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Sophie Pitt-Turnbull Discovers America

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Things turn out rather different from what she expected when Sophie Pitt-Turnbull takes a trip across the pond in this droll new novel by the author of CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN.


The summer her mother announces that they won't be taking their traditional holiday in France, sixteen-year-old Sophie Pitt-Turnbull is aghast and devastated. How can she possibly stay in London when all her friends are going away? The prospect is so ghastly that when Jacqueline Salamanca, Mummy's old art-school chum in New York, suggests they trade daughters for the summer, Sophie — with visions of a loft in SoHo, weekends in the Hamptons, and shopping on Fifth Avenue — feels her prayers have been answered. Unfortunately, there are a few small details that Mummy's neglected to tell her.

Get ready for a comical case of culture clash when one haughty British teen winds up deep in the heart of working-class Brooklyn, cooped up in a chaotic household with two rowdy charges, an ill-trained cat, and an insatiably hungry pet pig. Dyan Sheldon is in her element with this outrageously funny tale of an uptight young girl who is forced to get over her preconceptions — and dares to have herself a full-hearted adventure that's worth writing home about. Complete with a glossary of Britishisms in the back!

192 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 2003

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About the author

Dyan Sheldon

93 books196 followers
Dyan Sheldon is the author of many novels for young adult readers, including the #1 New York Times bestseller CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN, which was made into a major motion picture. American by birth, she lives in North London.

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5 stars
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76 (41%)
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33 (18%)
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for Ayu.
343 reviews22 followers
July 12, 2012
Semua orang tentu tidak ingin tetap berdiam diri di rumah pada saat liburan musim panas tiba. Kebanyakan sudah memiliki tujuan untuk berlibur. Ke tempat wisata, ke luar kota, atau bahkan ke luar negeri. Seperti Sophie Pitt-Turnbull yang pada liburan musim panas berencana ke Perancis dengan orang tuanya, bisa dibilang negara tersebut merupakan tujuan rutin Sophie saat liburan musim panas tiba. Tapi tidak pada tahun ini. Tahun ini, orang tuanya terpaksa membatalkan rencana liburan mereka ke Perancis karena nenek Sophie rupanya mulai menunjukkan gejala sakit-sakitan. Well, apalagi yang bisa lebih buruk daripada menghabiskan seluruh waktu liburanmu di rumah?

Sophie beruntung, karena tiba-tiba ibunya menelepon teman lamanya yang tinggal di kota di negara bagian New York. Teman lama ibunya juga mengeluhkan tentang anaknya yang kepingin sekali berlibur di luar Amerika Serikat, dan tercetuslah ide untuk salik bertukar tempat tinggal. Sophie ke New York, Amerika Serikat dan anak dari teman lama ibunya ke London, Inggris. Walaupun tak jadi menghabiskan waktu berlibur di Disneyland Paris, setidaknya Sophie bisa pergi ke luar Inggris. Ia hendak ke New York! Kota dengan berbagai tempat perbelanjaan termurah tapi nggak kalah trendi, kota dengan berbagai kelap-kelip yang menyenangkan!

New York ternyata nggak semenyenangkan yang ada di bayangannya. Belum apa-apa ia harus merelakan kopernya hilang saat ia berada di bandara di New York. Penjemputnya datang terlambat, dan mereka ternyata mengendarai sebuah mobil tua yang bahkan pintunya saja bia membuka sendiri. Teman lama ibunya, Jake Salamanca, ternyata seorang single-mother yang nyentrik banget, ia bekerja sebagai pemilik toko yang berisi segala macam rongsokan dan mempunyai dua orang anak yang nggak bisa diam dan selalu memanggilnya ‘Soap’ dan bukan ‘Sophie’. Belum juga ditambah dengan kenyataan bahwa ternyata teman lama ibunya nggak tinggal di kota besar di New York, melainkan di kota terpencil tempat film-film melakukan adegan mafia, kota terpencil yang tercatat sebagai kota yang masih memiliki mafia, Brooklyn, Negara Bagian New York, Amerika Serikat.

Saya sempat bertanya-tanya banget sebelum membaca buku ini. Buku ini memuat dua ratus sekian halaman, jadi bisa digolongkan menjadi buku yang tipis banget. Sebenarnya bisa dimaklumi, sih, berhubung ini novel teenlit dan bukan novel yang berbau fantasi. Tapi, sebenarnya apa sih ekspektasi pembaca ketika membaca judul buku ini? Tentu akan ada petualangan-petualangan yang menarik kan dari Sophie? Makanya, pertanyaan besar saya adalah, ‘Lho, ini buku petualangan? Kok tipis banget, ya?’

