IN MY FAMILY, when anyone rides the wave of their emotions, we say they're chucking a birkett. When the emotion drives out all common sense, we ...
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Jun 09, 2011
Janina
rated it: 
After having finished this book, I can’t help but wonder: What is it that makes Australian YA so special – hilariously funny and sad at the same time – but just so wonderful and capturing? It's not that I've read heaps of Australian books, but the tendency can't be denied. Both Melina Marchetta and Jaclyn Moriarty are among my favourite authors and their books can't be compared to most of the other YA books I've read in the last years (which doesn't mean I didn't love those, of course). Yet ever
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(13 people liked it)
Dec 25, 2010
oliviasbooks
rated it: 
I would rate "My Big Birkett" 3,5 stars if I could. I loved the funny style, the metaphors and the wackiness. (I mustn't forget to save some quotes from the first chapters and maybe from the later ones, too.) But I didn't expect it to be that sad and - in parts - hopeless, even. I cannot say that the sadness doesn't fit the story. Barging through the De Head family home purely on humor would gloss over too many cracks that have to be visible and ugly. My heart hurts for Raven De Head,
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12 comments
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(5 people liked it)
Jan 15, 2011
Nomes
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I adored this book. It's funny (silly-grin-on-your-face-half-the-time-you're-reading-it-funny) and it produced the occasional snort of laughter (and I'm not a snorter, even at the best of times). It's utterly charming, really. I just love Gemma, whole-heartedly. She's dramatic and honest and comes from a crazy but genuine Aussie family and I would so be best friends with her (you would be, too). When she stuffs up, I really felt that little sinking feeling in my stomach along with her.
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10 comments
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(8 people liked it)
Sep 28, 2011
Isamlq
rated it:
3.5/5
It’s sweet, cute and ridiculously over the top. Her family is so out there that it’s a wonder Gemma didn’t throw more fits (or “birketts” as she calls them) than she did. The characters are absolutely darling though, and Gemma, the most darling of all. The best thing (and worse thing) about her, is how aware she was. She knew precisely who her family was and what they could be. She was also perfectly aware of how she could act and what she ought not do. The sad thing was despite More...
It’s sweet, cute and ridiculously over the top. Her family is so out there that it’s a wonder Gemma didn’t throw more fits (or “birketts” as she calls them) than she did. The characters are absolutely darling though, and Gemma, the most darling of all. The best thing (and worse thing) about her, is how aware she was. She knew precisely who her family was and what they could be. She was also perfectly aware of how she could act and what she ought not do. The sad thing was despite More...
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Mar 02, 2011
Sarah
rated it: 
I love this sort of book, about life in a modern Australian family and growing up and dealing with boy/girl problems, that sort of thing. This was really well-written and quite gripping in places, and very funny too. My only beef with it was that sometimes I think the author tried a little bit TOO hard to play on the reader's emotions and didn't quite get the right balance. It felt a bit cheesy sometimes, like she was laying it on a little thick. Still. A great read.
EDIT: I've More...
EDIT: I've More...
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(2 people liked it)
Mar 29, 2008
The Library Lady
rated it:
I'm a cranky review and I don't give 5 stars freely. A book has to really, REALLY be special for me to do that.
And this one is just that. It's wondeful.
It starts as a funny story about an Aussie girl, her mildly eccentric family and her Bridezilla sister. And that part IS funny--the chapter where Gemma and her family meet the bridegroom's martial family is hilarious.
But along the way there is a second part of the story with much to say about how we judge others, ab More...
And this one is just that. It's wondeful.
It starts as a funny story about an Aussie girl, her mildly eccentric family and her Bridezilla sister. And that part IS funny--the chapter where Gemma and her family meet the bridegroom's martial family is hilarious.
But along the way there is a second part of the story with much to say about how we judge others, ab More...
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(5 people liked it)
Dec 28, 2007
Julie
rated it:
Surprisingly funny book -- was it the wit in general or a particular style of Aussie humor? I'm not sure, but I do know I laughed aloud several times in the first 30 pages, particularly as people "chucked birketts" while the Stones meet the soon-to-be in-law Websters.
