Carolyn Mackler's Michael L. Printz honor book, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things tells the story of how Virginia Shreves, an overweight teenager who has insecurities about her size, transforms from a self-conscious teen to a confident young woman. 

The story, which is told in first-person through narrative, journal entries, letters, and e-mails, will resonate with any young person who has struggled with her self-image or placed someone on a pedestal only to find that they are less than perfect. Virginia comes from a family of achievers. Her thin mother is a child psychologist (who fails to recognize her own children's problems), her thin sister is a Peace Corps volunteer and her older brother is revered at Columbia University. Finding herself alone when her best friend moves away for the year, Virginia longs for the attention of her older brother who she thinks the world of. She longs for a boyfriend but doesnt want to put any pressure on Froggy Welsh, the trombone playing classmate who she spends time kissing Monday afternoons but will not speak to at school in observance of the "Fat Girl Code of Conduct."

After learning that her brother committed date rape at school and is forced to return home, Virginia's whole world is turned upside down as she comes to grips with the fact that her brother is not perfect and searches for the place where she fits in. Although on the surface, the book is about a young girl struggling with a weight issue, it has a much deeper significance of accepting oneself and finding one's place in the world.

Set in New York City, the book tells a wonderful story which enraptures the reader. Although some aspects of the book seem imitative, such as the stereotypical parents who are so wrapped up in their own lives that they overlook their childrens' problems as well as the popular girl with the eating disorder, Mackler's voice is fresh and unusual. Elizabeth Mullen, an 11-year-old reader appreciated the book's original plot. While she felt that the characters were realistic and "sound like people [she goes] to school with," she read things she had not seen before, such as a youth flying all the way across the country to be with her friend who moved away or "having her own ATM card."
 
Virginia's self-deprecation and self-doubt will seem familiar to anyone who has lived to see adolescence. Her affinity for junk food and trouble putting down the potato chip bag will ring true to anyone who has tried to diet. Virginia is a realistic character and Mackler's choice of words in Virginia's thoughts and actions allow for the reader to acquaint to her quickly and easily. The banter and e-mails exchanged between Virginia and her best friend who has relocated to Walla Walla are humorous and true portrayals of contemporary teens. As Publisher's Weekly states, "The e-mails she exchanges with Shannon, and the lists she makes (e.g., "The Fat Girl Code of Conduct") add both realism and insight to her character" (1993). Virginia's weaknesses such as her negative self-image, attempts at self-destruction, lack of self-control, and fear of acknowledging her anger are expressed through her own thoughts and actions. 

The story moves at a smooth pace and time is indicated by a series of journal entries, e-mails, and references to holidays through which the reader can determine the passage of time. The New York setting gives Virginia an air of independence as well as the ability to do things that a book set elsewhere might restrict a teenager from doing, such as riding the subway up to visit her brother at college or popping into a travel agent to purchase a plane ticket. 

After enduring her brother's princely treatment despite having raped someone, being denied the ability to visit her friend so that she can stay home with her dysfunctional family for Thanksgiving, the book reaches an identifiable climax. Virginia ultimately stands up to her mother, decides to go to Seattle to meet her best friend in spite of her parents' wishes, establishes her own sense of style, and finally begins to accept herself. She realizes that her sister had been right in that her family was not perfect and she finally tells her father "Id rather you dont talk about my body. Its just not yours to discuss."
 
Although the book's message of accepting oneself is one that has been done time and again, Mackler's originality of style and tone are novel. Elizabeth Mullen felt like the theme was universal. Many kids feel the same way and experience the same things that Virginia does in the book. Anyone who has ever felt like they were switched at birth, were overlooked by their parents, or were tired of trying to conform to society's or their family's idea of perfection will appreciate and enjoy this whimsical book.

 

Roback, Diane, Jennifer M. Brown, Joy Beam and Jeff Zaleski. 2003. The Earth, my butt, and other big, round things (Book Review). Publishers Weekly 250 (21 July no 29): 197. In In Academic Search Premier (database online). Available from http://search.epnet.com/login.asp?profile=web&defaultdb=aph. Accessed 4 April 2004.

 

This work of contemporary realistic fiction is a convincing story of two teenagers whose very different lives come together to affect one another. Verna LaVaughn, referred to throughout the story as LaVaughn, is a fourteen-year-old inner city student who takes a job babysitting in an effort to save money for college, what she sees as the only way to get out of her situation. She begins to baby-sit for Jolly, a high school dropout with two very young children. LaVaughn's mother gives her permission to baby-sit under the condition that it does not interfere with her homework.

