If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period

by Gennifer Choldenko Narrated by Ariadne Meyers, Francois Battiste

Overview

For Kirsten McKenna, the world is crumbling. Her parents are barely speaking to each other, and her best friend has come under the spell of the school's queen bee, Brianna. Only Kirsten's younger science-geek sister is on her side.

For Walker Jones, the goal is to survive at the new white private school his mom has sent him to because she thinks he's going to screw up like his cousin. (Walk keeps telling her,“Don't have to worry, Momma. Before I go bad I'll let you know, send a Hallmark card ready-made for the occasion . `On the eve your son messes up.'”)

But Walk is a good kid. So is his new friend, Matteo, though no one knows why Matteo will do absolutely anything that hot blond Brianna asks of him.

Then Kirsten discovers something that shakes her and Walk to their cores. . . .

Editorial Reviews

Elizabeth Ward

Choldenko…has a spiky wit, an empathetic eye for kids' foibles and fears, an ear for their distinctive voices and an impressive range…While it treats issues of race, class and marital discord fearlessly, it's also one of the funniest they'll read this year.
—The Washington Post

Publishers Weekly

The issues raised are spot-on for this age group. . . . (an) under-the-microscope examination of the often cruel, always dramatic dynamics of junior high.”

School Library Journal

Choldenko convincingly covers the middle school scene . . . sparkling characterization and touches of humor . . . tumultuous twists that ultimately convince Kirsten that, indeed, she does matter.”

Kirkus Reviews

Choldenko's talent for characters and conversation brings the two voices instantly to life in alternating points of view...This will appeal to a wide range of middle-school readers and would make a great book-club or classroom discussion."

From the Publisher

"The issues raised are spot-on for this age group. . . . (an) under-the-microscope examination of the often cruel, always dramatic dynamics of junior high."—Publishers Weekly "Choldenko . . . has a spiky wit, an empathetic eye for kids’ foibles and fears, an ear for their distinctive voices and an impressive range . . . While [this book] treats issues of race, class and marital discord fearlessly, it's also one of the funniest they'll read this year."—The Washington Post Book World —

The Washington Post Book World

"Choldenko has a flair for titles: Notes From a Liar and Her Dog, Al Capone Does My Shirts, now this. But books don't fly on titles alone. Choldenko also has a spiky wit, an empathetic eye for kids' foibles and fears, an ear for their distinctive voices and an impressive range. . . . If a Tree Falls unfolds in the less exotic setting of a fancy private school, but it treads more explosive ground as it switches between the viewpoints of two seventh-graders there—Kirsten, who is white, and Walk, who is black. That catchy title is a metaphor for the uprooting that takes place when Kirsten and Walk learn they have a whole lot more in common than their "brilliance." At the same time, it signals this book's real appeal for pre-teens: While it treats issues of race, class and marital discord fearlessly, it's also one of the funniest they'll read this year. "

APR/MAY 08 - AudioFile

Seventh-grader Kristen McKenna is devastated by her best friend’s betrayal and her parents’ incessant arguments. At least the new kid, Walker, is showing a little kindness. Kristen’s story is brought to life by Ariadne Meyers, whose youthful voice deftly portrays Kristen’s anger, shaky determination, and quirky sense of humor as she discovers new definitions of friendship and family. Francois Battiste reads the chapters from Walker’s point of view, revealing the uncertainty lurking just under the surface of his hip poise. Battiste is adept at expressing Walker’s sharp mind and natural charm. Meyers and Battiste’s teamwork meshes smoothly in this funny and engaging story with a realistic middle school setting. Author Choldenko treats the heavy themes of race, class, and self-esteem with a delicate touch. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169236088
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	10/09/2007
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

Read an Excerpt

If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period

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By Choldenko, Gennifer

Harcourt Children's Books

Copyright © 2007 Choldenko, Gennifer
All right reserved.
ISBN: 9780152057534

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one
 
Kirsten
 
This is lame but I’m actually looking forward to school this year, because every day this summer was like crap: dog crap, cat crap—I even had a few elephant crap days. Trust me, it was bad.
 
