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6th out of 13 books
—
4 voters
The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman
by
Meg Wolitzer
At first glance, Duncan Dorfman, April Blunt, and Nate Saviano don't seem to have much in common. Duncan is trying to look after his single mom and adjust to life in a new town while managing his newfound Scrabble superpower - he can feel words and pictures beneath his fingers and tell what they are without looking. April is pining for a mystery boy she met years ago and s...more
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published
September 20th 2011
by Dutton Juvenile
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Years ago a friend donated a copy of a book to the library in which I worked. This book was supposed to boost SAT scores by giving students access to the "15-cent word" vocabulary they'd need in context, so all over the pages were words underlined to indicate HERE IS AN SAT WORD. Oddly enought, no one every borrowed this book, even those avidly preparing for the exams. Why do I mention this? Because this book feels the same to me: let's get kids into Scrabble, fitting a story in around lists of...more
Duncan and his mom have been on their own together forever. When she loses her job in Michigan, the two head home to Drilling Falls, Pennsylvania and move in with his great aunt, Aunt Djuna, and his mom gets a job at Thriftee Mike's Warehouse. Duncan's mom has told him that his father, Joe Wright, died of a rare disease called panosis before he was born, but she doesn't like to talk about him.
Duncan is lonely, having lunch with the other new kid at school, Andrew Tanizaki, a loneliness only enha...more
Duncan is lonely, having lunch with the other new kid at school, Andrew Tanizaki, a loneliness only enha...more
At first glance, I am certain that I would have never picked up this book. However, my yearning to read more young adult literature and my most recent word obsession with scrabble, made me glad that I did. In a sense, this book served as a scrabble "user friendly" guide for me. I learned about several mnemonic devices to remember "point worthy" words, anagrams, strategies to navigate vowel dumps, an exhausting list of two lettered words to memorize, and a plethora of ways to make any arrangement...more
One of the highlights of the BEA this past year, for me anyhow, has been how many books I walked away with which turned out to be pretty damn fun. Books I hadn't heard of before the expo, but sounded like they had enough potential to merit being packed and flown home, and which rocked my socks off once I got around to picking them off the bookshelf.
One of these was the Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman, Meg Wolitzer's first children's book. Meg pitched FDD at the speed dating for YA and children's au...more
One of these was the Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman, Meg Wolitzer's first children's book. Meg pitched FDD at the speed dating for YA and children's au...more
Three pairs of kids are competing in the Youth Scrabble Tournament:
April, paired with her best friend Lucy, is the lone Scrabble fanatic in a big family of jocks. She wants to win the tournament, but she is also hoping against hope to see a boy she taught to play scrabble while staying at a motel three years ago.
Nate, paired with his friend Maxie, is a NYC skateboarder who would like to attend school but must stay home and study Scrabble all day thanks to his crazed dad, who lost the YST as a ki...more
April, paired with her best friend Lucy, is the lone Scrabble fanatic in a big family of jocks. She wants to win the tournament, but she is also hoping against hope to see a boy she taught to play scrabble while staying at a motel three years ago.
Nate, paired with his friend Maxie, is a NYC skateboarder who would like to attend school but must stay home and study Scrabble all day thanks to his crazed dad, who lost the YST as a ki...more
**Note: review of ARC. Duncan Dorfman, April Blunt, and Nate Saviano live faraway from one another and have one thing in common: they are all bright children who will compete in the national Scrabble competition held in Florida and each has a special reason for being in the competition.
