Punch with Judy

by Avi

Libby audiobook 4 hours

Published: 1997 (this version 2013)

Read by: Johnny Heller

Genre: YA historical fiction

 

I felt as though I had read this book before, but couldn't find a summary on my blog. It's not the best example of the orphan boy joining a traveling sideshow. Set in 1870 on the East Coast of the United States, our protagonist is taken in by Mr. McSnead and his Merry Men. Mr. McSnead's daughter Judy is also in the show, dancing on a horse's back. He gives the new boy the name "Punch" as an allusion to the Punch and Judy puppet shows. (I hadn't realized that Punch and Judy has been around for hundreds of years!)

 

In part 3, Twig describes the different types of humor. I found it very interesting!

 

A bit later, Twig says, "Who the devil cares what your plans are, you misbegotten imitation of a wooden stick?!" to Horatio. That made me laugh. And stop the story to listen again and jot down the insult.

 

The cruelty that some of the adults showed toward Punch was just incredibly sad. As an orphan, he needed compassion and kindness, not cruelty.

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

by Avi
PRMS paperback 221 pages
genre: YA historical fiction, adventure

Spoiler alert!

It has been a long time since I read this and I wanted to see if it would work for book clubs. I still love this story - the adventure, the changes in Charlotte's perspective, the characters . . .

I had forgotten the ending. Her dad's fierce rejection of her experiences and perspective. Her decision to run away and re-join the ship's crew. I think it's a good choice for book club. It's a very accessible book.

The Book Without Words

by Avi
PRMS hardcover 203 pages
genre: YA historical fiction, magic

Interesting. I thought of including this with our spring medieval hist fic unit, but the magical elements are pretty strong. The factual details jump out at me - lack of hygiene, poverty, illiteracy, etc. But I'm not sure if middle schoolers would clue into that as much as the book of spells that can only be read by a green-eyed person with great desire.

Sybil is a youngster who is happy to have a place to sleep and some food to eat, even though her new master, Thorston, is not kind. He also plans to steal her life force to make himself invincible, but she doesn't know that yet. Odo the talking crow (who's actually a changed goat), Brother Wilfrid the monk, Alfric the green-eyed street urchin, Master Bashcroft the reeve, and others make this tale intriguing if somewhat predictable. I most liked Alfric and Sybil's ability to make friends and care for others.

City of Light, City of Dark

by Avi, drawings by Brian Floca
PRMS paperback 192 pages
genre: YA / graphic novel / fantasy

This was yet another re-read for me, in preparation for the sixth grade book club tomorrow. Enjoyable, clean, action-packed, with some interesting observations to be made. I'm looking forward to discussing it.

The Traitor's Gate

by Avi
Carver County Library, audioCD, 8.25 hours
Read by John Keating

Very much reminiscent of Dickens (and many of the characters are reading David Copperfield as it is published in the newspaper), The Traitor's Gate follows young John Huffam as his father is put into debtor's prison. John is the only family member with any sense and it's up to him to figure out what is going on.

This would be a good book for any of my bookish students, especially those who enjoy mysteries, but I don't think it will have broad appeal.

What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything? and other stories

by Avi
CMSW, hard cover, 196 pages

I intended to read this over the summer . . . guess I missed the boat! Finally done. Interesting collection, a little edgy.

"What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything?" - boy befriends homeless man and confronts his single mom with the meaning of happiness

"The Goodness of Matt Kaizer" - a truly nasty kid goes to the home of a classmate whose father is dying so that he can be cruel and torment her. He ends up being perceived by the dying father as a kind of savior who can take his last confession. The experience permanently changes the boy.

"Talk to Me" - Maria's 16-year-old brother has been gone for a year and no one will talk about him. When her phone frequently rings at 4pm, she believes it is him trying to contact her, even though no one talks.

"Teacher Tamer" - when Gregory decides to get revenge on Mrs. Wessex, he learns about her motivation and opinion of him. That changes his plan, but not his result.

"Pets" - a girl is crazy about pets until her dead cats try to get her to die, too.

"What's Inside" - a boy is on the spot when his cousin wants to commit suicide, but the two identical boxes he made in shop class help him find an out.

"Fortune Cookie" - an angry 13-year-old asks his divorced parents to have dinner with him for his birthday present, but then he behaves in a way that alienates his father and makes his mother cry.

Interesting collection. I think kids would respond to most of these stories.