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355th out of 670 books
—
2,898 voters
How High the Moon
by
Sandra Kring
In this tender novel set in 1955 Mill Town, Wisconsin, Sandra Kring explores the complicated bond between mothers and daughters, the pressure to conform, and the meaning of friendship and family.
Ten-year-old Isabella “Teaspoon” Marlene has been a handful ever since her mother, Catty, dumped her with an old boyfriend and ran off to Hollywood. Teaspoon fights, fibs, never st...more
Ten-year-old Isabella “Teaspoon” Marlene has been a handful ever since her mother, Catty, dumped her with an old boyfriend and ran off to Hollywood. Teaspoon fights, fibs, never st...more
Paperback, 368 pages
Published
April 6th 2010
by Bantam
(first published March 25th 2010)
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This was a real gem of a book. Told from the perspective of a ten year old girl (nicknamed Teaspoon) growing up in 1955 Wisconsin, it was sweet, funny and refreshing. The characters were wonderful and felt so real, I got very invested in what happened to them and found the book hard to put down. There were many thought provoking themes to the book, such as following your heart, the trouble with conformity, and what makes a real family....its not always conventional. I wish I could really step in...more
We see a cast of characters, in a neighborhood, through the eyes of Isabella/Teaspoon (doesn't look like she could hold more than a teaspoon of air in her small frame) during the 1950s. This lovely story paints the picture of an innocent time that held the same struggles we have now--deciphering relationships, making friendships, having a class system, making ends meet. The central plot point is that Isabella is matched up with a Big Sister in her community, Brenda. Brenda may be wealthy but she...more
The best word I can think of to describe this book is "sweet." Teaspoon is the main character (her real name is Isabella, but everyone calls her Teaspoon), and after being toted around by her mother, she is left with her mother's boyfriend, Teddy. No one knows for sure where her mother is, or when she might be back, but Teddy, bless his heart, steps into the role of caregiver without a second thought. Sweet. Here is a passage that I really liked: Teaspoon had a wiggly tooth, and when she complai...more
Ten-year-old Isabella “Teaspoon” either fibs by referring to Teddy as her uncle or makes her 1950s schoolteachers all "twitchy" by telling the truth: he was her mother's boyfriend until her mother took off 5 years ago with Teddy's car and a dream of becoming a famous actress.
When Teaspoon and the town's beauty queen become partners in a mentoring program, the two will learn a lot more than "refinement" from each other, they will learn about being true to yourself and following your heart.
The au...more
When Teaspoon and the town's beauty queen become partners in a mentoring program, the two will learn a lot more than "refinement" from each other, they will learn about being true to yourself and following your heart.
The au...more
How High the Moon: A Novel, by Sandra Kring, was the first book I received from Goodreads' First Reads. Initially, when I started to read the book, and became aware that the story is told from a 10 year old's point of view, I was somewhat skeptical; adult authors generally have trouble portraying the vocabulary, mannerisms, and observations of youngsters, either expressing them too simplistically or with too much of an adult view, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Ms. Kring captured perfectl...more
Sandra Kring writes books that are great "pick-me-ups". This book is no exception. How High the Moon is told in the first person by a great heroine, Teaspoon. Teaspoon is living with her mother's boyfriend in 1955 Mill Town after her mother dumped her to follow her dreams. It would be possible for Teaspoon to feel abandoned and unwanted but Teddy, her mom's boyfriend, is more than capable of rising to the challenge of making Teaspoon feel wanted. There are other characters who are suffering fro...more
It's 1955 in Milltown, Wisconsin, where ten year old Isabella "Teaspoon" Marlene lives. She is a sweet but outspoken little girl, who misses her mother and wonders when she will be coming home. Teaspoon's mother left her with her boyfriend Teddy, telling her that she had "dreams to chase", and she then took off for a career in Hollywood.
Teddy is man who care deeply for Teaspoon. She tells people, "Teddy is the boyfriend Ma left me with", but "Teddy is as good as Jesus". Poor Teddy has his work...more
Teddy is man who care deeply for Teaspoon. She tells people, "Teddy is the boyfriend Ma left me with", but "Teddy is as good as Jesus". Poor Teddy has his work...more
Would give 3.5 stars if I could. This book had several things I typically find annoying in a book - a precocious child. Several characters with extraordinary talent or luck and HUGE coincidences. Sometimes an author throws all of that in a book and I feel like it becomes so unrealistic it's unenjoyable. Sometimes they throw it all in and it ends up being a sweet book with some fun characters and nice messages. Fortunately for me, this time the precocious kid + wild coincidences + gifted cast of...more
I was really excited when I won this book on Firstreads because it looked absolutely adorable.