           For starters I hardly saw my best friend in the whole world, Rory. She was always in camp or on Maui.
 
           They probably don’t even have crap on Maui.
 
           Besides Rory being gone all summer, my only other friend in the whole world, Nellie, moved away and my mom and dad fought all the time. They stopped seeing my little sister, Kippy, and me, and they definitely stopped hearing what we said. We even tried a little experiment on them. Kippy said there was a colony of worms living in the laundry hamper and my mom said: “Leave your muddy shoes outside.” And I said Brad Pitt had invited me to a slumber party and my mom said: “You already had your snack.”
 
           It was funny for a while. Then it wasn’t.
 
           But summer is over. School is back. And all I can think about as mymom drives us up to the drop-off is how I really, really, really want to have a bunch of classes with Rory this year. Well, that’s almost all I think of. I also consider my butt and how it will make its way out of our car. Nobody wants to see a gigantor butt coming out of a car first thing on a Monday morning, that much I know.
 
           “Have a good day. Eat the lunch I packed. Don’t buy junk . . . ,” my mom says when my feet hit the pavement.
            “Kirsten!” She unrolls the side window and beckons with her hand. “Do you know that boy, that bla—African American kid?” Her head cranes toward a guy who just gotout of a red sports car. Tall, nice-looking guy. Shaved head, handsome . . . dresses like he’s the governor’s son.
 
           I shrug. “Must be new.”
 
           The red car pulls out of the drop-off and my mom’s head snaps to the front. She pounces on the accelerator and her car flies forward with the door open and the seat belt clanking the side. She swerves around a big SUV, guns it, then pounces on the brakes, coming to a squealing, screeching halt.
 
           The stop sign.
 
           Her hand rotates a million miles an hour, gesturing to this poor huddled pedestrian, but the pedestrian won’t move. He’s afraid. I can’t blame the guy. . . . I’d be afraid, too.
 
           When my mom sees the man is sticking, she shoots forward again like she’s on the chase. She’s hunting down the red car, going to drive right over it and staple it to the ground.
 
           Oh, great: now she’s getting weird in public, too.
 
           When I turn to leave, the black kid is standing next to me. “That your mom?”
 
           I nod, then giggle. God, I hate my giggle. You have to be size three and named Barbie for my giggle. Between my giggle and the extra forty pounds, I’ve got to be the coolest girl in the whole seventh grade.
 
           “She hits my mom’s car, gonna be trouble.” He shakes his head. “You don’t wanna mess with my mom and that car.”
 
           “I’m sorry.” My face flames so hot I could fry eggs on my cheeks.
 
           “That’s a 350Z. We just got it. My mom’s been shining it with her toothbrush. You should see her.”
 
           “It’s nice.” I bite my lip. “Very red.”
 
           “My mom drives it real careful. She has two speeds. One mile an hour”—he pauses—“and stopped.”
 
           I laugh—my real laugh this time.
 
           “I thought the police were gonna pull us over for going so slow. Like, hey lady, get outta neutral.” He shakes his head.
 
           The warning bell rings. “We gotta move!” he says.
 
           “You go. I’ll never make it!”
 
           “Come on, whatever your name is, run,” he shouts over his shoulder.
 
           “My name is Kirsten,” I call after him as he thunders ahead taking the stairs two at a time.
 
           I try running, even though running makes my fat jiggle. Still, I want to keep up. This guy is nice to me even though my mother nearly creamed a guy in the crosswalk and chased down his mom’s car. My mother . . . I swear. What was that about, anyway?
Copyright © 2007 by Gennifer Choldenko
 
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
 
Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work should be submitted online at www.harcourt.com/contact or mailed to the following address: Permissions Department, Harcourt, Inc., 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, Florida 32887-6777.

Continues...

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Excerpted from If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Choldenko, Gennifer Copyright © 2007 by Choldenko, Gennifer. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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