I would have to say that I tend to enjoy reading books which are written by teachers. The obvious plus is that they really know what kids are like because they spend so much time around them. When I look back on my own classroom experiences, I can clearly see how this career provides endless fodder for writers.
Jordan Sonnenblick, author of Notes from the Midnight Driver, came up with the idea for this book after his eighth-grade honors English students tormented a substitute with a paper-ball fight. When he returned to the classroom, he required the students to write apology letters to their parents. What he received instead, was a fistful of excuse letters.
In Notes from the Midnight Driver, Alex Gregory, a normally decent kid gets drunk, steals his mother's car and ends up decapitating a lawn gnome. As punishment, a judge assigns community service at a local nursing home. Alex is paired with a lively, crotchety old man named Solomen Lewis. As the hours are served, an unlikely friendship develops. Alex struggles with his parents' troubled relationship and a changing relationship with his long-time best friend, Laurie.
This is an excellent book to recommend for pre-teens and teens because the characters were believable and achieved realistic growth. Both the adult and teen characters learn lessons. It is a splendid tale of friendship and forgiveness, with a bit of yiddish, music and romance thrown into the mix.
I do wish the author had been more furtive with some of the details. I felt like I figured out an aspect of the plot too early. And, I think there could have been stronger character development in the relationship between Alex and Laurie. Still, I look forward to reading Sonnenblick's first book, entitled Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie, and other future books he may write.
Jordan Sonnenblick, author of Notes from the Midnight Driver, came up with the idea for this book after his eighth-grade honors English students tormented a substitute with a paper-ball fight. When he returned to the classroom, he required the students to write apology letters to their parents. What he received instead, was a fistful of excuse letters.
In Notes from the Midnight Driver, Alex Gregory, a normally decent kid gets drunk, steals his mother's car and ends up decapitating a lawn gnome. As punishment, a judge assigns community service at a local nursing home. Alex is paired with a lively, crotchety old man named Solomen Lewis. As the hours are served, an unlikely friendship develops. Alex struggles with his parents' troubled relationship and a changing relationship with his long-time best friend, Laurie.
This is an excellent book to recommend for pre-teens and teens because the characters were believable and achieved realistic growth. Both the adult and teen characters learn lessons. It is a splendid tale of friendship and forgiveness, with a bit of yiddish, music and romance thrown into the mix.
I do wish the author had been more furtive with some of the details. I felt like I figured out an aspect of the plot too early. And, I think there could have been stronger character development in the relationship between Alex and Laurie. Still, I look forward to reading Sonnenblick's first book, entitled Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie, and other future books he may write.
No comments:
Post a Comment