April 18, 2005
YA50: Tangerine
Yes, I finally made it to #50! Of course I have a huge stack of other YA titles I want to get to, so the count won't stop here, but it does mean I'm going to have to start building the database of all of these, write booktalks for four of them, and make my lists of top favorites, etc. for this weekend's final ftf class (yes, I'm annoyed that we're having class on Passover).
Tangerine
by Edward Bloor
1997
Scholastic Paperbacks; Reissue edition (June 1, 2001)
304 pages
8 sound cassettes (10 hrs.) Narrated by Ramon de Ocampo.
Twelve-year-old Paul, who lives in the shadow of his football hero brother Erik, fights for the right to play soccer despite his near blindness and slowly begins to remember the incident that damaged his eyesight. The book is told through Paul's diary entries where he chronicles his adjustment to this bizarre new place, describing his triumph at soccer, making new friends, and fighting the frost to save a tangerine grove. No one except Paul -- especially their parents -- sees how vicious and amoral his brother Erik really is, but the secret is about to come out.
Gr 6-9, Ages 11+
The Library Journal Review of the audio version was written by our Deputy County Librarian! She writes that, "This excellent recording will bring new fans to a book that has become a YA classic." From Booklist: "There's a lot going on in the story--perhaps too much--and with the exception of Paul, the characters are little more than intriguing, shadowy shapes. Paul's musings occasionally seem too old for his years, as well. Still, the book has a lot going for it, especially the atmospheric portrait of the eerie community, where lightning strikes more often than it does anywhere else and a school is swallowed by a sinkhole. One thing is for sure: this dark debut novel proves that Bloor is a writer to watch." From Kirkus: "Smart, adaptable, and anchored by a strong sense of self-worth, Paul makes a memorable protagonist in a cast of vividly drawn characters; multiple yet taut plotlines lead to a series of gripping climaxes and revelations. Readers are going to want more from this author."
I've been listening to it in the car for the last week and definitely enjoyed it. While some of the plot twists are a bit unbelievable (a giant sink hole swallowing the modular classrooms?... actually that might be wishful thinking for those of us in SJSU's lovely modular maze) but Paul is a great character and I would definitely recommend the book to middle schoolers.
1997 "American Bookseller" Pick of the Lists, an ALA Top-Ten Best Book, a "Horn Book" Fanfare Book, a "Publishers Weekly" Best Book of the Year, and an Edgar Award nominee.