Living in a small town in 1955, 10-yr-old Teaspoon sometimes seems larger than life. She fights, fibs, talks too much, and has a passion for singing. But Teaspoon wants to change in order to be "respectable" for Teddy, the boyfriend that her mom abandoned her with 5 years ago. So Teaspoon joins the Sunshine Sisters, a mentoring program, and her Big Sister is none other than Brenda Bloom, the daughter t...more
Living in a small town in 1955, 10-yr-old Teaspoon sometimes seems larger than life. She fights, fibs, talks too much, and has a passion for singing. But Teaspoon wants to change in order to be "respectable" for Teddy, the boyfriend that her mom abandoned her with 5 years ago. So Teaspoon joins the Sunshine Sisters, a mentoring program, and her Big Sister is none other than Brenda Bloom, the daughter t...more
teaspoon marlene's mom ran off five years ago, with her boyfriend's car and without looking back. now teaspoon, living with the churchmouse poor ex boyfriend, is on the brink of flunking fifth grade. so she's given a choice; finish your book report and spend your summer enrolled in the local big sister program, or repeat fifth grade next year. there's also the hope that some positive feminine influence might rub off, and teaspoon thinks maybe it will help her control her "afflictions". some of t...more
I won this book through Goodreads First Read Giveaway.
The book is set in 1955 where the narrator is a 10 year old girl whos 'ma' left to achive her dream of being a Hollywood actress. Teaspoon is left with the boyfriend for 5 years where she suffers come 'afflictions' and joins a group called the Sunshine Sisters where she hopes to learn how to be 'respectable' by Brenda, her Big Sister.
The book was cute in its own way. Teaspoon was a little bundle of energy that you could feel radiating through...more
The book is set in 1955 where the narrator is a 10 year old girl whos 'ma' left to achive her dream of being a Hollywood actress. Teaspoon is left with the boyfriend for 5 years where she suffers come 'afflictions' and joins a group called the Sunshine Sisters where she hopes to learn how to be 'respectable' by Brenda, her Big Sister.
The book was cute in its own way. Teaspoon was a little bundle of energy that you could feel radiating through...more
Generally being the "good girl" growing up, Teaspoon's incessant talking and singing bothered me. Think Dennis the Menace. Her naïveté was refreshing at times and humorous at others (“taxi cab ladies?”…yeah). I thought Kring did a decent job of telling this tale through an 11-year-old’s eyes, though there were moments when Teaspoon’s statements were just a little too enlightened or irritating (if I never hear the words "affliction" again, I will die happy). And the plot was pretty predictable, w...more
I won this on first reads. :3
I liked this book, it was definitely cute. It is told in the perspective of mischievous 10 year-old Teaspoon, who is living with her mother's ex-boyfriend Teddy. She gets in trouble all the time, and wants to get respectable by curing he afflictions. Afflictions being cussing, getting in fights, and not listening to Teddy. So she decides that she needs to join the Sunshine sisters, and mentoring program for young girls, to get this done.
I enjoyed reading everything...more
I liked this book, it was definitely cute. It is told in the perspective of mischievous 10 year-old Teaspoon, who is living with her mother's ex-boyfriend Teddy. She gets in trouble all the time, and wants to get respectable by curing he afflictions. Afflictions being cussing, getting in fights, and not listening to Teddy. So she decides that she needs to join the Sunshine sisters, and mentoring program for young girls, to get this done.
