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Imperfect Spiral
Danielle Snyder's summer job as a babysitter takes a tragic turn when Humphrey, the five-year-old boy she's watching, runs in front of oncoming traffic to chase down his football. Immediately Danielle is caught up in the machinery of tragedy: police investigations, neighborhood squabbling, and, when the driver of the car that struck Humphrey turns out to be an undocumented alien, outsiders use the accident to further a politically charged immigration debate.
Wanting only to mourn Humphrey, the sweet kid she had a surprisingly strong friendship with, Danielle tries to avoid the world around her. Through a new relationship with Justin, a boy she meets at the park, she begins to work through her grief, but as details of the accident emerge, much is not as it seems. It's time for Danielle to face reality, but when the truth brings so much pain, can she find a way to do right by Humphrey's memory and forgive herself for his death?
“. . . a heartfelt drama that touches on the themes of friendship, love, fear, and death. . . . Readers will find a relevant and inspiring story. . . .”
—ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the NCTE) Picks
“Levy’s unflinching look at pain is masterful. The narrative fluidly moves from lighter moments with Humphrey to the darkness of grief, avoiding false sentimentality.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“The discussion of. . . real issues is deftly woven into the story, never overshadowing the protagonist’s journey toward healing. . . . This book is sure to be a hit among teens seeking a substantive drama.”
–School Library Journal
“. . . a story of love and loss deepened by the protagonist’s inspiring development from someone afraid of conflict into someone who can stand up for what she believes is right.”
–The Horn Book
Wanting only to mourn Humphrey, the sweet kid she had a surprisingly strong friendship with, Danielle tries to avoid the world around her. Through a new relationship with Justin, a boy she meets at the park, she begins to work through her grief, but as details of the accident emerge, much is not as it seems. It's time for Danielle to face reality, but when the truth brings so much pain, can she find a way to do right by Humphrey's memory and forgive herself for his death?
“. . . a heartfelt drama that touches on the themes of friendship, love, fear, and death. . . . Readers will find a relevant and inspiring story. . . .”
—ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the NCTE) Picks
“Levy’s unflinching look at pain is masterful. The narrative fluidly moves from lighter moments with Humphrey to the darkness of grief, avoiding false sentimentality.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“The discussion of. . . real issues is deftly woven into the story, never overshadowing the protagonist’s journey toward healing. . . . This book is sure to be a hit among teens seeking a substantive drama.”
–School Library Journal
“. . . a story of love and loss deepened by the protagonist’s inspiring development from someone afraid of conflict into someone who can stand up for what she believes is right.”
–The Horn Book
352 pages, Hardcover
First published July 16, 2013
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1206 people want to read
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July 13, 2013
I received an e-copy of Imperfect Spiral from Net Galley. All opinions are my own. I did not receive compensation, monetary or otherwise, for my review.
Imperfect Spiral is the kind of book I love to read. To say it was artfully arranged would be an understatement.
The story revolves around Humphrey Danker and his babysitter, Danielle. What started out as a fun evening in the park ends in tragedy when Humphrey is struck and killed by a vehicle while walking home. What happens next is a perfect example of what would occur in the real world. The community gets involved, and suddenly everyone else “owns” Humphrey’s death. They want sidewalks and lights on Quarry Road, they want all illegal immigrants deported—turning the tragedy into a circus.
The story arc of this book felt like a puzzle to me, and I mean that in the best way. We have Justin, the boy who Danielle meets in the park—he turns out to be the son of the people who hit Humphrey. We have Mr. Danker, who at first is cold and distant to Danielle, who changes after his son’s death and offers to help Justin (an illegal immigrant) stay in the country.
Each of the revelations was surprising to me. The story was so carefully created—it wasn’t that the author used distraction to keep the reader from figuring it out, I was just caught up in everything, so every pivotal moment felt right and fell into the perfect spot.
Danielle was an easy character to relate to. She was compassionate and kind, she loved Humphrey, but she was still a teenager. She suffered a lot of uncertainty throughout the story, but that felt true. She wasn’t whiney or overly dramatic, but we experienced her personal turmoil as she interacted with her counselor, her parents, and her friends.