Jadi, memang isinya nggak tentang petualangan Sophie yang sepertinya benar-benar asing dengan Amerika Serikat. Jangan harap deh, menemukan ada adegan Sophie tersesat di suatu jalan, atau Sophie diculik oleh orang asing, atau Sophie mengalami kecelakaan yang cukup mengenaskan, atau apapun. Karena jujur saja, sepertinya mengikuti petualangan yang dialami oleh koper Sophie—yang diceritakan telah mampir di beberapa negara—lebih seru daripada menyimak petualangan Sophie di Brooklyn. Dalam memainkan emosi pembaca, novel ini sifatnya datar sekali. Nggak ada adegan mengharukan, menegangkan, menggembirakan, bahkan humor yang disajikan pun terkesan garing. Sebenarnya, isi novel ini nggak jauh berbeda dengan sebuah diary perjalanan Sophie Pitt-Turnbull, detail kejadian-kejadian yang dialami Sophie pun sebenarnya juga lengap, Sophie menuliskan apa saja yang dilakukannya selama di Brooklyn, ia bertemu teman baru, ia mengunjungi beberapa tempat, dan sebagainya. Tapi tetap saja, isinya terkesan sangat datar. Tidak ada spesial-spesialnya sama sekali.

Tokoh utamanya pun rupanya nggak bisa menarik hati pembacanya. Sempat bertanya-tanya juga, apakah Brooklyn memang sebegitu parahnya ataukah memang hanya Sophie saja yang terlalu manja dan suka mengeluh? Sebenarnya nggak masalah juga, sih. Hanya saja, sepertinya saya sedikit merindukan gaya penulisan si pengarang, Dyan Sheldon, seperti dalam novel-novel teenlit sebelumnya (Let’s say, “Tall, Thin, and Blonde”).
Profile Image for Mia.
72 reviews
April 24, 2013
ini buku kedua Dyan Sheldon yang saya baca setelah And Baby Makes Two, dan saya jauh lebih suka buku ini.
Menceritakan tentang Sophie Pitt-Turnbull, seorang cewek Inggris yang setengah mati ingin menghabiskan liburan musim panasnya di Perancis karena keluarganya sudah melakukan tradisi itu sekitar delapan ratus tahun lamanya. Dan terutama karena sahabat yang juga telah mencuri pacarnya adalah orang-orang yang akan tinggal di London selama liburan dan Sophie tidak mau menghabiskan liburan hanya dengan melihat mereka berdua berciuman.

Tapi harapannya tidak terlaksana karena setelah delapan ratus tahun, keluarganya memutuskan melanggar tradisi. Maka jadilah Sophie melakukan segala macam cara untuk membuat ibunya mau merubah keputusan itu dengan melakukan segala macam demo anak muda (khas teenlit atau khas terjemahan?), berlebihan tapi sukses bikin saya ngakak.

secara tidak terduga kemudian muncul tawaran dari teman ibunya Sophie yang tinggal di Amerika (menawarkan untuk bertukar anak selama liburan karena anak teman ibunya seumuran Sophie dan semacam sedang mengalami hal yang sama dengan Sophie), yaitu di New York dan walaupun belum pernah melintasi Samudera Atlantik seorang diri, Sophie mengambil peluang itu (kemanapun lebih baik daripada melihat Jocelyn dan daniel berciuman sepanjang liburan).

Tapi ternyata Amerika tidak seperti yang dibayangkan Sophie, karena Mrs Salamanca (nama teman ibu Sophie), tidak tinggal di New York, namun di Brooklyn, punya dua anak yang aneh bernama Tampa dan Gallup, rumah yang jauh dari bayangan Sophie, dan dia mulai menyesali keputusannya untuk terbang ke Amerika. Belum lagi orang-orang yang selalu tertarik mendengar aksennya, tetangga-tetangga Mrs. Salamanca yang menurut Sophie 'gak banget' dan juga Bobby yang pernah membuatnya ketakutan setengah mati. Tapi seiring berjalannya waktu Sophie belajar menerima itu semua dan justru merasa mendapatkan keluarga baru.

Buku ini menarik dan 'ringan' untuk dibaca. Banyak kalimat-kalimat yang sukses bikin saya ngakak. Belum lagi ngebayangin gimana tampang Sophie pas ngeliat rumah Mrs. Salamanca.

memakai sudut pandang Sophie dan memang teen banget.

contoh kalimat di buku ini yang bikin saya ngakak :

aku selalu bahagia menjadi diriku sendiri. Bukan karena merasa aku-adalah-hal-terbaik-sejak-ditemukannya-lampu-pijar. Tapi lebih kayak Tuhan-menciptakan-hal-hal-yang-jauh-lebih-buruk-daripada-Sophie-Pitt-Turnbull

Hanya Gallup yang pernah mendengar tentang David Beckham.
"BUkankah dia yang ditolak untuk ikut mengisi suara The Simpsons karena kurang terkenal?" tanyanya.

dan masih banyak lagi.