Gemma Stone thinks she can't speak in front of people but discovers that she actually has a dramatic flair, as long as she's speaking as someone else. She tries out for the school play, Shakespeare's The Tempe More...
Gemma Stone thinks she can't speak in front of people but discovers that she actually has a dramatic flair, as long as she's speaking as someone else. She tries out for the school play, Shakespeare's The Tempe More...
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Oct 27, 2011
Charlotte
rated it:
This book puts an interesting spin on the typical high school characters: the popular boy, the akward girl, and the rebel. For once we finally get to see inside the home of the rebel and hear from people in the rebel's family about their position as outcasts in the community.
I rolled my eyes a little at the shakespeare plot lines, but it might give a student some understanding of the difficult text.
This book is worth your child reading because it addresses social labels a More...
I rolled my eyes a little at the shakespeare plot lines, but it might give a student some understanding of the difficult text.
This book is worth your child reading because it addresses social labels a More...
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Jan 29, 2012
Caitriona
rated it:
I got this book as a birthday present about 2 or 3 years ago from relatives in Australia,and didn't know entirely what to make of it. The cover art and typeface were a little unusual to me, and the origami instructions at the start of every chapter baffled me. The whole thing seemed a little serious for my liking, so I put off reading it - but when I did get round to it, I had the shock of my life. I had been utterly deceived - lurking between those unusual covers was a brilliant little story.
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Jun 04, 2011
Maggie
rated it:
Excellent book, lots of fun. I loved the way it tackled the big topics with such a fun, light-weight story that I didn't even realize how powerful it was until it was nearly over. This is serious stuff but it's all so offhand that it punches you right in the gut.
It's also brilliantly funny. I just started reading it again the moment it was over, which is pretty much my highest compliment to a book. So here's a line that made me laugh even the second time through: "His shaved head More...
It's also brilliantly funny. I just started reading it again the moment it was over, which is pretty much my highest compliment to a book. So here's a line that made me laugh even the second time through: "His shaved head More...
May 31, 2011
Animegirl
rated it:
At First Sight: After her sister Debbie drops the bombshell that she's marrying her boyfriend of one month, things start to get a little crazy for fourteen year old Gemma Stone.
She's asked to be a flower girl at the wedding, and to wear a swan costume. She gets asked by her crush to audition for the school play - even though she's sure that he otherwise doesn't know who she is, and if she famously throws up when she has to speak in public - and catches the eye of Raven, one of the De More...
She's asked to be a flower girl at the wedding, and to wear a swan costume. She gets asked by her crush to audition for the school play - even though she's sure that he otherwise doesn't know who she is, and if she famously throws up when she has to speak in public - and catches the eye of Raven, one of the De More...
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(1 person liked it)
Mar 18, 2011
This book was quite a good story about a girl living in Australia named Gemma Stone. It described how her older sister, Debbie, was engaged to a boy named Brian from a military-crazed family. It told also about how to get over her stage fright, and also to get closer to a boy named Nick, she tries out for her school play. But her drama teacher partners her up instead with the much-less-desirable Raven De Head, the town delinquent. To her surprise, Gemma strikes up a strong friendship with Raven,
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Nov 23, 2010
J.Elle
rated it:
This book had a strange feel to it. Not unpleasant, more like foreign. Forgive me if this sounds strange, but once I realized the book was set in Australia, everything made sense. I actually enjoyed this book. Gemma finds herself repelled and attracted to Raven-one of five sons in the local delinquent family. Raven is what made this book for me. He was such a great underdog. He never gave up and he didn’t let his reputation or his family tell him who he was supposed to be. Gemma navigate
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May 09, 2009
Rachael
rated it:
A select few members of Gemma Stone’s family are prone to illogical, emotional outbursts—chucking a birkett, as they say. But not Gemma, who views birketts as unseemly and embarrassing, an angry sort of fit to be avoided at all costs. Of course, that’s before her life takes a turn for the chaotic, before her crush on a guy who barely knows of her existence, before she auditions for the school play, before the surprising Raven De Head enters her life, and before her sister Debbie’s crazy wedding
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May 26, 2011
Thebookbutterfly
rated it:
The Sweet, Terrible, Glorious Year I Truly, Completely Lost It is a bit of a mouthful. In fact, I absolutely can not keep track of the title, but the story on the other hand, has been tagging along in the back of my brain all day.
