12/22/2014
Ari and her older brother, Gage, have lived with a strict guardian since their mother died four years ago, but now Gage, 19, wants to leave—and take 11-year-old Ari with him. The siblings’ mother implored them to “Stay together always,” but without an apartment or a job for Gage, they bounce around among friends’ places and a homeless shelter, even spending a night in Gage’s girlfriend’s car. As Ari falls behind at school, she wonders if she can still fulfill her mother’s wish for her to attend a middle-school for gifted kids. Despite an overly neat conclusion, Jacobson (Small as an Elephant) elevates her book beyond “problem novel” territory with an engaging narrator who works hard to be loyal to her brother—and to her mother’s memory. Small moments pack big emotional wallops, as when a teacher gives Ari “brand-new, trés cool shoes” to replace her “ratty” ones, or when Ari pretends that the people she cuts from magazine are a family, because, “With a big family you’re likely to have someone watching out for you always.” A tender exploration of homelessness. Ages 10–up. (Feb.)
Paper Things
Narrated by Kate Rudd
Jennifer Richard JacobsonUnabridged — 7 hours, 5 minutes
Paper Things
Narrated by Kate Rudd
Jennifer Richard JacobsonUnabridged — 7 hours, 5 minutes
Overview
When forced to choose between staying with her guardian and being with her big brother, Ari chose her big brother. There's just one problem-Gage doesn't actually have a place to live.
When Ari's mother died four years ago, she had two final wishes: that Ari and her older brother, Gage, would stay together always, and that Ari would go to Carter, the middle school for gifted students. So when eigheeen-year-old Gage decided he could no longer live with their bossy guardian, Janna, Ari knew she had to go with him-even though she'd miss baking cookies with Janna and curling up to watch HGTV. What Ari didn't realize was that Gage didn't have an apartment yet.
And now, two months later, he still doesn't.
He and Ari have been "couch surfing," staying with Gage's friend in his tiny apartment, crashing with Gage's girlfriend and two roommates, and if necessary, sneaking into a juvenile shelter to escape the cold Maine nights. But all of this jumping around makes it hard for Ari to keep up with her schoolwork, never mind her friendships, and getting into Carter starts to seem impossible. Will Ari be forced to break one of her promises to Mama?
Told in an open, authentic voice, this nuanced story of hiding in plain sight may have listeners thinking about homelessness in a whole new way.
Editorial Reviews
This novel will engender empathy and understanding of a serious and all-too-real problem. Jacobson’s story is poignant but never preachy.
—School Library Journal (starred review)
Jacobson elevates her book beyond “problem novel” territory with an engaging narrator who works hard to be loyal to her brother—and to her mother’s memory. Small moments pack big emotional wallops... A tender exploration of homelessness.
—Publishers Weekly
Powerful... It is well written, with a moving plot, and is told in an authentic voice that pulls the reader in. ... Jacobson tells a story that is authentic and relatable to a wide audience of readers. This novel is a definite must-purchase for a library’s collection.
—VOYA
Ari's plight vividly illustrates the myriad consequences of homelessness, and the adults around her who should be picking up on the numerous clues to her situation seem oblivious. Her perceptive first-person voice neatly captures her conflicted loyalty to Gage but also to Janna, as well as her valiant attempts to make an impossible situation work out. ... A thoughtful and moving exploration of homelessness.
—Kirkus Reviews
In this poignant view of one child’s experience with homelessness, Jacobson deftly shows how easily it can happen, an insidious downward spiral with heart-wrenching consequences.
—The Horn Book
Through Ari’s resiliency, Jacobson introduces readers to the precarious and frightening life of a homeless elementary-school student who holds fast to her dreams and the only family she knows. It is her mature sense of her own needs that informs the adults who love her and helps them to understand how they might build a future together.
—Booklist
Paper Things treats honesty, compassion and generosity as things we can never have too much of in life. Here’s hoping it inspires more of the same in its readers.