Sebenarnya bisa saja saya memberi lebih dari tiga bintang, tapi yeah...karena secara keseluruhan ini bukan cerita romance dan saya penggemar berat romance, jadi cukup tiga bintang saja. i like it :)
Profile Image for Martha.
492 reviews2 followers
February 4, 2016
Sophie Pitt-Turnbull is a 16-year-old English girl whose family cancels its annual vacation plans in France. Desperate to get away for the summer from her friend Jocelyn, who’s devoting all her attention to a new boyfriend, Sophie agrees to trade places with the daughter of her mother’s American college friend, Jacqueline (Jack). Sophie will spend the summer in New York with Jack’s family, while Jack’s daughter, Cherry, will join Sophie’s family.

Basically a “fish out of water” story, it seems that author Sheldon caught only half the fish. During the first 130 pages I felt like I was trapped in a car with a whiny child. Assuming she’s coming to Manhattan, Sophie is disappointed to find herself in Brooklyn instead, so she complains about everything and everyone around her, which makes her a somewhat unappealing character. The action is centered around Jack’s apartment and the few blocks of Brooklyn that surround it, only adding to the book’s claustrophobic atmosphere.

In the last 50 pages, Sophie makes a few Brooklyn friends, who finally take her to Manhattan and help her see a new side of America. While this section should have been the highlight of both Sophie’s summer and the book, the scenes and the characters are not fully formed. Sheldon lists the many places Sophie visits, but tells us little of what happens there. The dialogue is wooden and boring. And a subplot involving Sophie saving Jack from eviction by potentially engaging in insurance fraud is hurriedly introduced and resolved. It’s as if Sheldon had a deadline to meet (and Sophie a plane to catch) but not enough time to write a satisfying story.

So although Sophie Pitt-Turnbull eventually does discover America, the book’s not worth crossing the street for.

Profile Image for Meagan.
1,317 reviews58 followers
April 6, 2009
In this lighthearted teen novel, the stereotypically quiet and stiff-upper-lip English girl Sophie Pitt-Turnbull switches homes for the summer with a girl who lives in Brooklyn. The book is written in a very conversational and humorous style, and it does a good job of explaining the culture shock that exists even between two countries that share a language and a partial history. The book is filled with British slang and an outsider's observations about American life, and I suspect it could appeal to fans of Louise Rennison's (admittedly much funnier) books. It's main weakness lies in its lack of character development. Although Sophie is the main character, we never really get to know her behind her British reserve, and the people she meets in Brooklyn never really develop beyond rough caricatures. This is the biggest shame, since the ostentatious and eccentric Brooklynites could have been a great addition to the plot. Nevertheless, it's the kind of fun book that could find many fans despite my nitpicking.
Profile Image for Kassia.
65 reviews2 followers
March 23, 2009
This book had a slow beginning about a girl from London, wanting to go to America for a vacation. Her mom tells her that she's too busy to take her for the summer. So, Sophie's mom calls up some friends from New York, and they said that Sophie's allowed to come stay over at their place. Sophie was so excited - but as soon as she got there, things just got worse! She looses her suitcase and has to babysit. The people in New York are really rude to her and push her around. This is a pretty ok book, but it's kind of slow in the beginning. The author provides many images in your head and it makes you wonder.. are the city kids really like this?
Profile Image for Rahmadiyanti.
Author 15 books175 followers
June 15, 2010
Bukan gemerlap Amerika yang ingin ditampilkan Sheldon. Ada sisi lain yang mungkin kusam, tapi sebenarnya menyimpan keunikan. Itu juga yang ditemukan Sophie, gadis Inggris, yang awalnya exciting dengan program "tukar liburan", gagasan sang ibu. New York, Manhattan, Fifth Avenue, Soho, sudah terbayang-bayang di benak Sophie. Tapi saat saat berjumpa dengan "keluarga Amerika"nya, Sophie kecewa.

Namun, vacation must go on. Sophie pun mencoba berdamai dengan kenyentrikan keluarga Salamanca.

***

Sudah lama saya nggak baca teenlit. Lumayan menghibur yang ini. Fun-fun aja lah.

