Monday, July 25, 2011

Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt

Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt
Clarion
2011
360p


As a fourteen-year-old who just moved to a new town, with no friends, an abusive father, and a louse for an older brother, Doug Swieteck has all the stats stacked against him until he finds an ally in Lil Spicer--a fiery young lady. Together, they find a safe haven in the local library, inspiration in learning about the plates of John James Audubon's birds, and a hilarious adventure on a Broadway stage.

7 comments:

  1. Doug Swieteck is a realistic narrator with an authentic voice. Your heart breaks for him and roots for him as he navigates his difficult home life and struggles against an undeserved bad reputation. The characters are very compelling, and the 1968 setting adds depth and complexity yet it is more subtle than you would expect. However, the tale takes a weird twist that seems contrary to the rest of the book.

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  2. I really liked this book. The narraters voice, 13 year-old-Doug, seems real and spot-on in every chapter. Schmidt does an excellent job of pulling you in and making you care about this boy and his troubled family. I like the way he includes the violence at home without going into hit-by-hit details which fits in with how abused children don't talk about what's happening. All that said, I was disappointed with the plot of the last two chapters. The writing was still great, but the story seemed like a hard fit to the rest of the book. Still, the writing could be considered Newbery Award worthy. I'd definitly recommend this book to reluctant readers and any book that likes “real” stories over scifi fantasy.

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  3. I had a big problem with the last part of the book and can't quite understand why Schmidt would have created this story that was overwhelmed by such a tide of emotion at the end...I loved Doug and rooted for him the whole way...just felt a bit too over the top by the end. Wondering how the Newbery Committee this year will deal with the amazing 1st part of the book and reconcile it with the end.

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  4. There's a lot to admire in Okay For Now, but I take issue with the father's abrupt, complete turnaround at the end of the novel. Completely unbelieveable.

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  5. This book was really good. I was a little wary of the way Doug kept changing characteristics, but as I read further along, I understood him more and more. It was a good book, and I really did enjoy it.

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  6. It sounds like a lot of readers took issue with the ending--I'll concede it did veer in an unexpected direction in the last two chapters, but I was okay with it. I thought the scene toward the end with a certain Yankee did a great deal to show Doug's growth and development as a character. (He begins as a boy who idolizes those who do great things, and by the end has grown to be a person worthy of admiration himself by nurturing his own unique talents and passions.)
    The narrative voice is spot on. I found myself crying in one moment and laughing in the next at Doug's style of observation. The story is more about characters and less about plot, yet it moves along at a pace that keeps the reader engaged.
    I am putting this one on my watch list to pick up at least an honor book medal in January...

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  7. This will be a lively discussion in January! I loved this book too, and yes, the narrative voice is the strongest part of the book.

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