I enjoyed reading everything...more
I enjoyed this book. It was a quick, fun read. I really liked the characters: Teaspoon, a spunky 10 year old, Charlie, Teaspoon's 8 year old sidekick, Brenda, Teaspoon's "big sister," and Teddy, Teaspoon's mother's live-in boyfriend. All of the characters, especially Teaspoon, are colorful and interesting, and really jump off the pages. The plot itself is good - not many huge twists or big surprises, but still not entirely predictable. The book is written from Teaspoon's perspective, which is de...more
I won this book in Goodreads first reads. It was a really cute book about a little girl named Teaspoon. She’s so funny, she just rambles on and on about whatever happens to cross her mind, doesn’t seem to even take a breath, but then she always gets back to the point, and sometimes helps people see things without even knowing. She’s energetic and blunt, always telling people exactly what she thinks. She’s like a jack in the box, wound up, all that pent up energy strung inside her, and then she b...more
I really loved this book. It is populated with strong, interesting and pretty unforgettable characters. It's difficult to choose a favorite character because they all carry such solid and real descriptions and personalities, but I would have to profess a particular love for the main character, Teaspoon. She is a young girl with "afflictions," including cussing and over-talking, and to me, she is the kind of girl who would innocently infuse your life with energy. The story takes place basically o...more
I won this in the first-reads giveaway - my first ever ARC, I felt so special :)
Unfortunately I wasn't blown away by the book, though I did enjoy it in the moment. It was entertaining, but extremely predictable and didn't break any new ground. I see this as one of those YA books that teens will love, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to adult readers, because the story has been done before, and better.
Teaspoon was an engaging narrator, though, and it was fun to see the world through her s...more
Unfortunately I wasn't blown away by the book, though I did enjoy it in the moment. It was entertaining, but extremely predictable and didn't break any new ground. I see this as one of those YA books that teens will love, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to adult readers, because the story has been done before, and better.
Teaspoon was an engaging narrator, though, and it was fun to see the world through her s...more
Usually when authors write a book in first person through the eyes of a child, the language in the book is too complicated to be authentic, and therefore not believable. Sandra Kring is not one of those authors. She did an amazing job of telling a very touching and heart-felt story from Isabelle Marlene's point of view. Isabelle, endearingly nicknamed "Teaspoon", is a 10-year-old girl living in a small town in the 10950's. Her mother left her with Teddy, her momma's boyfriend, when she was just...more
I enjoyed this book so much. Set in the 1950's, it was told from the viewpoint of Isabella "Teaspoon" Marlene, a 10 year old girl. Told first with a childlike innocence, but later with more maturity, it is a growing up tale of Teaspoon, who is a rough and tumble sort of girl until the "Older Sister" mentoring program gets hold of her and attempts to smooth the rough edges. Teaspoon is paired with Brenda, High School everything and role model to many.
Teaspoon matures under the wing of Brenda an...more
Teaspoon matures under the wing of Brenda an...more
At first, I wasn't sure I was going to buy into the main character; a precocious, sassy, high-spirited 11 year-old named Isabella Marlene, more commonly called "Teaspoon". It didn't take me long, though, to get drawn in!
Teaspoon's mother left her at the age of 5 with Teddy, who had been her mother's boyfriend. Teddy does his best to do right by Teaspoon, and encourages her to become a better person. I loved how she went from a devil-may-care punk to trying to become a more refined young lady, t...more
Teaspoon's mother left her at the age of 5 with Teddy, who had been her mother's boyfriend. Teddy does his best to do right by Teaspoon, and encourages her to become a better person. I loved how she went from a devil-may-care punk to trying to become a more refined young lady, t...more
I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book until I got to the very end. I cried my way through the last few chapters and when all was said and done, I really enjoyed how Teaspoon (nicknamed due to the enormous singing voice coming out of such a tiny girl) was able to see the best in everyone around her (she had no idea that the Taxi Stand Ladies were prostitutes). I loved how Teddy, not even her biological father, loved her as his own and sacrificed a lot for her. Overall, most people...more
This is a review of an ARC, won on "first reads" (giveaways).
Set in the 1950s, this is the story of Isabella, a.k.a. "Teaspoon," and the summer following her fifth grade year. Upon reading the initial description of the book, I couldn't tell if it was a book geared towards teens or adults. Even reading the novel, it wasn't clear as to whom the audience was.
The first two chapters read smoothly, but the rest of the novel didn't pick up pace until 100 pages in, literally the page where Teaspoon be...more
Set in the 1950s, this is the story of Isabella, a.k.a. "Teaspoon," and the summer following her fifth grade year. Upon reading the initial description of the book, I couldn't tell if it was a book geared towards teens or adults. Even reading the novel, it wasn't clear as to whom the audience was.
