Mrs. Estronsky and the U.F.O.

by Pat Schmatz

"But it's my birthday. That isn't fair! Why should I get punished for my birthday? If I'm going to be punished, it should be on your birthday!" That's Jackie Riley's response when she receives a gift of piano lessons on her twelfth birthday. Her father and brother have moved to Wyoming and forgotten all about Jackie. The house is empty and her mother cries more than any mother should. How could piano lessons do anything but make it all worse? But when Jackie starts her lessons with Mrs. Estronsky, some unexpected doors begin to open. One October night, something comes flying through one of those open doors and leaves Jackie reeling in the middle of a whole new world -- a world much bigger than the one she knew before. "Trust your own experience, Jackie," says Mrs. Estronsky. "It's the only truth that you'll ever know." Jackie tries out this new idea by interacting differently with her family and friends. Nothing changes -- and everything changes -- all at the same time.

200 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2001

About the author

Pat grew up in rural Wisconsin and has lived in Michigan, California, and Minnesota. In addition to writing, she’s interested in language study (ASL, Italian, Japanese and Spanish), drawing/cartooning, travel and anything outdoors. She occasionally teaches writing on-line and in person, and is always happy for a chance to visit a middle school or high school classroom. Her #1 favorite hobby, relaxation and adventure has been the same since she was little – stories. Stories in books, music, art, dance – it’s all about the story.

Reviews

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book that Pat Schmatz published but the last one that I read. I discovered her as an author earlier this year and have since read all the books she wrote. What amazed me most about this book in particular is that even though it was her first published novel, the skill shown in the writing and the craft in the storytelling is amazing. I find that with many authors you can tell when they wrote certain books during their career by the skill in the writing. That is not the case with Pat. That is not to say there has not been a progression in her writing - there has, but that this first book was an absolutely wonderful read.

The characters in this story were stunning in how real they appeared. As I was reading the book, I thought that these would be people I would like in my life. The story revolves around Jackie Riley and the events before and after her twelfth birthday. The story deals with issues of separation and split families, with learning to enjoy learning, with alcoholism and recovery and just plain growing up. The story spans the better part of the year, from early summer until Thanksgiving weekend. It is a mix of Jackie remembering back, and time progressing forward. The nuances of the story are subtle and I know that I will go back and read it again. It is a great book by an awesome writer. Give this or any of her books a try. You will enjoy them all!

Read the rest of the review and with links to other reviews of books by the authors on my blog Book Reviews and More. And a link to an author interview with Pat Schmatz.

[Beth Tucker Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story follows a young girl through a messy transition during an awkward time of life. The details capture the sadness, the anger, the confusion, the relief, and the happiness. It’s a great YA book.

[Syd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend of mine wrote this and it is the first young adult novel I have read in some time. I was unprepared for the common threads with my own growing up experience, and I teared up several times on the plane. This book is a real reflection of a young girl trying to figure out how she fits in.