This book is magnificent. The title may be a mouthful but it tells all. I could not keep the grin off my face and the dialogue and family quirks and the off beat but fantastic De Head family, kept me laughing even at times when I was feeling like I might More...
This book is magnificent. The title may be a mouthful but it tells all. I could not keep the grin off my face and the dialogue and family quirks and the off beat but fantastic De Head family, kept me laughing even at times when I was feeling like I might More...
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Jan 24, 2010
$hanel
rated it:
I really enjoyed this book and is taken place in Australia. No wonder she said Mum all the time! Although there is some disgusting language at the beginning otherwise is fairly good! The book is about a girl named Gemma Stone and will do anything to get a awesome boyfriend that will not cheat on her or treat her wrong. There is Raven De Head who has a huge crush on Gemma but he is not even close to being popular or cute! Gemma`s crushing on Nick Lloyd the must popular and cutest boy at her schoo
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Oct 17, 2010
Elizabeth
rated it:
I absolutely loved this book. With a 14 year old girl who seems to be in a whirwind of situations. For firsts, her perfectionist sister is getting married and she is stuck helping her do everything, then she trys out for a school play to get noticed by her crush, which is a jerk, and instead of getting closer to him, she gets stuck with a trouble maker Raven, who has a family full of worse trouble makers than him. I fell in love with this book and Raven. There is some Aussie slang that I did
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(1 person liked it)
Jul 29, 2011
Sienna
rated it:
I only picked up this book out of interest. But boy, if I hadn't of picked it up, I seriously wouldn't have been able to live with myself. This book was epic- it made me laugh so many times and I still laugh now when I think about the book. The sotry was also fanscinating- it had such a addicting story line. And whats makes it the best was becuase it was written by an AUSTRALIAN WRITER!! That just made the story more funny and likeable. I just could not belive that I almost put this book pack on
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(1 person liked it)
Nov 12, 2010
katie
rated it:
I read this in one sitting and it was WONDERFUL. I love how thoroughly, wholeheartedly Australian it is. Only four out of five because some bits didn't quite make it, but on the whole: WONDERFUL.
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Oct 10, 2011
papalbina
rated it:
3.5
I liked Gemma a lot, she was funny, witty, sometimes very mature and sometimes a child, very conscious of her wrongs and her prejudices and quite honest with herself in her inner dialogue, she was different of what I'm used in realistic YA.
I, of course, fell in love with Raven, what an interesting character, and suffered for him and his family.
The story was hilarious (the first visit to the Webster family and the moments previous to the wedding made me la More...
I liked Gemma a lot, she was funny, witty, sometimes very mature and sometimes a child, very conscious of her wrongs and her prejudices and quite honest with herself in her inner dialogue, she was different of what I'm used in realistic YA.
I, of course, fell in love with Raven, what an interesting character, and suffered for him and his family.
The story was hilarious (the first visit to the Webster family and the moments previous to the wedding made me la More...
Nov 07, 2011
Natalia
rated it:
A wonderful story. I just love the idea that the De heads punch eachother and swear it's so....exciting to read about because your not use to seeing normal families behave in such a manner. It also helps i guess if your family is a bit difunctionable (i think thats a word) because every time you think my goodness my family is horrible you can always look at the De heads' and think maybe my family might not be so bad. Another think i'd like to point out is the way Raven acts is pretty cool for on
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Sep 24, 2009
Elizabeth
rated it:
I mostly found this book terribly interesting because it was the first fictional book I've read that sounds like creative nonfiction that was written by a woman (a noticeable change from all the guys I've been reading who use this style).
I also thought that some of the things that Gemma considers throughout the novel were quiet interesting, as well as the fact that it was set in Australia. Some of it was outrageous, but I guess that would probably help keep a younger reader interested. Ov More...
I also thought that some of the things that Gemma considers throughout the novel were quiet interesting, as well as the fact that it was set in Australia. Some of it was outrageous, but I guess that would probably help keep a younger reader interested. Ov More...
