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Another Day as Emily
Author:
Spinelli, Eileen
CoAuthor:
Lew-Vriethoff, Joanne
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Class:
Fiction
Age: 8-12
Language: English
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LC: PZ7.5
Grade: 3-7
Print Run: 7500
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ISBN-13: 9780449809877
LCCN: 2012043105
Imprint: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publisher: Random House
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Pub Date: 05/13/2014
Availability: Out of Stock Indefinitely
List: $12.99
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Hardcover
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Physical Description:
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224 pages : illustrations ; 19 cm
H 7.25",
W 5.19",
D 0.88",
0.5875 lbs.
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LC Series:
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Brodart Sources:
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Brodart's For Youth Interest: Popular
Brodart's Fresh Reads for Kids TIPS Selections
Brodart's Insight Catalog: Children
Brodart's TOP Juvenile Titles
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Bibliographies:
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Awards:
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Horn Book Guide Titles, Rated 1 - 4
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Starred Reviews:
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TIPS Subjects:
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Family Life
Psychological Fiction
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BISAC Subjects: |
JUVENILE FICTION / Family / General
JUVENILE FICTION / Family / Siblings
JUVENILE FICTION / Girls & Women
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LC Subjects:
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Dickinson, Emily,, 1830-1886, Fiction
Family life, Fiction
Novels in verse
Recluses, Fiction
Self-acceptance, Fiction
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SEARS Subjects: |
Dickinson, Emily,, 1830-1886, Fiction
Families, Fiction
Hermits, Fiction
Novels in verse
Self-acceptance, Fiction
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Reading Programs: |
Accelerated Reader Level:
3.2
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Points: 3.0
Lexile Level:
420
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| Annotations |
| Brodart's TOP Juvenile Titles | 05/01/2014 |
| Tossed aside when her brother becomes a local hero and her best friend lands a role in a play that Suzie also tried out for, Suzie decides to model her life after Emily Dickenson, the writer whose life Suzie is studying for a summer project. When keeping to herself proves harder than she thought, Suzy must find a way to merge the best of both worlds without losing herself in the process. 240pp., B/W Ill. |
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| Journal Reviews |
| BookPage | 05/14/2014 |
| Suzy's summer begins with an emergency: Mrs. Harden, her neighbor and honorary grandmother, suddenly collapses. Thanks to the quick thinking of Suzy's little brother, Parker, who calls 911, Mrs. Harden is whisked to the hospital and is soon on her way to a full recovery. But while all ends well for Mrs. Harden, the incident is just the beginning of Suzy's troubles. First, there's the neverending onslaught of attention Parker receives as the town's littlest hero. Parker is featured in the newspaper, receives balloons and stuffed animals, and is invited to ride with the mayor in the 4th of July parade. And then Parker tops off his stint as the most obnoxious younger brother on the planet by managing to get himself lost on the very day Suzy and her dad have baseball tickets to celebrate her 12th birthday. The only good thing about Suzy's summer, she decides, is choosing Emily Dickinson as her character in the Tween Time library program. As it turns out, impersonating the reclusive poet becomes the perfect way to express her dissatisfaction with the world. As Emily, Suzy wears white dresses, rarely leaves the house, hides from her best friend Alison, and avoids a conversation with her friend Gilbert. But Emily Dickinson is also the poet who wrote, "'Hope' is the thing with feathers-- / That perches in the soul." And before summer's end, Suzy finds a way to soar. Written in easy-to-read, accessible free verse, Eileen Spinelli's story of a rollercoaster summer is perfect for young readers who may find, like Suzy, that trying on other roles is one way to feel better about being yourself. Deborah Hopkinson. BookPage Children’s Corner Web Exclusive Review. BOOKPAGE, c2014. |