Duncan Dorfman is drafted to go when major competitor Carl Slater realizes that Duncan has a gift which will give him an edge in the competition: Duncan can read with his fingertips--and we're not talking about B...more
Duncan Dorfman is drafted to go when major competitor Carl Slater realizes that Duncan has a gift which will give him an edge in the competition: Duncan can read with his fingertips--and we're not talking about B...more
Lovers of Scrabble, collectors of odd words and anagrams, and fans of the underdog will love this book. Duncan Dorfman, April Blunt, and Nate Saviano, three smart kids from different backgrounds and different parts of the country, have at least one thing in common: They all play Scrabble, and head to a national Scrabble team tournament in Florida. Duncan moves to a new town after his mother loses her job, and ends up being labeled "Lunch Meat" when someone in the cafeteria throws a slice of bolo...more
Duncan has this weird power---when he touches something with his hand, he can tell what it says without looking. Not surprisingly, he's quickly drafted to be in a Scrabble tournament. (It would come in VERY handy to be able to know what tiles you're grabbing before it's too late.) When he and his Scrabble partner, Carl, arrive in Florida, he meets April and Nate. April's a huge Scrabble freak and Nate is there because his dad lost the tournament 26 years ago and thinks Nate is his chance to rede...more
I must have liked this book, since I stayed up late to finish it (although I told myself that it was just because there was so little left, it would be silly to leave it until morning), but there were a lot of things about it that bothered me. First off, a quote on the back of the book (from an author who I greatly respect, nonetheless), refers to Meg Wolitzer's "polished prose," and yet I found the prose far from polished. The text often seemed clunky and awkward; the story did not flow smoothl...more
I'm a little stumped by this book and how to rate it.
The story revolves around the lives of three 12 year old kids who each live in different parts of the country. What brings them together is the National Scrabble tournament held in Florida. Each child is playing the game for different reasons and we come to know them bit by bit. The main character is Duncan Dorfman who happens to have an unusual talent for feeling words with the fingertips of his left hand (without looking at it). A handy tri...more
The story revolves around the lives of three 12 year old kids who each live in different parts of the country. What brings them together is the National Scrabble tournament held in Florida. Each child is playing the game for different reasons and we come to know them bit by bit. The main character is Duncan Dorfman who happens to have an unusual talent for feeling words with the fingertips of his left hand (without looking at it). A handy tri...more
Duncan Dorfman has a gift, or a curse, depending on how you look at it. His left hand fingertips can 'read' with his eyes closed. His mother begs him not to let anyone know about it, but you know how that goes. Duncan spills the beans and now Carl wants him to be his Scrabble partner in the national competition. His 'gift' just might come in handy. Thus ensues a dilemma for Duncan...does he use his gift and cheat, or does he do the morally right thing and play just like everyone else.
At the tou...more
At the tou...more
Duncan is a social outcast who doesn't have much going for him. He and his mother just moved to Drilling Falls, PA after she lost her job in their old town. Now they live with his aunt, and she works at Thriftee Mike's. Duncan sits at the outcasts table and tries to stay un-noticed, but when he shows his secret talent to his one friend, the ability to read with his fingertips, the school bully and Scrabble champion notices, and wants Duncan on his team for the Youth Scrabble Tournament (YST).
Apr...more
Apr...more
You may not think that a book about Scrabble would keep you turning the pages, but Meg Wolitzer’s The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman kept me engaged.
Duncan and his mother have just moved across the country to Drilling Falls, Pennsylvania to live with Aunt Djuna. Just as he is settling into his new school, Duncan discovers that he has a secret power: his left hand is able to read the words and pictures on a page just by moving his fingers across them. When school bully and hardcore Scrabble player...more
Duncan and his mother have just moved across the country to Drilling Falls, Pennsylvania to live with Aunt Djuna. Just as he is settling into his new school, Duncan discovers that he has a secret power: his left hand is able to read the words and pictures on a page just by moving his fingers across them. When school bully and hardcore Scrabble player...more
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Okay, both my 12 year old and I are in agreement on this one--we liked it, but didn't love it.
This has an E.L.Konigsburg feel to it--quirky characters, multipoint views, and I say that positively, as I have loved her books for many years, but the uneven writing proves what I've always said about adult authors writing children's books--even the best writers can find it challenging!
The "magic" I can deal with--it's a key part of the plot line. However, the resolution between Nate and his dad and h...more
This has an E.L.Konigsburg feel to it--quirky characters, multipoint views, and I say that positively, as I have loved her books for many years, but the uneven writing proves what I've always said about adult authors writing children's books--even the best writers can find it challenging!
