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Summary
Summary
Albie has never been the smartest kid in his class. He has never been the tallest. Or the best at gym. Or the greatest artist. Or the most musical. In fact, Albie has a long list of the things he's not very good at. And his parents keep reminding him of those things all the time. . . even when it's just by accident. But then Albie gets a new babysitter, Calista, who helps him figure out all of the things he *is* good at and how he can take pride in himself. A perfect companion to Lisa Graff's A TANGLE OF KNOTS, this novel explores a similar theme in a realistic contemporary world where kids will easily be able to relate their own struggles to Albie's. Once again, Graff crafts a beautiful novel about figuring out who you are and doing what you love.
Reviews (5)
Horn Book Review
Ten-year-old New Yorker Albie's fifth grade year at P.S. 183 is not going well. Having been asked to leave his fancy private academy, he's still no good at school (to his parents' emphatic disappointment). His best friend Erlan is distracted by being on reality TV, and Betsy, his only real new friend, isn't speaking to him. There are moments of brightness -- his punning math club teacher and, of course, doughnuts -- and there is Calista, his free-spirited babysitter who loves Albie for who he is. Galvin's narration is engaging and earnest, and he manages Albie's first-person voice evenly, reflecting the boy's naivete and his heart in equal measure. Each of the ninety-seven short chapters gets its own track, making navigation easy, and the quick pace pulls readers along to the hopeful, satisfying conclusion. thom barthelmess (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-7-In short, conversational chapters, fifth grader Albie introduces listeners to his absolutely ordinary life in New York City and demonstrates that sometimes a person's value is measured by the wrong standards. Albie has difficulties with reading, has never aced a spelling test, and is confused by math. He is not popular at school, can't play sports or draw, and he is often the target of bullies, but Albie is kind, sympathetic, and eager to defend others against the same bullies. While his parents attempt to accept his shortcomings and are often oblivious to his unhappiness, Albie finds support in his unconventional babysitter, Calista, an artist who listens to him and offers him ways to cope. Noah Galvin voices Albie's naivetE and frustration with a simplicity and wonder that fit his character. Graff (A Tangle of Knots) does not solve all of Albie's problems or even allow him to excel at anything. Instead, Albie is presented as a hero in his own right, one who defines his own goals and successes. Youngsters accustomed to "almost" succeeding will identify with Albie; others will learn what it means to struggle just to be average.-MaryAnn Karre, Binghamton, NY (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Half-Korean 10-year-old Albie is being forced to switch from his private New York City school to P.S. 183. His new school gives him more specialized attention, but it also means dodging a name-calling bully and making friends other than his buddy Erlan, whose family is starring in a reality TV show. Because of Albie's academic struggles (especially in spelling and math), his mother hires Calista, a college art student, to tutor and spend time with him. Albie isn't happy about these and other developments, and his matter-of-fact observations are often both humorous and poignant: "I didn't think the book was for babies at all, because for one thing babies can't read," he thinks after his mother tells him he's "way too old" for Captain Underpants and hands him a copy of Johnny Tremain. Graff's (A Tangle of Knots) gentle story invokes evergreen themes of coming to appreciate one's strengths (and weaknesses), and stands out for its thoughtful, moving portrait of a boy who learns to keep moving forward, taking on the world at his own speed. Ages 8-12. Agent: Stephen Barbara, Foundry Literary + Media. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Albie almost understands why he is starting fifth grade at a new school. It's got something to do with the things he can't quite do, like subtract numbers inside his head or figure out the words in books. Fortunately, Albie also gets a kindhearted new sitter named Calista, who can turn Albie's sadness into happiness simply through the magic of donuts. But even Calista can't stop the mean kid at school from calling Albie names, or make Albie's parents see how hard he tries in school. As every kid knows, some problems take more than donuts to solve. Graff (A Tangle of Knots, 2013) creates a heartfelt portrait of a child searching for nothing more than a safe place to thrive. The story is parsed into short chapters that can stand alone as mini-stories, perfect for young readers who aren't ready to tackle full pages of text. This format is also well suited to presenting the incremental steps of Albie's evolution from bewildered victim to hero of his own story. Beautifully written, Albie's story is accessible and dignified, with a gentle message that will touch any reader's heart. Middle-grade readers will love the references to Dav Pilkey's inexhaustibly popular Captain Underpants series, which has introduced so many children to the fun side of reading. A perfect book to share with struggling readers.--Colson, Diane Copyright 2010 Booklist
Kirkus Review
In a tale about not being good enough, Graff introduces readers to a young hero who struggles to measure up.Graff, whose A Tangle of Knots was on the 2013 National Book Award longlist, here gracefully fuses heartache with a gentle humor and candor. Life is stressful for Albie. Mom and Dad struggle to understand him, and his grandpa Park creates tension with his withering appraisal. When he gets kicked out of his pricey Manhattan private school due to academic shortcomings, Albie must deal with his parents' outbursts and his own dizzying emotions. This marks a turning point, though; with his move to P.S. 183, he gains an ally in a fellow outcast, the stuttering Betsy, and his new babysitter, free-wheeling art student Calista, listens to him in a way the other adults in his life do not. These relationships carry him through some improbable plot twists into understanding and self-acceptance. The prose is sparse, simple and conversational, capturing turmoil both internal and external perfectly: "Potential. Struggling. Achievement gap. [These are words] that make my dad slam his fist on the table and call my teacher to shoutand my mom to go out and buy fruit. When Mom comes back with strawberries, her face is always crystal clear. Not an almost-crying face at all. I used to really like strawberries." Achingly superb, Albie's story shines. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Excerpts
Excerpts
Chapter 1: Rocks "Not everybody can be the rock at the top of the rock pile." That's what my grandpa Park said to my mom once when they thought I was asleep, or just not listening, I don't know. But my ears work fine. "There have to be some rocks at the bottom, to support those at the top." I sat in my bedroom, knocking the army men one by one off my windowsill. Dad said I was getting too old to play with them, so I didn't play, just knocked them over. Plunk, plunk, plunk, on the bedspread. But I did it quiet so no one would hear. plunk . . . plunk. For some reason, I felt heavy inside, listening to them talk out in the living room. Or maybe heavy on the outside, like something was pressing down on top of me, when really it was nothing but air. plunk. plunk. If I listened real close, I could hear Grandpa Park's ice clicking in his glass when he lifted it to drink. plunk. It was quiet in the living room, no talking, only ice, for a long time. When I got to the last army man, I didn't set them up again right away. I stared at them on the bed, knocked over sideways or on their bellies. On some you could see the black marker where I'd marked their feet when I first learned to write my name. A for Albie. It was quiet so long that I thought my mom must've gone to bed, and it was just Grandpa Park out there with his glass, drinking down till the ice melted like he usually did when he came to visit. But then Mom said something, so I knew she hadn't gone to bed after all. She said it real quiet, but I heard. "Albie's not a rock," she said. Excerpted from Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