 

LaVaughn becomes more than a babysitter to Jolly's children. She becomes a caretaker to them when Jolly doesnt come home at night and she becomes Jolly's confidante when she is fired from her job after being sexually harassed and not giving in. Finally, she becomes Jolly's guiding light in introducing her to a program for young mothers in her school where Jolly gets the chance to start over and make positive changes for herself and her children.

 

The touching story is told in poetic language. It is laid out on the page in free verse and the patterns of speech are well suited to the teenaged heroines of the novel. For example, Jolly describes her days of being a homeless teenager: "People live in boxes, LaVaaaawwwwnnnn," she says. "What do you think? Everybody has a house and a mom? At first, your box is a little bit fun. It was summer, not bad. We played cards, we found things in dumpsters." The story is told through a mix of narration, character thoughts, and in conversation.

 

The overall feel of the book is one of insecurity. Jolly is uncertain of her fate. She is uncertain of how she will afford diapers and if shell be able to pay the bills. LaVaughn is uncertain if she will be able to keep her grades up for college. She is uncertain of what Jolly's mood will present each time she goes to baby-sit. At the close of the book, when Jolly prevails and saves her daughters life, the feel of the story changes to hope, accomplishment, and to that of overcoming great odds.

 

The story is set in an inner city community. A great deal of the book takes place at Jolly's filthy apartment, where "The plates are pasted together with noodles and these rooms smell like last week's garbage" However the book's setting is intentionally vague, as is the ethnicity of the characters. The author avoids stereotyping. Wolff's characters could be of any racial background and the story could take place in any community stricken by poverty. The point is that their plights and the story are universal. The setting affects LaVaughn in being her impetus to strive for better things. She wants to defy the odds by doing her best and getting an education so that she can get out of her community.

 

The gripping story reaches its climax when Jolly, after having completed a CPR course at LaVaughn's urging, saves her daughter's life when the child nearly chokes to death. This serves to reinforce the overall theme of the book-that of the necessity of education. Jolly has "taken hold" of her life, and the symbolism of the lemon seeds that LaVaughn has planted for the children takes root. Life had given them lemons and they are trying to make lemonade. While the notion of young, single mothers is all too familiar, Wolff tells this important story in a fresh, unique voice that adolescents will enjoy.

 

This Newbery award-winning tale of an "unlikely hero" is charming in every way. It is an old-fashioned fairy tale written with a modern feel.

 

Kate DiCamillo tells a fairy tale from the perspective of four different characters, each of with whom the reader will empathize. Despereaux, the hero of the story is a misfit mouse. He is smaller than the other mice in the castle, has large ears, and is quite sickly. Further, he reads books. His fellow mice finally reach the end of their rope with Despereaux, however, when he falls in love with a human princess. He is sent to the dungeon by the Mouse Council to be eaten by rats, but manages to find his way out.

 

The story next intertwines with that of young Miggery Sow, an unattractive peasant girl with "cauliflower ears" courtesy of beatings from her abusive father. After witnessing Princess Pea passing by her while in the field one day, Miggery begins to dream of becoming a princess. When she begins to work as a servant in the castle, her plot begins to become a reality.

 

Finally, there is Chiaroscuro, the rat who becomes torn between the light and the dark. When he leaves the dark dungeon in pursuit of light, he falls into the queen's soup, scaring her to death and evoking the wrath of Princess Pea, who he in turn vows to get revenge upon. Miggery Sow and the rat kidnap the princess at knifepoint and Despereaux saves his love, Princess Pea, with a spool of thread and a needle, culminating in a fairy-tale ending.

 

The style of writing is simplistic and frequently Victorian in including a narrator who addresses the reader. For example, the narrator introduces Roscuro. Then goes on to ask, "Reader, do you know the definition of the word "Chiaroscuro"? If you look in your dictionary, you will find the arrangement of light and dark, darkness and light together." There is a book for each character, but DiCamillo craftily merges each story into the next. The narrator often foreshadows the story and at times reassures the reader that things will be okay. Short chapters make the book manageable for young readers.

 

Despite hints of revenge and the often-dark setting, the story is an upbeat one. Despereaux's innocent love for the princess is romantic and the triumph of the underdog lightens the story. The book contains several elements of fantasy such as talking animals who have their own political system, a hero, a quest, and subplots within the story. Although there is no indication of time or place, the story takes place in a shimmering castle most likely in medieval England. The overall feel is dark and DiCamillo's descriptive language evokes the eeriness of a dank dungeon and the cold, draftiness of a castle.