The "magic" I can deal with--it's a key part of the plot line. However, the resolution between Nate and his dad and h...more
3.8 stars
Scrabble is at the heart of this story. We get to know 3 particular young people from Pennsylvania, New York, and Oregon. They all have their own tale about how and why they came to like to play Scrabble. When all 3 young people go to the Junior World Scrabble Championship in Florida, each one of them has a particular reason why it is important for them to win.
This book would not have been quite so appealing to me if I didn't especially like Scrabble. I love to play it on my iPad and al...more
Scrabble is at the heart of this story. We get to know 3 particular young people from Pennsylvania, New York, and Oregon. They all have their own tale about how and why they came to like to play Scrabble. When all 3 young people go to the Junior World Scrabble Championship in Florida, each one of them has a particular reason why it is important for them to win.
This book would not have been quite so appealing to me if I didn't especially like Scrabble. I love to play it on my iPad and al...more
This is a juvenile fiction book about a 12 year-old boy who has the unexplained power to "read" with his fingers. He can touch a written word with his eyes closed and is able to read it. This proves to be a boon to playing Scrabble, since he can reach into the bag of tiles and select the letters he wants. The novel revolves around how he chooses to reveal and/or hide this power. Numerous subplots concerning friendships, loyalty, bullying, family secrets, and cheating would make this book appeali...more
I put off reading this because the cover was not at all enticing... However, I find myslef devouring the story of Duncan Dorfman (and several others) who play Scrable and are in a big-money tournament in Florida. Duncan (7th grade) has not always liked Scrable. But a "tough-guy" turned Scrable player from Duncan's school finds out he "reads" with his fingers, he drafts Duncan, figuring there is no way they can lose now.
Duncan wins personally because during the tournament he figures out that his...more
Duncan wins personally because during the tournament he figures out that his...more
One reviewer describes this book as "pleasant but underwhelming." I'd agree, with the caveat that a kid who is a scrabble lover or word junky (and they do exist) would probably thoroughly enjoy it. Otherwise, it's a decent read: likeable characters, interesting concept, but nothing special. The ending wraps up waaaaay too conveniently; a number of characters have epiphanies that seem to come out of nowhere rather than being prompted by anything that has happened during the course of the story. I...more
This is a great book about a boy with a "power" for knowing what's written on a page(or a Scrabble tile)simply by touching it. Another boy wants to harness the power, by making him his teammate at a national Scrabble tournament. Duncan meets many new friends who are participating in the tournament for their own various reasons, some not so willingly, and he has to determine whether his desire to win is worth the guilt of cheating against these worthy competitors. The assorted stories of the char...more
I love playing Words with Friends--it is a great mind activity. If you love scrabble, then this book will hook you into it. The story follows some kids who like to play scrabble and they are going to go to a tournament. One boy realizes he can tell what the letters say because his fingertips get warm when he touches the tiles. Should he play fair? Should he use his talent to swing the game? This book has some good tips on scrabble choices and some interesting moral decisions. It also has some go...more
The world of competitive Scrabble is rather cut-throat, even among kids. Duncan Dorfman has an unusual power in the fingertips of his left hand. When middle school semi-bully and Scrabble king becomes aware of this power, he drafts Duncan to be his teammate at the YST (Youth Scrabble Tournament) in Florida. Well, Duncan's mother warned him not to show his power to anyone. But did he listen? The narrative also weaves in the problems of April Blunt (who wishes her athletic family would recognize t...more
Duncan Dorfman has magic fingertips; they allow him to read anything he touches without looking. He has just moved to a new town with his single-parent mom and wants to fit in. Unfortunately he has the nickname of Lunch Meat and wears shirts the color of condiments. Then he shows his power to Carl, the youth scrabble champion. Carl immediately recruits Duncan to play scrabble and forces his to use his power. April is from a family of sports fanatics, but she only loves Scrabble. Her family doesn...more
Nov 06, 2011
Teresa Garrett
added it
Recommended to Teresa by:
The author Meg Wolitzer at the Texas Book Festival
Shelves:
fall-2011,
middle-grade
After hearing the author Meg at the Texas Book Festival I knew I really wanted to read this book. I dabble at Scrabble nothing like the kids in this story who are consumed by the game each for very different reasons. The story culminates at the YST - Youth Scrabble Tournament deep in the heart of Texas. Each competitor must come to terms with the events in their lives that have brought them to the tournament and what they need to do to win. Duncan's story is more complicated however and he leave...more
You never really knew for sure what was going to happen next in life. That was part of the pain, and the fun. You never knew the end of the story until it happened.
