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Copied from my review of the audio version.
If you liked The Wednesday Wars, you must read this. Schmidt hits a lot of the same notes again, but his style - the voice, the characters, the whole thing - is so pitch perfect that I immediately wanted to start it over from the beginning (a rare feeling for me). In fact, I listened to the audio and then read the print version a few months later. The only downside to the audio is that you'll want to look up the Audubon illustrations in a book or online ...more
If you liked The Wednesday Wars, you must read this. Schmidt hits a lot of the same notes again, but his style - the voice, the characters, the whole thing - is so pitch perfect that I immediately wanted to start it over from the beginning (a rare feeling for me). In fact, I listened to the audio and then read the print version a few months later. The only downside to the audio is that you'll want to look up the Audubon illustrations in a book or online ...more
If you liked The Wednesday Wars, you must read this. Schmidt hits a lot of the same notes again, but his style - the voice, the characters, the whole thing - is so pitch perfect that I immediately wanted to start it over from the beginning (a rare feeling for me). In fact, I listened to the audio and then read the print version a few months later. The only downside to the audio is that you'll want to look up the Audubon illustrations in a book or online, because they're really key to the story.
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I liked this better than Wednesday Wars. So many good things! I shall list them for you:
1. You know how it feels when an author doesn't spell things out too much and lets the reader come to her own conclusions? Terrific.
2. You know how much I like it when a writer finds really punchy phrases and uses them over and over again? It's like poetry.
3. Am I a chump for loving it despite the fact that it wasn't exactly completely realistic? Am I?
4. Sometimes everyday life books like this can get bor ...more
1. You know how it feels when an author doesn't spell things out too much and lets the reader come to her own conclusions? Terrific.
2. You know how much I like it when a writer finds really punchy phrases and uses them over and over again? It's like poetry.
3. Am I a chump for loving it despite the fact that it wasn't exactly completely realistic? Am I?
4. Sometimes everyday life books like this can get bor ...more
Oh my gosh. I began this book knowing nothing about it -- I'd never read Schmidt's Newbery Honor book The Wednesday Wars, nor had I read any reviews of the book other than the fact that it was on everyone's Newbery contender list.
You'd think this book would be too ambitious -- like how I complained about "What Happened on Fox Street," how it seemed like it was trying to reconstruct every Newbery theme ever into one book. Okay for Now tackles A LOT (and I'm not going to tell you because I want y ...more
You'd think this book would be too ambitious -- like how I complained about "What Happened on Fox Street," how it seemed like it was trying to reconstruct every Newbery theme ever into one book. Okay for Now tackles A LOT (and I'm not going to tell you because I want y ...more
This book really blossomed for me after I got around half way through it. I enjoyed how the author wove characteristics of Audubon birds into each chapter and how Doug saw people through the lens of what he observed in the bird paintings. It also became clear that Doug was shaping his experience based on his attitude… when his dad would be a jerk and put him in a bad mood, Doug would sabotage his whole day by steering situations in negative directions. Schmidt helped the reader to see the comple
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Grades 6-8. Poor Douggo. His life stinks. Abusive dad and brothers. Moving to a town where everyone but him seems functional while he lives in a dump of a house. But things begin to change, slowly. An unexpected friend, a library, artwork, a job, a teacher, a brother returned from Vietnam..
Very good book. The family life is painful and makes my heart hurt, but I do like how the author helps you understand the brutality of his brothers as they change. I had a couple of problems with an unrealisti ...more
Very good book. The family life is painful and makes my heart hurt, but I do like how the author helps you understand the brutality of his brothers as they change. I had a couple of problems with an unrealisti ...more
Next time my friends at Goodreads tell me they couldn't turn the light off until they finished a book, I will believe them and not start it when I should be working on something else! Unlike so many other YA books about dysfunctional families, this one artfully weaves the real story around what else happens to the protagonist. Very cool.
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Grabbed me from page one. Gary Schmidt creates the most engaging characters and manages to pull in all sorts of crazy tangents and make them compelling- Audubon's birds, Jane Eyre, horseshoes, the moon shot, etc.
sorry, up too late to write the long essay of praise this book is due.
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sorry, up too late to write the long essay of praise this book is due.
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OKAY FOR NOW is realistic fiction with a capital R. Doug Swiateck does not live on Pleasant Street or Easy Street. He lives in "a dump." Doug is an eighth grader who faces many challenges in his life including an abusive parent, learning problems, and poverty. Through it all, Doug had courage, spirit, and hope. I put this book aside several times to cry. It is one of the most moving books that I have read. After also enjoying THE WEDNESDAY WARS, I'm likely to become a Gary Schmidt groupie.
P.S. ...more
P.S. ...more
Doug Swieteck has a bad attitude problem which affects his friendships, schooling and
family life. Set in upstate New York in 1968 there are a lot of Vietnam and baseball references.
Also Audubon bird paintings. Interesting correlations between those elements. Schmidt's writing style is easy on the brain and amusing, although some elements are dark enough to merit the "YA"
rating. ...more
family life. Set in upstate New York in 1968 there are a lot of Vietnam and baseball references.
Also Audubon bird paintings. Interesting correlations between those elements. Schmidt's writing style is easy on the brain and amusing, although some elements are dark enough to merit the "YA"
rating. ...more
I enjoyed reading this book, enjoyed the humor of the protagonist’s narration & fell for so many of the extraordinarily likeable / loathable characters populating this small town in upstate New York circa late 1960s. Gorgeous writing about Audubon’s paintings of birds of America. I have too many plot problems with this book to think it deserves a Newbery, but all together I agree that this is a hell of a book.
The first half of this book receives 5 stars. I enjoyed this more than Wednesday Wars. I love Doug's voice and the multi-layered characters that he meets in Marysville (of course a couple awesome teachers and amazing librarian always help!) The inclusion of the actual Audubon prints in the text version is perfect and created a sense of wondering about Audubon and his work. I listened to the audiobook which was expertly read by Lincoln Hoppe with empathy and emotion. I do recommend getting a copy
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How many of Doug's teachers am I allowed to nominate for our Cool Teachers in Children's Literature list? All of them? Including a couple of amazing librarians?
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What could I say that would make you pick up this book now?
Imagine I said that.
It's that good.
Read Lemme Library's "Non-Review" here: http://thelemmelibrary.blogspot.com/2...
SLJ's review here: http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/... ...more
Imagine I said that.
It's that good.
Read Lemme Library's "Non-Review" here: http://thelemmelibrary.blogspot.com/2...
SLJ's review here: http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/... ...more
One of the best books I read this year. Love Doug Swieteck!
I started out thinking this was a really terrific book but by the end just felt it was too unrealistic. I found the characters highly likeable and fairly well-realized and it would be wonderful to think that a story like this could actually happen but it just seemed too easy. I know, nothing was really easy, but there was just too much good luck or karma or something. There's Newbery buzz on this one but it just wasn't believable to me. Would that it were.
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Apr 25, 2011
Laurel
marked it as to-read
Oct 13, 2011
Ann-Marie
marked it as to-read
Feb 12, 2012
Kristin McIlhagga
marked it as to-read
