Jasper Jones in Mock Printz 2026

Jan 24, 2012 Bethany Miller rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks-on-cd

This book defies easy categorization. The mystery of what really happened to Laura Wishart is central to the plot. The book is set in Australia during the time period of the Vietnam War, which factors into the book in a less direct way. Though Silvey confronts some serious issues in Jasper Jones, there are also moments that are laugh out loud funny. At its core the book is about being an outsider whether it's due to race, nationality or choosing not to follow the rules of polite society.

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Feb 12, 2012 Barbara rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: writing, bullies, death, ncbla, word-lovers, mysteries

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. In so many ways, this book remind me of To Kill a Mockingbird with its themes of prejudice and the assumptions we often make about others. The book even has several spooky passages that bring that earlier book to mind. Additionally, Charlie Bucktin, the thirteen-year-old narrator sees himself as a sort of small-town Australian Atticus Finch, weighing the pros and cons of his actions. When Jasper Jones, half white, half Aborigine, comes to his window one night, Charlie's life is changed forever. In so many ways, this book remind me of To Kill a Mockingbird with its themes of prejudice and the assumptions we often make about others. The book even has several spooky passages that bring that earlier book to mind. Additionally, Charlie Bucktin, the thirteen-year-old narrator sees himself as a sort of small-town Australian Atticus Finch, weighing the pros and cons of his actions. When Jasper Jones, half white, half Aborigine, comes to his window one night, Charlie's life is changed forever. Seeing the body of Laura Wishart, the daughter of one of Corrigan's leading citizens, hanging from a tree shocks Charlie, and in a misguided attempt to buy some time for Jasper while they smoke out the killer, Charlie helps move the body into the water. At first as I considered their actions, I thought that Jasper could have found some way to prove his innocence, but I quickly realized that he was often the town scapegoat, leaving him little to do but flee the town for somewhere else. The mystery itself wasn't really that hard to solve or even that compelling since the author provides hints about luck and fate reminiscent of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. But what was particularly intriguing to me was Charlie's coming of age and his loss of innocence. Not only does he have a crush on the dead girl's sister Eliza, but he faces several conflicts with his mother who seems bent on destroying the family. As Charlie comes to terms with his own family's problems, he also watches his best friend, Jeffrey Lu, deal with prejudice toward Vietnamese immigrants both on and off the cricket field. He himself must handle the constant ridicule he takes from the school bullies for being an avid reader and writer--he borrows books from his father's extensive library--and for using vocabulary words deemed inapropriate by his peers, earning him punches when he uses them. The small-mindedness of those around him make Charlie's reluctant acts of bravery particularly impressive and add to the pleasures of reading this book. While there are a couple of holes and some predictability, the author vividly captures the paranoia and what sometimes passes for justice in a small town. ...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Becky rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sixties, ya, printz-award-winners-and-honorees, death-and-dying, bromance, mystery-suspense, aussie

So this was the last of this years Printz winners/honors for me to read, and I think it's my favorite. As far as literary quality while also being an actual YA book (I don't know why I'm still so bothered about Where Things Come Back winning), it's the best. Like the jacket flap suggested, it did remind me of To Kill a Mockingbird, and in a good way. Even Charlie's repeated WWAFD (that's What Would Atticus Finch Do?) questioning doesn't make it too much.
I also liked how Australian this book was. ...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Christina Getrost rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: realisticfiction, mystery

When the town's rebellious bad boy Jasper Jones knocks on Charlie's window in the dead of night, asking for his help, how can Charlie--a shy bookloving thirteen year old who's hardly ever spoken to Jasper but is intrigued by the older teen's chain-smoking, school-skipping, athletic-hero ways--say no? But after Jasper shows Charlie the brutal secret hidden in the woods, Charlie begins to wish he had refused to help this brash boy--for he reveals the dead body of a local girl. Everyone will be qui ...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Mary rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The Printz committee hit home runs on all its titles this year. This Printz honor winner set in a small town in Australis during the Vietnam War features the relationship between Charlie Bucktin, a shy thirteen-year old, and Jasper Jones, the teen town outcast. They are drawn together by the death of Laura Wishart. It is basically a mystery since the reader does not discover the how and why of Laura's death until the last chapter. But the mystery just provides the plot for a story involving fami ...more

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May 09, 2011 Jennifer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: youngadult, mystery, 2011reads, realistic, historicalfiction, printzhonor

I admire the way this novel was crafted and how it has stuck with me since I finished reading it, but I can't really say I enjoyed it exactly - it's not an enjoyable sort of story. Thought provoking for sure and it covers some pretty big issues - racism (of a couple different types), classism, dysfunctional family relationships, coming of age, despair, identity - while being wrapped up in the trappings of a murder mystery. I think if I were a little more familiar with Australian history I might ...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Jess rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, young-adult, audiobook, printz-honor

I put off reading this for a long time because I expected it to be unrelentingly bleak. Fortunately, this was not the case. Yes, it's a dark story of murder, family secrets, corruption, and racism. But I still wouldn't describe it as bleak. For starters, the writing is often beautiful, even in the ugliest moments. For another, there's some fantastic comic relief in the form of Charlie's friendship with Jeffrey. The humor came across particularly well in the audio version, which I recommend, if o ...more

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Feb 11, 2012 Atomicgirl rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, realistic-fiction

What's not to like? Teen characters who are shown to be thoughtful probing individuals with sometimes wise insights or just truthful and painful realizations about life. Mix in language that poetically describes and sets up the story. A very good book to be savored and not rushed through. ...more

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