Every character had a history and well-rounded place. The ending was satisfying, leaving enough to the imagination, but also closing all the character’s stories in a way that was believable and hopeful.
I read somewhere that this book was for fans of Jodi Picoult. I love Jodi Picoult books, and I loved this book, but I’m not sure that the two are all that similar. Jodi has a specific way of writing that jumps you around from character to character. Imperfect Spiral is told from Danielle’s point of view. Jodi’s books often focus on legal proceedings, Imperfect Spiral, though it does have some “town hall” type meetings, is more about the relationships and personal growth. I think readers of Jodi Picoult will enjoy this book, but I also think they should understand that it is not written in a similar fashion (and that’s fine—it doesn’t need to be!).
If you like stories that leave you feeling hopeful and satisfied—you’ll love Imperfect Spiral.
Imperfect Spiral is the kind of book I love to read. To say it was artfully arranged would be an understatement.
The story revolves around Humphrey Danker and his babysitter, Danielle. What started out as a fun evening in the park ends in tragedy when Humphrey is struck and killed by a vehicle while walking home. What happens next is a perfect example of what would occur in the real world. The community gets involved, and suddenly everyone else “owns” Humphrey’s death. They want sidewalks and lights on Quarry Road, they want all illegal immigrants deported—turning the tragedy into a circus.
The story arc of this book felt like a puzzle to me, and I mean that in the best way. We have Justin, the boy who Danielle meets in the park—he turns out to be the son of the people who hit Humphrey. We have Mr. Danker, who at first is cold and distant to Danielle, who changes after his son’s death and offers to help Justin (an illegal immigrant) stay in the country.
Each of the revelations was surprising to me. The story was so carefully created—it wasn’t that the author used distraction to keep the reader from figuring it out, I was just caught up in everything, so every pivotal moment felt right and fell into the perfect spot.
Danielle was an easy character to relate to. She was compassionate and kind, she loved Humphrey, but she was still a teenager. She suffered a lot of uncertainty throughout the story, but that felt true. She wasn’t whiney or overly dramatic, but we experienced her personal turmoil as she interacted with her counselor, her parents, and her friends.
Every character had a history and well-rounded place. The ending was satisfying, leaving enough to the imagination, but also closing all the character’s stories in a way that was believable and hopeful.
I read somewhere that this book was for fans of Jodi Picoult. I love Jodi Picoult books, and I loved this book, but I’m not sure that the two are all that similar. Jodi has a specific way of writing that jumps you around from character to character. Imperfect Spiral is told from Danielle’s point of view. Jodi’s books often focus on legal proceedings, Imperfect Spiral, though it does have some “town hall” type meetings, is more about the relationships and personal growth. I think readers of Jodi Picoult will enjoy this book, but I also think they should understand that it is not written in a similar fashion (and that’s fine—it doesn’t need to be!).
If you like stories that leave you feeling hopeful and satisfied—you’ll love Imperfect Spiral.
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August 11, 2013WARNING! Stock up on tissues for this one.
IMPERFECT SPIRAL by Debbie Levy combines the tragic death of a wonderful five year old boy, the guilt of a teenage babysitter, and illegal immigration into a hypnotizing page-turner.
Little Humphrey Danker is hit and kill by a blue van on his way home from the park. His babysitter Danielle is crushed. She is assured by everyone, including Humphrey's parents, that the accident was not her fault, but as the weeks and months pass, she can't believe how much she misses the little guy.
As a result of the accident, two issues take center stage. One is the safety of Quarry Road. Should there be streetlights, sidewalks, and crosswalks installed to do more to protect the children of the community? The other issue is illegal immigration. When it is discovered that the van driver, a longtime resident of the area, is in the U.S. without proper documentation, angry groups form demanding the removal of all these dangerous illegal aliens before they destroy the country.
Danielle shares her story complete with her oppressive guilt about the accident, complicated friend and family issues, and her irrational fear of public speaking. Author Debbie Levy will impress her audience with this multi-layered story of love, blame, and justice.
IMPERFECT SPIRAL by Debbie Levy combines the tragic death of a wonderful five year old boy, the guilt of a teenage babysitter, and illegal immigration into a hypnotizing page-turner.
