VVMBookBlog

It’s a while after 9/11 and 12-year-old Kevin is taking a summer bus trip with his grandmother to the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Black Hills and other sites.  It looks like it’s going to be just a trip with Grandma until he noticed the strange man traveling alone and carefully guarding a red travel bag.  With all of the talk about terrorism and terrorists after 9/11, Kevin’s imagination goes into gear, trying to figure who who the strange man is and what is he so carefully concealing in his bag?

While curiosity is not a bad thing, curiosity motivated by prejudicial judgments made based on physical appearance alone is hard to justify.  In the spirit of being patriotic Kevin went a little crazy deciding that Mr. Stavros was guilty of terrorism.  Kevin’s actions really became annoying to me, but it did point out how we are quick to place labels and intentions on people we often don’t even know.

It’s 1968 and time again for 13-year-old Karlene to compete in the county spelling bee.  This time she’s helped by her new Latin teacher, Mrs. Harrison, who not only helps her with spelling, but gives Karlene a vision of what her future could be.  Karlene’s mother works hard to support their family, but her father is an alcoholic who can’t manage to stay sober for long.  But when she babysits for Mrs. Harrison’s children, she sees how a home can be a source of comfort, culture and fun.  And she’s given encouragement to compete her way to the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

Karlene’s experience with language and words ranges from the complex vocabulary she’s learning for the spelling bee and from her Latin teacher, and the rough, common language of her home.  She rarely holds back from saying what she thinks in a very direct way.  Her dreams for her future life with Billy Ray and her feelings for him are also very direct for a girl of 13.  I’m struggling with how to say this with sounding overly cautious, but many things she said and the way she said them, were on the edge of shocking for a book that is supposed to be for readers in grades 5-8.  I’m not sure if this first-time author intended that, or if it’s part of being a first-time author.  I still liked the story enough, however, to present it in this blog.  I like a character who stands up and takes control of his/her life!  And…the references to 1960’s culture–song lyrics and stories–were a fun blast from my own past!

Poor Joey Pigza is headed for another ride on the roller coaster of his life.  Dad has won the lottery and has come back into their–Joey and his mom’s–life ready to erase all evidence of their past, including Joey’s name!  Carter Pigza is now Charles Heinz, a name he took from the catsup bottle, and Joey is now Freddy.  But who is Freddy down deep inside and what was wrong with Joey?  And what’s wrong with Joey’s mother that she can’t see through his father to the irresponsible person he really is?

I’ve always liked the Joey Pigza books because Joey, in spite of the strange adults around him, always takes hold and becomes the hero of his own life.  Plus these books are funny and fun to read.  Even with the funny scenes and dialogue, these are tough times for Joey and his hopes for the future.