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| Booklist | 05/15/2014 |
| Grades 4-6. Eleven-year-old Suzy is proud of her little brother for calling 911 when their neighbor collapses. But after Parker gets a write-up in the paper, a citation, and a ride in the Fourth of July parade, Suzy is ready for everyone to move on already. Then Parker screws up Suzy's birthday: he sees a TV story about a fire and people needing help, so he tries to find them, getting lost in the process. Parker is located, but too late for Suzy's trip to a Phillies' game. So she takes to her room, both literally and literarily; Suzy assumes the persona of recluse Emily Dickinson. Spinelli's free-verse structure may make things easier for reluctant readers, but the breaks occasionally seem awkward. That said, kids, especially those who have had a sibling in the spotlight, will identify with Suzy's feelings. Adventurous readers may want to pursue some of the same paths as Suzy: poetry, Dickinson, the 1800s, and baseball. There are also satisfying relationships between Suzy, her friends, and family. This is a short book where a whole lot happens. Cooper, Ilene. 256p. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2014. |
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| Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books | 07/01/2014 |
| R. Gr. 4-6. The summer that Suzy turns twelve starts off with a drama: her four-year-old brother is hailed as a hero after dialing 911 for an ailing neighbor. Hero boy Parker becomes the narrative that dominates Suzy's household, even as she enjoys the summer program at the library, where she's learning about Emily Dickinson, and gets increasingly interested in a nice boy. When Parker ends up wrecking Suzy's birthday (Phillies-loving Suzy and her father were going to attend her first game ever when Parker goes temporarily missing), she's had enough. She shuns the world, garbs herself in white dresses, and asks to be called Emily, all in the manner of the poet who inspires her-but is being Emily really the solution to her problems? In Spinelli's lightly turned and accessible free verse sequence (each short poem has its own title and leads seamlessly into the next), Suzy's voice is prosy and authentic with just enough insight to lend perspective ("One teeny-tiny coax/ and I might topple," thinks an Emily-weary Suzy hoping to be encouraged to join a family outing). The book quietly layers factors on Suzy that make her vulnerability understandable, and it hits a nice note, not too serious (her father's audible grumbling has a certain objective reality) but not dismissive, about her Emily phase. Spinelli continues to be a sympathetic chronicler of tween tribulations that don't always rise to the level of trials, offering a rewarding experience for young readers not looking to leapfrog into YA. Final illustrations not seen. DS. 256p. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIV. OF ILLINOIS, c2014. |
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| Horn Book | 05/01/2014 |
| Intermediate. The summer Suzy Quinn turns twelve provides a natural backdrop for Spinelli's latest verse novel, the epitome of summer escapism -- light, engaging, and easy to read. When Suzy's kindly next-door neighbor has a "spell," Suzy's younger brother, Parker, smartly calls 911 and gets the needed medical help. He immediately becomes a little town hero, but with all the community's accolades, he also becomes a little attention-grabbing monster. In addition, Suzy has a problem with Alison, her BFF since second grade, who talks Suzy into trying out for a local play. Alison gets a part and Suzy doesn't. The one bright spot is thirteen-year-old Gilbert, who may be a good friend and may be a boyfriend; Suzy just doesn't know. When a planned birthday trip to see a Phillies game falls through, it's all too much for Suzy, and she decides to emulate Emily Dickinson. It's tough being a recluse, but with that I'll-cut-off-my-nose-to-spite-my-face conviction that only an almost-twelve-year-old can muster, Suzy becomes Emily: writing letters (unanswered) to her friends; cooking (unsuccessfully); and composing poems ("Time is a worm. / It crawls"). The ending is pat, but gentle rather than simplistic, and the resilience of the characters is nicely understated. betty carter. 214pg. THE HORN BOOK, c2014. |
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| Horn Book Guide | 11/01/2014 |