Little Humphrey Danker is hit and kill by a blue van on his way home from the park. His babysitter Danielle is crushed. She is assured by everyone, including Humphrey's parents, that the accident was not her fault, but as the weeks and months pass, she can't believe how much she misses the little guy.
As a result of the accident, two issues take center stage. One is the safety of Quarry Road. Should there be streetlights, sidewalks, and crosswalks installed to do more to protect the children of the community? The other issue is illegal immigration. When it is discovered that the van driver, a longtime resident of the area, is in the U.S. without proper documentation, angry groups form demanding the removal of all these dangerous illegal aliens before they destroy the country.
Danielle shares her story complete with her oppressive guilt about the accident, complicated friend and family issues, and her irrational fear of public speaking. Author Debbie Levy will impress her audience with this multi-layered story of love, blame, and justice.
September 7, 2016
I received this advanced copy from the publisher at the TLA Annual Conference. For teens who enjoy realistic fiction "problem novels," this book is now at the top of my list. The characterization is spot on, the unlikely friendship between Danielle and Humphrey is well-developed, and the plot has enough twists to engage most readers. I cried A LOT while reading it, mostly because Levy captured incredibly well the spirit of a smart, sensitive, five year old boy. Danielle's memories of Humphrey are often funny and so bittersweet, and show how "highly interesting" she is to have become better friends with a little boy than those her own age. As another reviewer said, the immigration issue is woven into the plot so that it isn't distracting, and it adds a nice sociopolitical layer to the story.
*Bonus: there are lots of great vocabulary words for high schoolers (like polemics, precipitating, perambulating, and other fun "p-words").
*Bonus: there are lots of great vocabulary words for high schoolers (like polemics, precipitating, perambulating, and other fun "p-words").
January 17, 2022
I absolute loved this. It was a short and easy read and it made me cry way more times than I should have. You can really feel how much the main character Danielle loved the little boy Humphrey she had babysat even after his death. To me this book was adorably sweet and also extremely sad at the same time.
Almost every time I read a flashback about Danielle and Humphrey it almost brought tears to my eyes.
Almost every time I read a flashback about Danielle and Humphrey it almost brought tears to my eyes.
October 8, 2017
I'm having a hard time deciding between giving this book four, or five stars. It was a really great story, despite how sad the description might sound. Especially for a book about a girl who had to go through the loss of the five-year-old she used to babysit, the whole tone was surprisingly positive, which I really appreciated. Obviously there were sad parts, but it was so realistic in the way that, even when you're mourning, there are moments everywhere that let you laugh, and be happy, and forget for just a little while.
I felt like I could really relate to this book on so many levels. The main character, Danielle, has family dynamics that are very similar to mine, with an older brother she really looks up to. She deals with friendships she's not sure what to make of, nosy neighbors, police, and journalists all wanting to know the details of a story she'd rather not talk about. There are all these issues that people bring up, like traffic and road safety, babysitting certifications, and immigration laws. Through Danielle, readers see how much one accident can impact, how many people it can effect, but also, how much people use tragedies like this to get what they want.
The one thing I didn't really like was that I caught on pretty early to some things that I think should've been more of a surprise, but I don't think that took much away from the overall story. The ending, which- for those of you who've read my other reviews- know, is very important to me. I'm really impressed with the way the author finished this book. It's really not what I expected. I think I was planning on some sort of thing about how Danielle learns to move on past Humphrey's (the little boy) death, and just get over it, but it wasn't like that. It was more unfinished, but not in a bad way, nor a cliffhanger. It just wasn't final, and not all the problems were completely resolved, but I think that kind of ending is as close as you can get to real life in a book. I think, after all, I will give it 5 stars. I feel like this book was almost made for me, that's how relatable it was, and I can't say much else other than that I'm really glad I read it.
February 4, 2020
I loved this book. I knew it was building up to the big ending. But when I got there it wasn't. And I'm not disappointed either. I felt that's how the book should end. I recommend this book it is an amazing story about a five-year-old and his teenage babysitter. I can't say any more or I'll spoil it and that's no fun. Anyways I recommend this book to everyone I think once you pick this book up you won't be able to put it down.
