Young – just thirteen years old. Opportunity – scholarship won (the doors of an elite boarding school are swung open). Passage - from a youngster to a young man. This story is told through the journal of John “Spud” Milton. The year is 1990. The place is Durbin, South Africa. Through “Spud’s” daily diary of his life during his first year of boarding school, the reader is taken on a very wild and funny ride in this boy’s life. We meet his family, we meet his friends, and we meet head on what it feels like to be going through adolescence. When John Van de Ruit takes us into Spud’s world, we are thoroughly entertained and feel as if we are in Africa in 1990. It is the end of apartheid, the release of Nelson Mandela, and a time of change in Spud’s life and his country. The story begins with John packing up to go to boarding school. His parents are at times endearing and at other times are a real pain to this young man. Van de Ruit adds in a senile grandmother to round out the family unit. The antics of the three adult family members in John’s life add to the humor within the story. John is excited yet anxious about leaving his comfortable, but crazy parents to attend his first year at an elite boarding school. He goes through times of being homesick and when he does come home or on a family holiday, we can see how he, also, becomes sick of his home! This story highlights the confusion and the roller coaster ride of entering into one’s teenage years. Spud first year at the boarding school consists of an up and down ride from exciting (chosen as the lead in the school play) to sorrowful (at the end of the story, the death of someone close to him). It is a funny piece of writing that takes you through the confusion of one’s first love in a funny yet poignant way. By the end of the novel, you feel as if you have been taken to South Africa in 1990 and are spending each day with Spud’s family and friends. The text is written in diary (journal entry) form. He begins with his first day of starting school and ends with the last day of the school year. I think that this novel is a great for boys in the upper grades, as well as, for boys entering freshman year of high school. It is a humorous account of the physical and emotional growth one thirteen year old has within his life. I am sure many boys in this age bracket feel the same way Spud does emotionally and physical.
5 comments:
I would again suggest putting these links in differently. hyperlink them but not with the title of the website, its really awkward. if you keep it that way maybe move it to the end. this seems like a good book for boys? there seems to be more literature for girls available~
Hi Mary! Thanks for your posting.
I went back through your posted and edited the hyperlinks, the way that Amanda suggested. To do this yourself in the future, as you are writing your post, left click on the word you want to highlight or hyperlink to, and then click on the hyperlink button in Blogger. This will prompt you to insert a URL to link you word to. Insert the URL, and Blogger will automatically insert the correct code for you.
I know what I just said is complicated--look at our Blackboard discussion forum for more info.
Also, you don't have to hit enter at the end of each line, when you are writing your post. Just keep writing, and blogger will "wrap around," which means that the computer will automatically move your words to the correct line when necessary (ok: simpler instructions: don't hit enter until you want to start a new paragraph).
I hope this helps--take care!
TP
I just noticed a few tiny typos.
In your third real paragraph, you write "Spud first year..."
Isn't "your "up and down ride" supposed to be hyphenated?
And, in your last paragraph, first sentence, you have one "a" that probably doesn't belong there.
hopefully that helps.
If I were you, I would probably cut a little from your summary. It is pretty long and you say similar things. But ask other people too. I don't want to advise you to do something wrong.
Another suggestion: I especially like your beginning. These bullet points are attention catching. To be more resolute with your style, I would shorten the second one. Cut either the first part or the parenthethise. If you keep the parenthethise, don't use the whole sentense, though, because of consistency.
It sounds like an interesting book for boys.
I really enjoyed your review and especially like the format you used for your hook. That in itself was attention getting.
I know this novel is narrated by a boy and is about his life. So obviously, boys would identify with the character. My question is how would girls relate to this book? If I were to incorporate this novel into my classroom would the girls have issues relating because of the male-centered content? Just curious.
Post a Comment