false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174114398m/363851.jpg 363851 6 In one month Jeremy Fink will turn thirteen. But does he have what it takes to be a teenager? He collects mutant candy, he won't go more than four blocks from home if possible, and he definitely doesn't like surprises. On the other hand, his best friend, Lizzy, isn't afraid of anything, even if that means trouble now and then. <P>Jeremy's summer takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious box arrives. According to the writing on the box, it holds the meaning of life! Jeremy is supposed to open it on his birthday, but the keys are missing, and only the keys can open the box without destroying what's inside. Jeremy and Lizzy set off to find the keys, but when one of their efforts goes very wrong, Jeremy starts to think he'll never be able to open the box. But what he doesn't know is that there just might be other ways to find out the meaning of life. <P>Lively characters, surprising twists, and thought-provoking ideas make Wendy Mass's latest novel an unforgettable read. 2621692 1 11 2006 Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life total:1306|5:492|4:470|3:275|2:50|1:19| 1306 5284 1857 361 5 2 false false Sun Jun 01 18:38:21 -0700 2008 Sun Jun 01 19:24:54 -0700 2008 more...]]> 3 2 false false Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Wed Feb 20 09:22:58 -0800 2008 Sun Apr 27 05:56:37 -0700 2008
Let me explain: In this book, Jeremy Fink is a 12-year-old who receives a mysterious box that his father, who died several years before, had arranged to be delivered to h...more...]]> 5 1 false false Mon Mar 23 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Mar 15 09:31:01 -0700 2009 Mon Mar 23 14:41:06 -0700 2009 3 1 false false Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sat Nov 17 11:06:50 -0800 2007 Sat Nov 17 11:10:02 -0800 2007 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Sep 26 08:23:52 -0700 2009 Sat Sep 26 08:27:20 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun May 31 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon May 25 03:34:29 -0700 2009 Sun May 31 15:09:12 -0700 2009
Jeremy is now almost 13 and he has never stopped missing his dad. One day he ...more...]]> 3 0 false false Fri Feb 20 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Feb 08 21:15:10 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 20 15:21:28 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Thu Apr 23 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon May 18 22:02:34 -0700 2009 Wed Jun 03 11:54:34 -0700 2009
How can anyone not be immediately drawn to a book with an opening sentence like that?

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life documents the life Jeremy Fink and his best friend, Lizzy, as they attempt to find the keys to a box that contains the m...more...]]> 3 1 false false Fri Feb 20 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 19 06:12:19 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 20 12:46:52 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Dec 13 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Fri Dec 05 14:29:45 -0800 2008 Sun Dec 14 17:03:18 -0800 2008
Shortly before his thirteenth birthday, Jeremy Fink receives...more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Nov 12 14:35:44 -0800 2008 Tue Dec 02 12:41:19 -0800 2008 1 more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Apr 08 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Apr 12 14:55:27 -0700 2009 Sun Apr 12 14:55:39 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Mon Aug 24 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu Aug 20 12:02:19 -0700 2009 Tue Aug 25 07:44:10 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Fri Jul 24 19:30:13 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 24 19:30:24 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Fri Apr 17 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Mar 23 12:54:06 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 17 01:24:50 -0700 2009
Several times throughout the book, both my son and I c...more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon Jan 19 05:50:49 -0800 2009 Mon Jan 19 05:54:15 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 1 false false Wed Nov 12 17:00:02 -0800 2008 Wed Oct 22 18:35:50 -0700 2008 Wed Nov 12 17:00:02 -0800 2008 4 0 false false Tue Jul 07 14:25:55 -0700 2009 Tue Jul 07 14:34:11 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 13 06:35:34 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 13 10:14:42 -0700 2009
Some books hook you in the first sentence, paragraph, or chapter. This one created a first image that I found off-putting and had to fight against to keep reading. The first sentence--"My sweat smells...more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Jul 29 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Jul 25 14:24:23 -0700 2009 Wed Jul 29 15:50:14 -0700 2009 1 more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=363851