The writing is SO repetitive. It's set in the 1980's, so autism wasn't really a diagnosis that was looked into, but the obsessive focus of the main character in this book seems to point toward the spectrum (I conjecture with my admittedly limited knowledge on the subject).
Here's the thing...
If EG's obsessions and unwillingess to talk about ANYTHING else is getting on her mom's nerves, her dad's nerves, her best friend's nerves, and even her grandfather's nerves (the man who started her on that path), how is it NOT going to fray every last nerve of a complete stranger/the reader.
The areas of the book where she wasn't constantly repeating herself were few and far between, but the writing in those precious respites was really lovely. And the reader (who is also the author) was really good.
The part about the grandfather's issues was really unclear, and for quite awhile it seemed he was in trouble with the law? And a horrifying moment when EG's dad asks if she and gpa were keeping secrets together, I thought, "If he's molesting her, I'm going to throw this book across the room" which would've been especially bad considering I was listening to it on my phone. He's not, and he's also not in trouble with the law.
The other thing I didn't like about this book was the whole "middle-school, mean girls" aspect, but that may just be me projecting, remembering my own time in 1985 as the weird kid.
abigailbat's review against another edition
Ebony Grace would much rather be spending the summer at home with her granddaddy, one of the first black engineers to integrate NASA, but instead she's been sent to another planet - Harlem - to stay with her dad. Obsessed with all things space and especially Star Trek and Star Wars, E-Grace uses her imagination location to turn her summer trip into a mission for the starship Uhura, but the other kids in her neighborhood do NOT want to play along. Even Bianca, the girl who lives in her daddy's building and who has spent many hours playing space missions with her on previous visits, has changed. No longer interested in visiting the junkyard and building rockets, Bianca is jumping double dutch and breakdancing with other girls on their block and it's all definitely alien to E-Grace.
This is quite a book... Ebony-Grace is unforgettable and the feeling of other-ness is pervasive. Like, there were times when I wanted to shake her, but I think that just illustrates how real she felt. This is a book for all the kids who are weird and don't fit in or don't want to do what everyone else is doing. It's for the kids who are strange and just fine that way. And it's a great portrait of a kid who's even outside of her family - she's kept in the dark about what's going on with her grandpa, sent away when all she wants to do is cling closer to the one person who understands her.
This book reminded me so much of Sunny by Jason Reynolds - another book about an oddball who doesn't do things the way everyone else does but is fine with that. And readers who enjoy tales with strong historical settings and strong female characters like One Crazy Summer by Rita Garcia-Williams will enjoy this one, too.
This is quite a book... Ebony-Grace is unforgettable and the feeling of other-ness is pervasive. Like, there were times when I wanted to shake her, but I think that just illustrates how real she felt. This is a book for all the kids who are weird and don't fit in or don't want to do what everyone else is doing. It's for the kids who are strange and just fine that way. And it's a great portrait of a kid who's even outside of her family - she's kept in the dark about what's going on with her grandpa, sent away when all she wants to do is cling closer to the one person who understands her.
This book reminded me so much of Sunny by Jason Reynolds - another book about an oddball who doesn't do things the way everyone else does but is fine with that. And readers who enjoy tales with strong historical settings and strong female characters like One Crazy Summer by Rita Garcia-Williams will enjoy this one, too.
sunflowerjess's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I strongly felt for and resonated with Ebony-Grace, particularly her awkwardness and how hard it was for her to be "normal" and fit in. I think my autistic girlfriend will resonate with her as well, in terms of how Ebony-Grace paid close attention to and mimicked others' social behaviors to fit in, when those behaviors did not come naturally to her. On the other hand, the character development of Ebony-Grace happened literally in the last few pages and none during the rest of the story, so that felt rushed and forced. Also, she never finds out or understands what was going on with her grandfather - she, along with the readers, get some hints, but nothing really developed with that story either. However, I loved the homage to Nichelle Nichols and seeing her through the eyes of young Black girl who dreams of being an astronaut.
sherlock's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
5.0
Twelve-year-old Ebony-Grace Norfleet occupies her "imagination space" a lot more than she does reality, and her mother, in Alabama, decides it's time for her feet to touch down on Earth.
She's sent to spend a summer in Harlem with her father, who she's built up in her imagination to be the evil King Sirius Julius.
It's far, far away from Captain Norfleet, her grandfather, who set all this "imagination" business into motion many years before, with sharing his love and admiration of Star Trek (and Lt. Uhura) with his granddaughter.
Ebony-Grace has a hard time (this is putting it mildly) fitting in with the kinda boy-crazy, double-dutch, break dancing all-girl crews of the neighborhood.
Even Bianca, a girl she's already friends with from past visits, can't stand her refusal to grow up and exist in the vibrant life pulsing in Harlem of 1984. She makes some incredibly bad choices, and in a way, it's supremely sad, but by the end, she's made at least one connection and sort of found her way with Bianca and her father, again.
I won't spoil how it ends, just know there were plenty of tears. Enjoy the read!
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
She's sent to spend a summer in Harlem with her father, who she's built up in her imagination to be the evil King Sirius Julius.
It's far, far away from Captain Norfleet, her grandfather, who set all this "imagination" business into motion many years before, with sharing his love and admiration of Star Trek (and Lt. Uhura) with his granddaughter.
Ebony-Grace has a hard time (this is putting it mildly) fitting in with the kinda boy-crazy, double-dutch, break dancing all-girl crews of the neighborhood.
Even Bianca, a girl she's already friends with from past visits, can't stand her refusal to grow up and exist in the vibrant life pulsing in Harlem of 1984. She makes some incredibly bad choices, and in a way, it's supremely sad, but by the end, she's made at least one connection and sort of found her way with Bianca and her father, again.
I won't spoil how it ends, just know there were plenty of tears. Enjoy the read!
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/