October 23, 2015
In the book, Imperfect Spiral by Debbie Levy, the main themes were friendship and difficulties. The book is mainly about the story of a little boy named Humphrey T. Danker and his teenage babysitter, Danielle Snyder. I truly enjoyed reading every last word and did not want the story to end. I thought this book was very well written and had many interesting plot twists.
In this book, Humphrey and his babysitter are walking home from the park when he runs into the street and gets struck by a car. After being hospitalized, Humphrey dies without making it through the night. As Danielle looks into the street, she explains, “Humphrey, however, is still lying in the road. I see him vividly and clearly, despite the gathering darkness,” (Levy 10). This is the major tragedy that influences the whole book. Humphrey and Danielle shared an irreplaceable bond that no one can come between.
Another major event in the book would be when Justin, Danielle’s boyfriend, tells her that his parents were the illegal immigrants that hit Humphrey. He says to Danielle, “‘They were the ones that hit Humphrey Danker,’” (Levy 263). One of the problems that comes up in the book is illegal immigrants. This problem came to be because Justin’s parents are illegal immigrants from Colombia. Since their backgrounds will be looked into, they could potentially be deported back to Colombia. Humphrey’s father, Mr. Danker, began to resolve this issue by stating he will help Justin in Immigration Law because he is a lawyer.
Overall, this book was filled with plenty of emotional hardships and long lasting friendships. The friendship between the characters in this book shows great morals that everyone can learn from. The story kept me entertained through every page and made me want to keep reading. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in a heartwarming but tragic story.
In this book, Humphrey and his babysitter are walking home from the park when he runs into the street and gets struck by a car. After being hospitalized, Humphrey dies without making it through the night. As Danielle looks into the street, she explains, “Humphrey, however, is still lying in the road. I see him vividly and clearly, despite the gathering darkness,” (Levy 10). This is the major tragedy that influences the whole book. Humphrey and Danielle shared an irreplaceable bond that no one can come between.
Another major event in the book would be when Justin, Danielle’s boyfriend, tells her that his parents were the illegal immigrants that hit Humphrey. He says to Danielle, “‘They were the ones that hit Humphrey Danker,’” (Levy 263). One of the problems that comes up in the book is illegal immigrants. This problem came to be because Justin’s parents are illegal immigrants from Colombia. Since their backgrounds will be looked into, they could potentially be deported back to Colombia. Humphrey’s father, Mr. Danker, began to resolve this issue by stating he will help Justin in Immigration Law because he is a lawyer.
Overall, this book was filled with plenty of emotional hardships and long lasting friendships. The friendship between the characters in this book shows great morals that everyone can learn from. The story kept me entertained through every page and made me want to keep reading. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in a heartwarming but tragic story.
May 18, 2014
Danielle Snyder's babysitting job takes a turn when the boy she babysits, Humphrey, gets hit by oncoming traffic when she is watching him. She is directly hit with the pain of having someone in her life that was very close to her, die. Becoming caught up with the police and neighborhood witnesses, Danielle only wants to mourn for the sweet boy she took care of. The situation becomes was overwhelming for Danielle and she tries to avoid the world around her. She meets a boy named Justin at a park who helps work through her remorse, and as more details of the tragedy appear, Danielle has to tune into the world around her. Will she be able to live with the pain of Humphrey's death?
This book is one of the best I have personally read in a while. The plot twists and turns makes it a very interesting read. It has many strong points and was an overall powerful book. It really made me want to really think about my life and what I can do to improve as a person. I would recommend this book to any one of my classmates with a tissue box.
This book is one of the best I have personally read in a while. The plot twists and turns makes it a very interesting read. It has many strong points and was an overall powerful book. It really made me want to really think about my life and what I can do to improve as a person. I would recommend this book to any one of my classmates with a tissue box.
April 29, 2016
Oh my gosh. This book is so good! It is really clean and I cried! Its so sad. It's about a five-year-old boy and his babysitter and her struggle to get over his freak-accident that ended up with his death.