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Jan 15, 2012
Tenae
rated it:
I will never be able to rid myself of the awesome imagery of a girl in a swan costume proclaiming love to everyone and Jesus loudly in the middle of a wedding ceremony out of my mind again.
I was really surprised by this book. From the front cover, you would never have expected something so fun, thoughtful and kind of daring. Gemma Stone's family is eccentric and yet normal all the same. It is quite amusing some of the stuff they get up to. They feel, sound and are just like any normal More...
I was really surprised by this book. From the front cover, you would never have expected something so fun, thoughtful and kind of daring. Gemma Stone's family is eccentric and yet normal all the same. It is quite amusing some of the stuff they get up to. They feel, sound and are just like any normal More...
Mar 05, 2011
Maddy
rated it:
Loved it. From the very beginning, you can feel a smile form on your lips, but don't even realise, and can't take it away. THough why would you want to?
First time I read this was for a literary program at school. We all voted this was the best book out of the 6. The characters, the plot, the hilarity of the cover - genius. I got to give the speech for this book. I can't remember what I said, but anyway, it's a great YA Australian novel.
I loved Raven and his birdy brothers. Th More...
First time I read this was for a literary program at school. We all voted this was the best book out of the 6. The characters, the plot, the hilarity of the cover - genius. I got to give the speech for this book. I can't remember what I said, but anyway, it's a great YA Australian novel.
I loved Raven and his birdy brothers. Th More...
Aug 04, 2010
R
rated it: 
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
May 12, 2008
Jennifer
rated it:
Reviewed by Julie M. Prince for TeensReadToo.com
Gemma Stone will be the world's oldest flower girl. A fourteen-year-old flower girl dressed as a giant swan. Since her bridezilla sister is intent on a wedding theme of "animals who mate for life," Gemma will be paired up with a war-crazy tomboy from her sister's family-to-be and forced to waddle down the aisle.
As the big day approaches, Gemma occupies her time with the school drama club as she attempts to get clo More...
Gemma Stone will be the world's oldest flower girl. A fourteen-year-old flower girl dressed as a giant swan. Since her bridezilla sister is intent on a wedding theme of "animals who mate for life," Gemma will be paired up with a war-crazy tomboy from her sister's family-to-be and forced to waddle down the aisle.
As the big day approaches, Gemma occupies her time with the school drama club as she attempts to get clo More...
Apr 11, 2008
Nian
rated it:
The best part about this book is the characters. Well, some of them, anyway. The parents, for instance: totally whacked. I have a hard time believing people like them actually exist (especially as parental figures) but at least I get a laugh out of it. On one side, you have the out-spoken Mr. and Mrs. Stone, two personalities that balance each other. On the other side, you have Lieutenant Colonel and his family, who’s all about the military and having “war strategies”. I love the two family’s in
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Mar 12, 2008
(C) Archer
rated it:
The book, The Sweet, Terrible, Glorious Year I Truly, Completely Lost It is a book that I would highly recommend to all people out there. I would definitely rate this book a ten. Although by the cover, it seems like a girl-only book, it's something that everyone could enjoy. Boys, I guarantee you will learn A LOT about girls from this book. You will learn how they think, how they talk, and even how they react to certain types of situations. You will learn that they are probably just like
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Oct 22, 2011
Nika
rated it:
This book is now my favorite book. I love that Gemma, the protagonist, fights her way through her problems and is a determined person. This book is full of so many things happening at once: her sister Debbie'a wedding day, a school play, first love... it's a lot of things but it doesn't get you all confused like a lot of books I have read before. This is a page- turning book, and the book was so addicting that I ended up reading the whole book in a few days. This book would be good for a sixth g
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Jul 30, 2011
Keisha
rated it:
My big birkett is a teen chic flick about a girl whose got the usual problems in life, boys, sisters and the peer pressure.
When the girl meets the schools idiot first she is reluctant to speak to him because of everyone elses opinion but once she starts to learn about his life and him she finds herself falling for him!
a light and fun read, a great change to my usual fantasy reads!
When the girl meets the schools idiot first she is reluctant to speak to him because of everyone elses opinion but once she starts to learn about his life and him she finds herself falling for him!
a light and fun read, a great change to my usual fantasy reads!
