See You at Harry's

amelix - I recently just finished the book See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles. The book starts off with Fern being annoyed with her dad's crazy ideas and little brother, Charlie, always nagging her. Until, one day Charlie hit his head too hard and died from something in his brain being damaged. Fern and her family were devastated and it took them a while to finally get back into reality after Charlie's death. I think the book was fantastic and I really enjoyed the unexpected turns the book took because it left me in the edge of my chair. Although, I would have included more about how Charlie died because it seemed unclear to me. The book is considered realistic fiction because Charlie's death and Fern's relationship with her family could very well happen, but the story was not based on a real family. Someone that would enjoy this book is someone who likes emotional books and sad stories because it leaves you in tears over Charlie's death. The book is emotional because Holden faces internal conflict when he is scared to admit his sexuality to his family and what they will think about it. Another external conflict is when Holden gets bullied for being gay and he has to stand up against society for himself. Overall, See You at Harry's is a great book that is now my new favorite.

June 11, 2012
Twelve-year-old Fern's family members are so consumed with their own lives that Fern often feels overlooked. She has a lot on her plate, dealing with her annoying three-year-old brother, Charlie, and tart-tongued sister, Sara, as well as being publically embarrassed by her father's overzealous marketing for their family restaurant, Harry's. Additionally, Fern's mother often disappears to meditate, while older brother Holdenâwho is being bullied at school and is struggling over whether to come out as gayâpushes Fern away. Things become nearly unbearable when Fern blames herself for a tragic accident that rocks the family to its core. Luckily, Fern's closest friend, the perpetually serene Ran, and, indeed, her family help her find a glimmer of hope amid powerful grief. Through the eyes of Fern, Knowles (Lessons from a Dead Girl) introduces a cast of distinct, fully developed characters who exhibit authentic emotions, foibles, and expressions of love. Readers will feel deeply for the family in the aftermath of the plot's heart-wrenching turn, which pulls them closer together. Ages 12âup. Agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary.

May 1, 2012

Gr 6-9-Fern often feels invisible in her bustling family. Because of the restaurant her parents run, her teenage sister's angst, her gay older brother's struggle with bullies, and the incessant cuteness of her little brother, Charlie, there isn't a lot of attention left for a quiet, literary sixth grader. She isn't invisible at school, but that's just because everyone has seen the supremely embarrassing, cheesy commercial her father forced the entire family to star in. Fern finds some solace in her friendship with Ran, who repeatedly assures her that "all will be well," but this mantra proves untrue when Charlie is struck by a car while in Fern's care. Though initially appearing unharmed, his internal injuries prove fatal, and Fern must come to terms with her loss and feelings of guilt while struggling to find her place in her family and in the wider world. Knowles paints a moving and authentic picture of a family grieving, but readers may be put off by the repetitiveness of the plot elements that at times bog down the pacing. However, the book might appeal to precocious readers who will enjoy Knowles's allusions to literary characters and use of rich vocabulary. Additionally, See You at Harry's will fill a niche for those seeking works with a gay character in which his sexuality is not the main focus of the book.-Gesse Stark-Smith, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 1, 2012
Sit back in a comfortable chair, bring on the Kleenex and cry your heart out. Seventh grader Fern, in pitch-perfect present tense, relates the dual tragedies of her family. Her high-school-freshman older brother Holden has come to the place in his life where he's acknowledged that he's gay and is taking the first painful, unsteady steps out into a less-than-fully-accepting world. Fern offers him support and love, but what she can give is not always what he needs. Their older sister, Sara, spending a frustrating gap year after high school supposedly helping with the family restaurant, makes life hard for everyone with her critical eye and often unkind comments. And then there's 3-year-old Charlie, always messy, often annoying, but deeply loved. Fern's busy, distracted parents leave all of the kids wanting for more attention--until a tragic accident tears the family apart. The pain they experience after the calamity is vividly, agonizingly portrayed and never maudlin. Eventually there are tiny hints of brightness to relieve the gloom: the wisdom of Fern's friend Ran, the ways that Sara, Fern and Holden find to support each other and their thoughtfully depicted, ever-so-gradual healing as they rediscover the strength of family. Prescient writing, fully developed characters and completely, tragically believable situations elevate this sad, gripping tale to a must-read level. (Fiction. 11 & up)

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July 1, 2012
Grades 6-9 To 12-year-old Fern, her family has become little more than a random group of people who occasionally eat dinner together. Her dad is obsessed with the family restaurant, Harry's; her mom is constantly meditating; her older siblings have their own busy lives; and three-year-old Charlie is the center of everyone's world. And then . . . tragedy. In a flash the book changes course, and readers will be reaching for their hankies. The family implodes, and it takes many heart-wrenching pages before they are able to find their way back to one another. Readers may begin this book thinking that Fern's annoying family will be the backdrop for her adventures with boys and friends, but it is just the reverse. As in John Corey Whaley's award-winning Where Things Come Back (2011), the powerful bonds of family, so casually acknowledged in the everyday, can be crippling when broken. This is highly recommended for readers dealing with their own grief issues, but any teen can benefit from the reminder that family can be simultaneously humiliating and invaluable.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)