—BookPage
Ari’s struggle to stay afloat as the bottom drops out of her world is compelling...readers will be glad to see her successfully negotiate her divided loyalties and find a safe home.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Jacobson’s realistic fiction novel provides a rich context for dialogue about recognizing the signs of homelessness and providing resources to students and families.
—Literacy Daily
The novel is ideal for a booktalk featuring strong characters.
—School library Connection
01/01/2016
Gr 9 Up—Aaron Soto shares a one-bedroom apartment in the Bronx with his mother and brother, his father committed suicide, and his friends aren't the greatest. The bright spot in his life is his girlfriend, Genevieve, but she's away for a month-long art retreat. Aaron begins spending time with Thomas, a new boy who doesn't quite fit in with his group of friends, and soon discovers he's happier than he's ever been before. Maybe too happy. Before long, Aaron realizes he's romantically interested in Thomas, but Thomas doesn't reciprocate, and his friends won't tolerate having a gay friend. Aaron turns to the Leteo Institute, known for their memory-relief procedures, to try to get his life on track. Ramon de Ocampo voices the myriad characters and brings Silvera's tale to life. VERDICT Tackling issues including race, class, and sexuality, this book is fitting for mature teens. ["A gripping read—Silvera skillfully weaves together many divergent young adult themes within an engrossing, intense narrative": SLJ 5/15 starred review of the Soho Teen book.]—Amanda Stern, Northwest Village School, Plainville, CT
★ 01/01/2015
Gr 4–8—This gentle depiction of homelessness follows Arianna Hazard, a fifth grader who bounces between friends' couches and a shelter while struggling to hide her situation from classmates. Ari and her beloved 18-year-old brother Gage live with Jana, a caring but strict foster parent, until Gage decides they should strike out on their own. He plans to find them an apartment; when that doesn't work out, Ari and Gage spend months staying with Gage's girlfriend or buddies, or sneaking into a juvenile shelter on nights when couch surfing isn't an option. Ari has many of the same concerns as her other fifth grade classmates—getting a leadership role at her school, finishing her homework on time, maintaining her friendships—but her living situation makes everything more difficult. Ari's friendships are strained, and her grades slip as she tries to navigate homelessness. Everything becomes challenging, from personal hygiene to getting to school on time. Since her mother's death four years ago (her soldier father was killed before Ari was born), Ari has hoped to fulfill her mother's dream and go to Carter Middle School, a school for gifted students. However, the dip in her grades—and a detention for trying to revive elementary school traditions against the principal's wishes—may ruin her chances. Ari finds comfort in a "family" cut out from catalogs, her "paper things." This novel will engender empathy and understanding of a serious and all-too-real problem. Jacobson's story is poignant but never preachy. While the ending won't come as a surprise to many readers, this is a sweet and touching portrayal of a resilient young girl.—Miranda Doyle, Lake Oswego School District, OR
2014-11-11
There is no safety net for Ari.Or if there is one, it's full of holes. Her parents are both dead, and a friend of her mother, Janna, has been guardian to Ari and her older brother, Gage, for the past few years. But 19-year-old Gage and Janna have never gotten along well. Gage lies to Janna about having a place of his own and moves out with 11-year-old Ari. As she struggles to keep up with her classes—her hopes of attending a school for the gifted next year rest on this unlikely feat—they move from place to place: friends' and acquaintances' homes, homeless shelters and even a car. Ari's plight vividly illustrates the myriad consequences of homelessness, and the adults around her who should be picking up on the numerous clues to her situation seem oblivious. Her perceptive first-person voice neatly captures her conflicted loyalty to Gage but also to Janna, as well as her valiant attempts to make an impossible situation work out. Small acts of kindness help the pair get by. It's Ari's poignantly depicted play with her "Paper Things," a treasured pseudo-family of cut-out magazine people, that conveys most effectively her loss and hope. If the resolution is too easy, it is also satisfying, the journey enlightening. A thoughtful and moving exploration of homelessness. (Fiction. 10-14)
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940172553653 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Brilliance Audio |
| Publication date: | 02/10/2015 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
| Age Range: | 10 - 14 Years |
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