| 2. In Spinelli's latest verse novel--light, engaging, and easy to read--Suzy, twelve, is having a summer full of challenges; when her birthday trip to see a Phillies game falls through, it's all too much for her, and she decides to emulate recluse Emily Dickinson. The ending is pat, but gentle rather than simplistic, and the resilience of the characters is nicely understated. bc. 214pg. THE HORN BOOK, c2014. |
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| Kirkus Reviews | 04/01/2014 |
| Spinelli's free verse presents a summer of self-acceptance for one girl. Suzy is almost 12 when her 4-year-old brother sees their elderly neighbor collapse. He dials 911 and becomes a "little hero" in their town. Suddenly everything revolves around him, and no one seems to care about Suzy's needs. Worse, she doesn't get a part in the community play, but her best friend, Alison, does. Suzy is feeling decidedly unloved and decides that her best bet is to emulate a poet she has recently learned about--Emily Dickinson. Suzy insists on being called Emily and makes a list of Emily-appropriate activities (write poems, dust, read, listen to crickets). But Suzy soon finds that being a recluse is a lonely occupation. Lots of white space on the page, short chapters and appealing illustrations make this an unintimidating read for even the most reluctant readers. And besides, it's a rollicking good story. Spinelli mixes dollops of wit with her dabs of pathos to keep things lively and realistic in a fresh way that nevertheless feels comfortably old-fashioned. The interspersed bits of history (the origin of baseball, some famous people of the 1800s) and wholesome activities (bicycle riding, helping neighbors, going to the library) make this a story to be enjoyed and appreciated by readers weary of the mall-shopping, cellphone-centric, mean-girl genre. A witty and endearing story with a timeless message. (Verse fiction. 9-12). 214pg. KIRKUS MEDIA LLC, c2014. |
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| Publishers Weekly | 03/31/2014 |
| Ages 8-12. Spinelli's third novel in verse (after Summerhouse Time and The Dancing Pancake) explores identity, friends, and family with perception and humor. The fast-moving story is told in the fresh voice of Suzy Quinn, who is jealous of the attention heaped on her four-year-old brother, Parker, after he calls 911 to summon help for an elderly neighbor. Spinelli gives Suzy credible dimension as she reacts to Parker's newfound celebrity ("I really don't know/ how much more/ of this little hero stuff/ I can take") and then to the news that her brother has gone missing, derailing her 12th birthday plans ("What kind of sister am I?/ Mad that Parker is missing/ instead of worried"). Suzy's sense of self is further shaken when she fails to land a role in a play, which leads her to mimic--with amusing vigilance--the lifestyle of Emily Dickinson and shun family and friends. Spinelli tempers Suzy's melancholy with her inadvertent wittiness ("Who could have thought/ being a recluse/ could be so/ exhausting!") to create a thoughtful, reflective story. Art not seen by PW. Illustrator's agency: MB Artists. (May). 240p. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2014. |
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| School Library Journal | 05/01/2014 |
| Gr 4-6--After her five-year-old brother has been labeled "a little hero" for making a lifesaving 911 call, Suzy struggles to find relevance in her own life. Bad luck is coloring her whole summer, and she responds by emulating the day-to-day life of Emily Dickinson, whom she has been researching for her library project. The old tomboy Suzy loved baseball, riding her bike, and engaging in friendships with people of all ages and interests. As Emily, she wears only long white dresses, never leaves the house, and tries to find meaning in the domestic arts. Being Emily proves to be more challenging than Suzy ever imagined, and eventually she's not sure how to start being herself again. Spinelli sensitively explores the complexity of Suzy's feelings during a challenging time in her life. Middle-grade readers will relate to her familial frustrations, as well as her growing self-awareness and its impact on social dynamics. Spinelli's novel-in-verse approach creates a gentle, quiet atmosphere for this contemplative novel, though the verse is more successful in tone than as poetry. The condensed format makes it an excellent choice for reluctant readers. Juliet Morefield, Multnomah County Library, OR. 256p. SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, c2014. |
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9780449809877,dl.it[0].title
| Review Citations |
| New York Times Book Review | 05/11/2014 |
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