Synopsis: Franklin Delano Donuthead (yes, that really is his name) is afraid of everything. He doesn’t see it that way – he just sees it as avoiding unnecessary risk. Franklin could quote you risk factors for engaging in practically anything (painting outdoors on a metal ladder near the power lines: high risk of electrocution), but when he meets Sarah Kervick in 5th grade, his life begins to turn upside down. Sarah is far from Franklin’s high sanitary standards, and yet they end up friends. By the end of the first book, Donuthead, Franklin begins to suspect that maybe his way of living in fear of everything isn’t the best. By the end of the second book, Donutheart, Franklin finds himself doing things he never would have considered the year before.
Rating: Both excellent.
Opinion: Franklin is wonderful. He is so exact in his language (especially for a 5th and 6th grader), so fastidious, and yet very warm-hearted and loyal. He is hilarious, though he doesn’t realize it.
My story takes a decidedly dangerous turn on the morning of our
visit to Happy Cattle Dairy Farm. Needless to say, I always position
myself just in back of the bus driver to take advantage of the extra
protection offered by the plastic barrier located behind her head.
Originally intended to shield the bus driver from spitballs, it might
hold the weight of my body in a minor impact situation.
(Donuthead p. 9)
I loved the humor in the writing – I really did laugh out loud at some of the passages. I was also on the edge of my seat about Sarah. The real drama in the story is about Sarah and her home life. I liked the juxtaposition between Sarah’s real problems and Franklin’s self-perceived ones – we see everything through Franklin, since he is the narrator, but the reader can clearly see the difference between Sarah’s problems and Franklin’s. Both these books would be great for 4th or 5th graders of most reading levels – they’re easy enough to comprehend the basic story, but the story also has depth for more advanced readers. I hope that there are more Donuthead books to come!
Because I enjoyed Prep so much, I expected that this book would be just as good. I am sure you are thrilled to learn that it was. Hannah is 14 when the book starts, and is trying to cope with her parents’ separation. Hannah’s father has anger issues and when her mother finally stands up for herself, they are all kicked out of the house. Her sister, Allison, and her mother stay with nearby relatives, and Hannah is sent to stay with her aunt, Elizabeth. Rather than being angry at her father for making life hell, she is angry at her mother for not “following the rules”, which do not include standing up for oneself. From there, the story follows Hannah through high school, college, and after. It is poignant to see how all of her relationships are affected by her father’s influence on the family and the years of submitting to his anger. The narrative, in which the book is heavy, is closely personal with Hannah. The reader feels her stubbornness, her quirks, her imperfections as if they were one’s own. This is what I admire so much about Sittenfeld’s writing – her characters feel and think and speak so vividly that they seem like familiar friends. They are so real. Hannah is far from perfect and wise, but there is something appealing about her that has the reader cheering her from the sidelines. The writing is engaging and just so good. If Prep was like a rich stew, this is like the best apple pie you’ve ever had. This is an absolutely wonderful book. Drop everything (even your knitting) and go read it!