Duncan Dorfman is the kind of kid you want to route for - he's the new kid at school, he's quirky, he's shy, and he's got a secret at the tips of his fingertips. Literally. Duncan has the ability to read words using his fingertips, a power that could come in very handy at the annual Youth Scrabble Tournament (YST) in Yakamee, Florida....more
Duncan Dorfman is the kind of kid you want to route for - he's the new kid at school, he's quirky, he's shy, and he's got a secret at the tips of his fingertips. Literally. Duncan has the ability to read words using his fingertips, a power that could come in very handy at the annual Youth Scrabble Tournament (YST) in Yakamee, Florida....more
This book is about a series of kids who compete in a national tournament. Each kid has their own little subplot. Nate is forced to play by his dad, who lost at a former Scrabble tournament. April is looking for a kid she met years ago at a pool on vacation who loved Scrabble. And Duncan has a special power that he can read words using only his fingertips. The book was extremely fast paced, and as a Scrabble fan, I enjoyed all the trivia and references. As a teen novel, it wasn't that dramatic, a...more
I really enjoyed this book about Duncan Dorfman. He is a new kid at school where he is trying to fit in. A piece of baloney gets stuck to the back of his shirt during lunch and he gets this nickname "lunch meat". He discovers that he has this power and Carl Slatter recruits him to be his partner for the Youth Scrabble Tournament in Florida.
We learn about two other characters that have different reasons for wanting to win the Youth Scrabble Tournament, just as Duncan Dorfman has his own reason...more
We learn about two other characters that have different reasons for wanting to win the Youth Scrabble Tournament, just as Duncan Dorfman has his own reason...more
Aa
ab
ad
ae
ag
ah
ai
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an
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as at
aw
ax
ay
ba
be
bi
bo
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de
do
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ef
eh
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fa
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and two and 1/2 more pages of two-letter words. Did you know there were so many two-letter words that you could use on the Scrabble board? This book not only shares some great Scrabble tips, but is a good story in its on right of four teams of players who meet up in a national Scrabble tournament in Florida. This is another bully story. The ending is somewhat predictable with all the loose ends tied up neatly ... as n...more
ab
ad
ae
ag
ah
ai
al
am
an
ar
as at
aw
ax
ay
ba
be
bi
bo
by
de
do
ed
ef
eh
el
em
en
er
es
et
ex
fa
fe
go
ha
and two and 1/2 more pages of two-letter words. Did you know there were so many two-letter words that you could use on the Scrabble board? This book not only shares some great Scrabble tips, but is a good story in its on right of four teams of players who meet up in a national Scrabble tournament in Florida. This is another bully story. The ending is somewhat predictable with all the loose ends tied up neatly ... as n...more
I’ve always gravitated to children’s books about characters with extraordinary powers. I’m not talking about the iconic Batman and Superman. I love reading about kids who are somewhat nerdy but have a special talent. Now I can add The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman to my list of favorite "power" novels such as Savy, Powerless and The Trouble with Jenny's Ear. Duncan is faced with moral choices as to when to use his ability to feel letters beneath his fingertips. The group of new friends he makes a...more
"words with friends" (just a new name for scrabble) is a very popular game nowadays, kids will be happy to have these lists at their fingertips! :) good teen book for maybe ages 12-15, in general an absorbing read. (i see why it had so many holds at the library lol) so great to have a different topic for once, with the focus on scrabble. the story itself was nice with a varity of characters to share the focus with interesting subplots. also i think its a very, very clever way to teach kids words...more
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Meg Wolitzer is the author of
The Ten-Year Nap
and seven previous novels, including
The Position
and
The Wife
. Her short fiction has appeared in The Best American Short Stories and The Pushcart Prize.
Author photo copyright Deborah Copaken.
More about Meg Wolitzer...
Author photo copyright Deborah Copaken.
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Nov 06, 2011 08:36pm