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shayemiller 's review for:
The Next Great Paulie Fink
by Ali Benjamin
Let me first just say: I ADORED THIS BOOK — it was such a unique tale and incredibly heart-felt at points. In short: Caitlyn Breen is new to Mitchell, Vermont and is starting her first day on seventh grade at Mitchell School. One of the first things she learns upon entering the school is that Paulie Fink is missing. Fink was a long-term legendary student in the same class and, without warning, he just didn’t show up to school this year.
Told with interspersed interviews from different viewpoints, we come to know each character very personally. I also appreciated how Benjamin wove history lessons (for example: Ancient Greece and scapegoats), literature discussions (for example: Shakespeare poking fun at people), and science topics (ecosystems) into the story, showcasing how these topics were quite relevant to modern life and relationships. Ultimately, the reader learns a valuable lesson about how limited our perceptions are when we look at others. Oh my goodness, while there are some more somber moments, I seriously laughed in this one. I mean, EVERY student has their own dance, statues are erected, and there are GOATS at this school! The depth of this story took me by surprise and I truly hope it will find a home in many school and public libraries, this year!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
Told with interspersed interviews from different viewpoints, we come to know each character very personally. I also appreciated how Benjamin wove history lessons (for example: Ancient Greece and scapegoats), literature discussions (for example: Shakespeare poking fun at people), and science topics (ecosystems) into the story, showcasing how these topics were quite relevant to modern life and relationships. Ultimately, the reader learns a valuable lesson about how limited our perceptions are when we look at others. Oh my goodness, while there are some more somber moments, I seriously laughed in this one. I mean, EVERY student has their own dance, statues are erected, and there are GOATS at this school! The depth of this story took me by surprise and I truly hope it will find a home in many school and public libraries, this year!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!