March 28, 2015
I had high hopes for this book, and sadly I just didn't feel the emotion. The only thing in this book I enjoyed were the flash backs with Humphrey, and that's pretty much it. I tried really hard to enjoy this book, but I couldn't.
September 23, 2013
Just tried to tackle way too many issues in one book.
March 12, 2015
Loved this book and each and every character in it. I have so many 6th grade girls ask for sad books and this one fits that request without being overly sentimental.
January 6, 2015
This book was so sweet & incredible! I loved it sooo much! Thanks Joelle for the recommendation!
December 13, 2019
Imperfect Spiral by Debbie Levy is a story about a girl named Danielle who decided to take the offer of being able to babysit a little boy named Humphrey. One day, while walking down the shoulder of a busy road in the small town after a long day of playing football in the park with Humphrey, the football happened to slip out of her hands. Humphrey then chased the uncontrollable football into the busy road and suddenly got struck by a blue minivan. As the van drove away, Danielle runs after Humphrey only to see that he is dying in her arms. AS time goes on, and Danielle seems to be getting over the tragic accident she meets a boy in the park named Jake and he may motivate her to solve the mystery of who hit Humphrey. This book teaches all readers that you have to use your grief and sorrow to get something good out of a situation and solve your problems. While this book is placed in present day the main characters are all very relatable and are easy to sympathize with because the situation that they are in is very realistic. The only question is, will they find out who struck Humphrey with car?
Imperfect Spiral is a suspenseful and mysterious novel. Debbie Levy’s characters are not only brave but also relatable. For example, Danielle (the main character) was so brave during and even after the accident when the press was asking her difficult questions that she didn't want to answer. Because of this real life situation that she was in, it makes Danille very relatable throughout the entire story. The plot of the story was very suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat after each page. For instance, when Danielle’s neighbor called her and told her that she wasn’t invited to the funeral, I was wondering what Danille’s decision was going to be and what was going to happen if she did or didn’t go to the funeral. Debbie levy’s style of writing is amazing as well. She makes the story flow smoothly and it is a very easy read. I love how she doesn’t make half the book about background information that is not necessary and boring. She makes you more and more interested at every turn of a page.
I encourage every type of reader to read this book because it will keep you guessing for more and is a very relatable topic for all teens today. The reader will enjoy how the characters work perfectly together and they each play an important role in the novel. Imperfect Spiral allows readers to understand how to sympathize with how Danille may be feeling during this difficult time for her. Danille has to overcome her situation and make something good out of her bad situation. Therefore, she gains the courage to figure out who hit Humphrey in the accident. Because of her courage, she will be able to find out so much more than who hit the little boy. This is important, because especially for teens today the littlest things can bring us down and make us feel bad but we need to pick ourselves up and see the good in every bad situation and not get hung up over the little things. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars because this is one of the first books that I have read in awhile that really kept me interested in the topic that the writer was talking about and it is also a realistic topic. If you enjoy reading suspenseful novels that keeps you guessing after every page about what will happen next the you should read Imperfect Spiral by the author Debbie Levy.
Imperfect Spiral is a suspenseful and mysterious novel. Debbie Levy’s characters are not only brave but also relatable. For example, Danielle (the main character) was so brave during and even after the accident when the press was asking her difficult questions that she didn't want to answer. Because of this real life situation that she was in, it makes Danille very relatable throughout the entire story. The plot of the story was very suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat after each page. For instance, when Danielle’s neighbor called her and told her that she wasn’t invited to the funeral, I was wondering what Danille’s decision was going to be and what was going to happen if she did or didn’t go to the funeral. Debbie levy’s style of writing is amazing as well. She makes the story flow smoothly and it is a very easy read. I love how she doesn’t make half the book about background information that is not necessary and boring. She makes you more and more interested at every turn of a page.