The first two chapters read smoothly, but the rest of the novel didn't pick up pace until 100 pages in, literally the page where Teaspoon be...more
No author captures the voice of a young girl the way Sandra Kring does. Lovable, naive Teaspoon (Isabella Marlene) has many "afflictions" but she sees the good in others and dreams of being a great singer one day. The novel is peppered with characters who guide Teaspoon on her quest to improve herself by eliminating some of her afflictions. Yes, there is a predictable ending and one of the characters (and the storyline) is a nod to Johnny in Dirty Dancing, but that's because the time period is 1...more
Very cute. Another POV by a child. I like it. Kring is able to embody the child's mind and make you laugh. There were a few foreseeable (if i spelled that right) twists but overall I enjoyed it. Teaspoon, nicknamed as she loves to sing as if there weren't even a teaspoon of air left after she belts one, is deserted by her mother to her mother's old boyfriend Teddy. Teddy is a sweet man who is trying to do his best by this 10 year old. Teaspoon is a handful and is told to enter into a Sunshine Si...more
This was a sweet book, set in the 1950s, narrated by Teaspoon, a 10-year old girl. Her mom left her to be raised by her boyfriend and they live in the poorer part of the town. Teaspoon joins a group called Sunshine Sisters, where she has a mentor from the upper-class section. Teaspoon is a child so her narration is very naive, misinterpreting many situations. Teaspoon wants to be a singer and gets very involved in helping arrange a benefit concert, which brings along much drama. The story was al...more
3.5 stars. Told from the point of 10 year old Teaspoon. She swears (until recently), fibs, day dreams, shoots marbles with the Jacksons, and sings like an angel. Teaspoon is 10 years old living with her mother's ex boyfriend (circa 1955). The boyfriend, Teddy Favors, is determined to raise her right and respectable.
Teaspoon is paired up with Brenda Bloom, the town sweetheart. Together they plan an exciting evening show at the Starlight Theater. While doing this, they both learn some very importa...more
Teaspoon is paired up with Brenda Bloom, the town sweetheart. Together they plan an exciting evening show at the Starlight Theater. While doing this, they both learn some very importa...more
Set in 1955, Wisconsin, I thought this book would be one I���d get lost in but of the Kring books I���ve read so far, this one took me the longest to get into. I just wasn���t feeling the characters at first.
Isabella, who has been called Teaspoon most of her life, is a feisty child who hasn���t been disciplined. If she doesn���t want to be held back a grade, she must join the Sunshine Sisters and learn to be respectable and get rid of some of her inflictions. Teaspoon tells it like it is, but sh...more
Isabella, who has been called Teaspoon most of her life, is a feisty child who hasn���t been disciplined. If she doesn���t want to be held back a grade, she must join the Sunshine Sisters and learn to be respectable and get rid of some of her inflictions. Teaspoon tells it like it is, but sh...more
Wow. I laughed. I cried. What an amazing book. This was a Readers Choice selection at our local library. In reading some of the reviews there were some that questioned the ability of a supposed 9 year old girl to talk the way she did ( this was written as first person by a fictional 9-10 year old girl) but having a daughter that age myself who is witty and charming and who views the world in her own way made me disagree with any critics in this way. I very highly recommend this masterpiece. It r...more
The book is set in Wisconsin which is one of the reasons it interested me. It is about a little girl left with her mom's boyfriend for five years while mom pursues her acting dreams. Of course, the man is a good father to the girl and they get along just fine. Teaspoon (the little girl's nickname) gets involved with the Sunshine Sisters which pairs high school students with grade school girls to teach them how to be proper young ladies.
It was an entertaining read as it is told by Teaspoon and ho...more
It was an entertaining read as it is told by Teaspoon and ho...more
Please note: I received an ARC of this book through the First Reads program. The book itself is scheduled for publication 4/27.
I don't necessarily read a lot of general fiction, not because I don't like it, but because as a genre it just seems so broad. When a book could be about anything, how do you pick one you'll like? That said, I'm a real character person, and if the characterization is strong enough, I can like a book on practically any subject, even if my brain has to stay in the present...more
I don't necessarily read a lot of general fiction, not because I don't like it, but because as a genre it just seems so broad. When a book could be about anything, how do you pick one you'll like? That said, I'm a real character person, and if the characterization is strong enough, I can like a book on practically any subject, even if my brain has to stay in the present...more
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May 04, 2010 03:39pm