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2.59k reviews by:
librarybonanza
There's a lot of love going around out there right now for this book, but I thought it was so so. I liked the complicated yet realistic relationship between Rudy and Teeth. Teeth is fully developed and very interesting especially regarding his complicated identity as half-fish, half-human. I was pretty disappointed with the characterization of Teeth's family. Other than his family thinking that he's abnormal, I'm not sure why they disown him and why his mother still cries every week on the day he was born. The miraculous conception is also a little weird but definitely fantastical so I just went with it.
The focus of this book is solely on (1) the development of Rudy's character and (2) the torment of Teeth and the unveiling of his self-hatred. These two aspects of the book were intriguing, complex, and kept me interested in the storyline. I particularly enjoyed Rudy's growing determination and his maturation. Other aspects of the book got ignored such as back story for the island, why the fishermen are so demented, and where these people getting their income from.
The focus of this book is solely on (1) the development of Rudy's character and (2) the torment of Teeth and the unveiling of his self-hatred. These two aspects of the book were intriguing, complex, and kept me interested in the storyline. I particularly enjoyed Rudy's growing determination and his maturation. Other aspects of the book got ignored such as back story for the island, why the fishermen are so demented, and where these people getting their income from.
Age: Middle School-High School
Tough Issue: Abuse
Phew. What a read. I was so in love with the authenticity of this book. Every interaction, and plot line, and personality felt very real and very believable. The plot also relies on something other than an unusually paired romance. Eleanor has a unique and unfortunate family life living with her abusive step-father while trying to accept that someone else might love her.
There was also a lot of stereotype breaking, especially with gender. Eleanor is the sarcastic, funny one who tries to hide her emotions. Park is the sentimental one and even starts to wear eyeliner because Eleanor finds it "...unsettling." Eleanor serves as a romantic interest even though she's got frizzy hair, is overweight, and dresses unusually. In fact, this is one facet that Park finds so endearing about Eleanor.
"It's 1986. Eleanor is the new girl and she is not only genetically made to look like a victim but she does herself no favors by pairing her looks with a bizarre fashion sense. Having nowhere to sit on the school bus, she takes a seat next to the clearly reluctant Park. Park is half-Korean in an extremely white school, but he is given enough respect by the popular kids to help him get by. His home life, unlike Eleanor's, is pretty much perfect apart from a bit of badgering by his dad. Slowly over time, these two individuals develop a relationship that is formed around stuff like reading comics together and exchanging mix tapes." Review from Emily May
Tough Issue: Abuse
Phew. What a read. I was so in love with the authenticity of this book. Every interaction, and plot line, and personality felt very real and very believable. The plot also relies on something other than an unusually paired romance. Eleanor has a unique and unfortunate family life living with her abusive step-father while trying to accept that someone else might love her.
There was also a lot of stereotype breaking, especially with gender. Eleanor is the sarcastic, funny one who tries to hide her emotions. Park is the sentimental one and even starts to wear eyeliner because Eleanor finds it "...unsettling." Eleanor serves as a romantic interest even though she's got frizzy hair, is overweight, and dresses unusually. In fact, this is one facet that Park finds so endearing about Eleanor.
"Eleanor was right: She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something" (165).
"It's 1986. Eleanor is the new girl and she is not only genetically made to look like a victim but she does herself no favors by pairing her looks with a bizarre fashion sense. Having nowhere to sit on the school bus, she takes a seat next to the clearly reluctant Park. Park is half-Korean in an extremely white school, but he is given enough respect by the popular kids to help him get by. His home life, unlike Eleanor's, is pretty much perfect apart from a bit of badgering by his dad. Slowly over time, these two individuals develop a relationship that is formed around stuff like reading comics together and exchanging mix tapes." Review from Emily May
Age: Preschool-2nd grade
Concept Skill: colors
Colors represent a lot more than the description of an object. We have come to connect colors with emotions. For example, when you're down, you're feeling blue and when you're happy you feel bright and sunshine yellow. But this isn't always the case. This is a wonderful book that shows that emotions and colors aren't always certain; rather, they exist in a "gray" area and can be interpreted in multiple ways.
After hanging out with my 3-year-old niece all weekend, her desire to defy everything you say would fall in line with this girl's defiant imagination.
Concept Skill: colors
Colors represent a lot more than the description of an object. We have come to connect colors with emotions. For example, when you're down, you're feeling blue and when you're happy you feel bright and sunshine yellow. But this isn't always the case. This is a wonderful book that shows that emotions and colors aren't always certain; rather, they exist in a "gray" area and can be interpreted in multiple ways.
After hanging out with my 3-year-old niece all weekend, her desire to defy everything you say would fall in line with this girl's defiant imagination.
Age: Infant-preschool
Animal: Bird, woodpecker
Concept skill: identification of objects, including by color
This is a wonderfully creative way to have very young children identify objects on a page. Most pages have a hole (or many, many holes) that the woodpecker has pecked through. In a sing-songy pattern, the text lists the objects that the bird has pecked through.
I was worried that the holes would not be library-friendly but the pages are sturdy and the holes small. I'll be buying another copy!
Animal: Bird, woodpecker
Concept skill: identification of objects, including by color
This is a wonderfully creative way to have very young children identify objects on a page. Most pages have a hole (or many, many holes) that the woodpecker has pecked through. In a sing-songy pattern, the text lists the objects that the bird has pecked through.
I was worried that the holes would not be library-friendly but the pages are sturdy and the holes small. I'll be buying another copy!
Age: Kindergarten-2nd grade
Math: Addition, counting
The authenticity of this younger grade school humor rings true with another tale about Ox and Zebra and their opposing viewpoints about the correct format for a counting book. Zebra just wants to have her nicely laid out, planned book executed perfectly but Ox just wants to have fun. Sure to elicit smiles!
Math: Addition, counting
The authenticity of this younger grade school humor rings true with another tale about Ox and Zebra and their opposing viewpoints about the correct format for a counting book. Zebra just wants to have her nicely laid out, planned book executed perfectly but Ox just wants to have fun. Sure to elicit smiles!
Age: Infant
Emotions: Unruly behavior & manners
The illustrations are fun, bright, and attractive but the text is a boring list of commands.
Emotions: Unruly behavior & manners
The illustrations are fun, bright, and attractive but the text is a boring list of commands.