 

The characters, revealed through narration, are well imaginable. Their actions say a great deal about them. Readers will love Despereaux for his charm, his determination, and for his blind innocence. Miggery is not particularly likable, but is instead pitiable. She was named for her father's award-winning pig and thus, her name all but determines her fate. Miggery, like many real girls her age, dreams of being a princess. Roscuro is a bitter, evil rat who is supposed to be the villain of the story, but readers won't be able to help but to feel sorry for him, confused as he is as to whether he should follow the light or stay in the comfort of the dark. The princess is a pure, forgiving creature, sugary sweet and but for her hatred for the rat, almost too kind to be believable. She empathizes with Miggery for kidnapping her at knifepoint because, "she wants to be a princess so badly and she thinks that this is the way. Poor, poor Mig. What must it be like to want something that desperately?" Black and white pencil illustrations adorn the book providing visual affirmation of the characters without giving away too much of the setting. They provide extra drama to the storyline, in particular an illustration of poor Despereaux between two hooded mice with the string around his neck about to be thrown into the dungeon.

 

The story moves despite the frequent changes in focus on characters. Events build when Chiaroscuro convinces Miggery that she can be a princess if only she can get rid of Princess Pea. They set about making plans to kidnap the princess. They successfully kidnap her and take her to the dungeon. An identifiable climax is reached when Despereaux embarks on his mission to save his beloved. Important universal lessons abound throughout, including the introduction of new vocabulary, such as the words "empathetic," "perfidy," and "Chiaroscuro." The story also provides readers with a stated lesson of following one's heart, "Reader, you must know that an interesting fate (sometimes involving rats, sometimes not) awaits almost everyone, mouse or man, who does not conform." Although some lessons are stated, they do not disrupt the flow of the story or talk down to young readers because of the style of writing. Themes of good versus evil, light versus dark, and perseverance resonate throughout the book. The symbolism of the use of light versus dark appears throughout the book. This clever story is likely to become a classic to be read and reread by children and adults alike.

 

The story opens with Jonas, an eleven (year-old), nearing his twelfth year. The ceremony for the twelfth year is an exciting, but stressful one for those making the transition, for it is during this ceremony when they will be given the assignments for the work that they will be doing for the rest of their lives. At the ceremony Jonas is assigned the role of the Receiver. He later learns that this title means that he will be the receiver of memories. His predecessor who holds the memories that are being passed along to Jonas, is the Giver, hence the title.

 

Jonas has one of the most unusual jobs in the Community. Most people in the Community have no recollection or notion of the world prior to its current state. Jonas receives memories from the Giver of snow, love, sunburn, and war--all things unknown to the current members of the Community. He receives happy memories and he receives dismal ones. He is forced to carry knowledge that his fellow citizens are unaware of. As Jonas receives more memories, his attitude and opinion of the sameness forced upon the Community begins to shift and he makes a break for his freedom, taking with him an orphan infant, or "newchild" who was slated for release, or death.
   

Characters are revealed through narration and conversation. Although most of the characters, such as Jonas' family, are very simple and lack depth, Jonas is likeable. Readers will identify with his struggle to make a decision to conform to the societal norm or break the mold. They will understand his youthful naïveté at the beginning of the story and his confusion when he realizes that things aren't what they had seemed to be. They will be pleased with his obvious maturation when he decides that he can no longer be content with the rules set forth by the Community.

 

Straightforward, plain prose depicts life in an unnamed community set in the future. In this controlled community, there is no pollution, no color, and there are no weather elements. Despite the intended perfection of the community, there is a feeling of unrest that is not stated by the author, but implied in the text. Lowery's simple text makes the difficult concept of life in a world with no emotions or the freedom to make choices easy for young readers to grasp. She has created new terms that are specific to the text, such as referring to age groups, such as six year-olds as "Sixes," infants as "newchildren," and death as "release."

 

The book comes to a definite climax when Jonas takes Gabriel, the "newchild," and takes flight, leaving the security of the Community. He is forced to take cover and rely on the memories that were transmitted to him to escape without being detected. By making his journey outside of the community, Jonas will release the memories back to the people, in an effort to give them back their freedom. The book's theme: the virtue of freedom extends beyond the text to have universal implications.

 

Children will enjoy this book. It is imaginative and fresh. Although one would hope it is not plausible, the consistency in the tale makes it believable. The characters and theme of The Giver will leave a lasting impression on children.