The 10 P.M. Question

thumsup - Hi everyone! I know that I haven't been on Dogonews and writing reviews for a long time now... ;__; but I promise I'll be back soon! Please keep checking for new updates from Thumsup! UPDATE: 1/15/2014 Now, let's get this review started! The 10 PM Question first strikes you with how.......ordinary, it is. From looking at the cover of two birds and one in a cage, I guess you had expected this book to be a mystery or suspense novel. You were thinking, "Oh, that's symbolism, right? One bird in a cage; maybe one person gets captured and held hostage while the other person comes to them each day, offering hospitality and rations in secret, hoping sometime in the foreseeable future that they can both be together, and free!" And then you were probably praising yourself for being such a genius, and setting REALLY HIGH expectations on this book since all thriller novels are supposed to be grand, right? -__- I hope that you weren't HONESTLY thinking all that. If you were, then luckily you are reading my review before you shock yourself by realizing how judgmental you are, and that this book is accomplished in something different than your dream fantasy thriller novel. First, you encounter Frank. He is your everyday boy who worries about keeping neat, being stressed by trivial things, and upholding all the order and organization in a supposedly very unkempt household- all by himself. Wait, did I actually meet boys like this in real life? *Comtemplates brother, father's room, obnoxious classmates at school who can't keep their locker clean for a single HOUR* Nope, I didn't. Due to all this, he commonly freaks out at every little thing in his way, but finds the motivation to keep moving forward by discussing his troubles with his mother. There isn't very much we know about Mother, except how she is a good mother, never goes out of the house (ever), and shares her troubles with her beloved son at 10-pm every night. So, there is a very mysterious air about her. This is just a small part of the book. However, you might be confused if you find yourself tricked by the many incidents that happen in the plot, so you have to be very attentive and active comprehensively. After I was done reading this novel, I realized that if I was hired to write something like this, I would fail epically. Kate de Goldi masterfully handles the plot of the story not by converging it into subplots, but by keeping it hidden woven through every chapter and beckoning for those detective readers to come find it, and be pleasantly surprised to find something other than the pearl they were looking for. Do you want to know what they find? A massive string of jewels, rubies, emeralds, and diamonds; something priceless in this realistic but unique story of 10-pm questions and consequences, good and unfortunate.

September 1, 2010

Gr 6-8-Aside from being a nervous wreck and hypochondriac, 12-year-old Frankie thinks his life in New Zealand is pretty normal. He and his friend Gigs love cricket, swimming, and making up their own language. When a new girl enters his class, though, he begins to question everything. Sydney is a carefree soul who has been in 22 schools because her mother moves a lot. She is loud, doesn't care what others think of her, and is constantly asking questions. As he gets to know her, Frankie learns that Sydney's mother may be a prostitute who leaves Sydney oftentimes alone to care for her younger siblings. This infuriates him and also forces him to think about his own unusual home life, which includes his mother having not left the house in nine years. Although rather slow moving in the beginning, this is an interesting and thoughtful coming-of-age story. What starts as a Stargirl-like character coming between the friendship of two boys becomes a moving tale about the challenges of family life and being different. The book is highly descriptive and a great deal of it is made up of Frankie's memories, which establish his character and give readers insight into his life. They will not only feel his anxiety, but also understand where it comes from. Each chapter ends with nightly discussions between him and his mother, which are both telling and rather beautiful. Ultimately, he is able to come to terms with and appreciate his family and learn that life can be good, even if it's not perfect.-Kerry Roeder, The Brearley School, New York City

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2010
Grades 7-12 *Starred Review* Twelve-year-old Frankie dreams of having his best friend Gigs worry-free disposition. But in his family, Frankie feels like he is the only one who bothers doing the thinking about everything from grocery lists to smoke-alarm batteries, and nothing seems to quiet his internal rodent voice . . . the perpetual bearer of unpalatable facts, once it gets rolling. Then irrepressible tomboy Sydney arrives at school and befriends Frankie almost against his will. Prompted by her brash charm, Frankie begins to follow Sydneys book of wacko etiquette and, for once, talk straight and tough about family mysteries, beginning with the most obvious and avoided question: Why does Ma never leave the house? An award-winning best-seller in New Zealand, where it was published in 2008, De Goldis novel is an achingly poignant, wryly comic story of early adolescence that invites comparisons to works by authors as varied as Lynne Rae Perkins, Nick Hornby, and J. D. Salinger. Nearly every character, from Frankies cheerfully sardonic teacher to the trio of pillowy, cigar-smoking aunties who give him sanctuary, is a loving, talented, unforgettable eccentric whose dialogue, much like De Goldis richly phrased narration, combines heart-stopping tenderness with perfectly timed, deliciously zany humor. Readers from early teens through adults will be drawn to this beautifully nuanced, unsentimental view of family life, friendship, the heroic requirements of growing up, and the rewards of speaking the unspeakable out loud.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)