I encourage every type of reader to read this book because it will keep you guessing for more and is a very relatable topic for all teens today. The reader will enjoy how the characters work perfectly together and they each play an important role in the novel. Imperfect Spiral allows readers to understand how to sympathize with how Danille may be feeling during this difficult time for her. Danille has to overcome her situation and make something good out of her bad situation. Therefore, she gains the courage to figure out who hit Humphrey in the accident. Because of her courage, she will be able to find out so much more than who hit the little boy. This is important, because especially for teens today the littlest things can bring us down and make us feel bad but we need to pick ourselves up and see the good in every bad situation and not get hung up over the little things. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars because this is one of the first books that I have read in awhile that really kept me interested in the topic that the writer was talking about and it is also a realistic topic. If you enjoy reading suspenseful novels that keeps you guessing after every page about what will happen next the you should read Imperfect Spiral by the author Debbie Levy.
March 1, 2020
Title: Imperfect Spiral, Pages 339
Author: Debbie Levy, Publisher Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Genre: Realistic Fiction, ISBN 9780802734419, Price 17.99
Imperfect Spiral is about a teenage girl named Danny. She takes a babysitting job during the summer to fill up time. She ends up babysitting for a family named the Dankers and their little boys name is Humphery. She takes Humphrey to the park and tries to teach him how to throw a perfect spiral on the football. They always look forward to seeing each other, until one day, everything changed. They were walking along Quarry Road and Daniel dropped the football she was holding in her hands. The football ended up rolling into the road and Humphery ran after it into the road, unfortunately, getting struck by a car and dis not survive. It was not Danny's fault but she feels like people blame her especially Humphrey's parents for what happened to Humphrey. At this point in her life, Danny becomes very sad. She pretty much isolates everybody close to her a doesn't know how to express her feelings. Danny decides to go for a walk one day and ends up in the park that her and Humphery used to play in. She meets a boy named Justin there and they start talking. They eventually start dating and they become very close. This allows Danny to find a positive outcome of Humphrey's death in the end.
I love this book!
I loved this book because it jumped time zones throughout the book and it created a really good hook for me to keep reading. It has a little bit of romance in it which also keeps it a good book to read. It also was really sad to read at times because you got to know what type of emotions Danny was going through when all of this happened. This also has really relatable situations in it that people can go through in their real lives, which makes it more of a relatable book. I rated it a five star because it had good hooks to keep people reading throughout the book.
If you liked, Forget me not, Almost Home, and Dirt, then you might like this too!
I would recommend this book to readers who like sad stories but happy endings. If you like a little romance mixed into your books then you might like this too. If reading about real-life situations and finding friends along the way floats your boat, this is most certainly the book for you.
Author: Debbie Levy, Publisher Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Genre: Realistic Fiction, ISBN 9780802734419, Price 17.99
Imperfect Spiral is about a teenage girl named Danny. She takes a babysitting job during the summer to fill up time. She ends up babysitting for a family named the Dankers and their little boys name is Humphery. She takes Humphrey to the park and tries to teach him how to throw a perfect spiral on the football. They always look forward to seeing each other, until one day, everything changed. They were walking along Quarry Road and Daniel dropped the football she was holding in her hands. The football ended up rolling into the road and Humphery ran after it into the road, unfortunately, getting struck by a car and dis not survive. It was not Danny's fault but she feels like people blame her especially Humphrey's parents for what happened to Humphrey. At this point in her life, Danny becomes very sad. She pretty much isolates everybody close to her a doesn't know how to express her feelings. Danny decides to go for a walk one day and ends up in the park that her and Humphery used to play in. She meets a boy named Justin there and they start talking. They eventually start dating and they become very close. This allows Danny to find a positive outcome of Humphrey's death in the end.
I love this book!
I loved this book because it jumped time zones throughout the book and it created a really good hook for me to keep reading. It has a little bit of romance in it which also keeps it a good book to read. It also was really sad to read at times because you got to know what type of emotions Danny was going through when all of this happened. This also has really relatable situations in it that people can go through in their real lives, which makes it more of a relatable book. I rated it a five star because it had good hooks to keep people reading throughout the book.
If you liked, Forget me not, Almost Home, and Dirt, then you might like this too!
I would recommend this book to readers who like sad stories but happy endings. If you like a little romance mixed into your books then you might like this too. If reading about real-life situations and finding friends along the way floats your boat, this is most certainly the book for you.
May 29, 2018
In, Imperfect Spiral by Debbie Levy, Danielle Snyder takes a summer job babysitting a five year old named Humphrey. After running into traffic, getting hit by a car and dying, Danielle blames herself for this young boy's death. Living between the past and the present, she doesn't want to move on, she doesn't want to face the fact that Humphrey is dead. She was incredibly close to him, it was like they had known each other for years, just simply seeing them together, you would know that they had a special bond. It wasn't just the death she had to deal with, it was the blank stares, the quiet murmuring, the newspeople and even the police and court meetings. It was incredibly overwhelming and it was all hard to handle. The more information that came up in the case the harder it got on Danielle. With the help of a new guy-friend, Justin, a boy who had seen both Danielle and Humphrey in the park together, they came together to overcome everything they were facing.
December 12, 2023
I did enjoy this book a lot, because the protagonist's relationship to her five year old babysitting charge was very tender and depicted realistically. I have a six year old nephew whom I'm very close with, and Humphrey's personality reminded me very much of him, so that made the story resonate with me.
I would've enjoyed the book more though if it had focused on Danielle's emotional journey. The added subplot with a message about immigration felt like a political opinion shoehorned into the story. To me it just detracted from the main conflict surrounding Humphrey and the accident and Danielle trying to come to terms with it.
I would've enjoyed the book more though if it had focused on Danielle's emotional journey. The added subplot with a message about immigration felt like a political opinion shoehorned into the story. To me it just detracted from the main conflict surrounding Humphrey and the accident and Danielle trying to come to terms with it.
June 28, 2020
This was a surprisingly good read, a tender story of a teen babysitter struggling to come to terms with the death of her charge while in her care. She had developed a sweet relationship with the 5 year old who was a unique kid in many ways. The story also touches on some social issues and she finds her voice on one of them because of his death. Another cool part of the story is the babysitters brother and his bond with his sister and his turbulence with his parents, as he is not turning out how they envisioned. Many great lessons in this little gem!
October 18, 2018
This book is really good I enjoyed it.I really enjoyed this book because I love books like this book because I always read them.My favorite Character is Humphrey because he is a very smart kid like how he know a lot of big p words.My favorite part is when she met the boy at the park and he was trying to talk to Danielle and be her friend .I recommend this book to anyone who likes young adults books , suspense, or mystery books.
March 16, 2018
It was really good, the first part was sad. The Humphrey gets hit by a car, when Danielle is watching him in the summer. It throws her down. Along with Humphrey's death, her neighborhood goes into trouble too. I really liked this book because, when something happens, and I blame me, its good to know that someone is there. Like when Adrian, no spoilers, helped Danny. It was such a cute book.
August 17, 2018
Well, this was more than a little devastating. A look at the aftermath of a tragic accident and the grief and guilt that becomes part of a young girl's life. There is also a searing look into the "blame game" played after accidents and looking for someone "other" to pin things on. This was recommended to me by a teen reader and it was worth my evening.
August 12, 2017
This is a great book on a person even just a young girl copes with the loss of a love one. How she tries to find a reason for his death and try to make peace with him and his family. I love how the entire book is connected from the beginning.
March 7, 2018
I really liked this book because, You get different emotions. When I first started reading this book I wanted to stop reading it because it got really sad. I recommend this book for 4th graders and %th graders.
March 28, 2019
I read this book "Imperfect Spiral" by Debbie Levy. I really enjoyed this book because it teaches a lesson but it makes me so sad. This book is sad, but also really fun to read, this is why I picked this book.
December 10, 2020
The topics this book covers are really important and should be the focus of more books. The problem I had with this book is that I just had a really hard time getting through it. I felt bored and I felt like I didn’t really care about any of the characters.
June 28, 2017
This quickly became an engaging book for me and I found it hard to put down. The structure is well navigated and I love how there is still an underlying simple tone despite all that happens.
August 13, 2017
Loved it! Not as sad as I had heard. Perfect to pair with Refugee by Alan Gratz because of the immigration sub-plot.
October 27, 2017
Well so far I really I’m joy this book it makes me happy
October 31, 2018
I loved how the book kept me emotionally involved and attached to the characters the whole time.
December 19, 2018
Its A REALLY sad book.
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