Profile Image for Ken.
Author 22 books234 followers
Read
July 23, 2010
So far, ini teenlit Dyan Sheldon yang paling membosankan, bertele-tele, dan tone-nya sedih melulu, kurang lincah,dan kurang dinamis. Tetap ada sesuatu yang bisa dipelajari dari novel ini. Tapi yah, gregetnya ilang. Meski demikian, aku nggak kapok baca tulisan Sheldon, krn novel-novelnya yg lain brilian!
Profile Image for Liralen.
3,377 reviews281 followers
April 11, 2016
Cannot quite decide how to mentally retitle this. Possibilities:

Snobbery Summer
Scaredy-Cat Summer
Summer of the Stiff Upper Lip
Stereotype Summer
London Has Sketchy Parts Too


To be honest, I'm still stuck on the part where they didn't even move the dirty clothes off the bed (well, mattress) Sophie's supposed to sleep on.
Profile Image for Tracie.
912 reviews
August 30, 2007
Sophie Pitt-Turnbull, prim English teenager comes to spend her summer in Brooklyn where nothing is what she thought it might be but it all turns out all right. Nothing unique here, just an okay story about a teenage girl who grows up a bit when exposed to a new experience.
Profile Image for Lori.
547 reviews
April 14, 2012
Not so great. Maybe young teenage girls would like it. I thought the characters were over-the-top, although I like the protagonist. There were a few laugh-out-loud lines, and the book isn't pretending to be great literature, so I gave it 2 stars.
Profile Image for Kate.
533 reviews37 followers
November 21, 2012
Mostly just a commentary on the differences between Americans and Brits as seen through the eyes of a judgmental teenager. Too much time is spent on the judging and not enough on her eventual acceptance of a different culture. Good for a laugh.
Profile Image for Mary.
61 reviews6 followers
April 23, 2008
Like its companion, it's amusing and quick.
Profile Image for JustWorkAlready.
69 reviews
November 29, 2008
sophie is kinda spoiled and conceited! cuz its all abot me me me? her parents are stupid and i feel deeply sorry for them...
Profile Image for Sally.
Author 23 books140 followers
June 7, 2009
Not quite as good as the companion piece, 'I Conquer Britain'. Cherokee and London are more interesting than Sophie and Brooklyn.
Profile Image for Amber.
50 reviews2 followers
February 13, 2011
Wondered what the world of young adult fiction was like these days. I'm not sure whether this was a fair sampling, but it made me long for the days of Babysitters' Club.
Profile Image for Aimee.
19 reviews2 followers
July 22, 2011
Another dollar store book. A typical teen story of a wealthy white girl from London coming to spen the summer in low rent Brooklyn. And, of course if finishes with a happy ending.
Profile Image for K.
72 reviews
October 22, 2013
I probably wouldnt enjoy it now but when as a teenager I read it gor first, sixth, tenth time- I loved it. I loved Sophie, I thought she was so brave and elegant in there! Good memories :)
Profile Image for andini FIJRI.
64 reviews
April 2, 2014
Lagi-lagi dapet novel murah tapi berkualitas di Gramedia. Ceritanya seru. Dan yang membuatku lebih tertarik adalah karena ini masuk ke dalam novel terjemahan. So amazing! :D
Profile Image for Erbe.
129 reviews
July 2, 2015
Sebagai remaja normal, erbe juga pasti satu pikiran sm Shopie, pingin jalan2 pas liburan, apalagi smpe nyebrang benua gitu>.< Ada pelajaran yg bisa dipetik:"D Keren^^
Profile Image for Jessica.
417 reviews7 followers
March 10, 2016
Nice quick easy read and I thought it was actually not a bad book at all.
Profile Image for Cora Peterson.
168 reviews2 followers
July 2, 2020
I never usually write book reviews, but this book feels like it needs one. The second I started this book, I thought it wasn't for me. I was a few pages away from DNFing it, when I decided to keep pushing forward and reading it. I thought it was pretty average, but then I got the the chapter where there became a running joke about Jake telling everyone about how they had to buy Sophie new underwear, and it made me realize this was meant to be a light hearted funny book. The more the book went on, the more I grew to love it. Sure it wasn't the best book, but I'm really glad I read it. I even found myself tearing up when she was saying goodbye to the characters I would've never expected to become attached too. Please give this book a shot. It's well worth it.
Profile Image for Charlotte.
24 reviews1 follower
August 12, 2020
it’s a decent read, as a british person i think that often the stereotype (and in this book) is that we are incredibly posh. it makes sense as this is quite an old book (mention of discmans etc) but I don’t think that explains some parts. i normally love Dyan’s books but I wasn’t as keen on this one. I got quite confused by the characters but it was an enjoyable read overall.
I would suggest for 11/12 years old at least
Profile Image for Shannon.
966 reviews3 followers
August 4, 2019
1.5 Stars

Long, whiney and utterly boring.
Profile Image for Katie.
33 reviews3 followers
April 21, 2025
A short, easy read that I loved in high school. It doesn't necessarily hold up as an adult, but I have enough nostalgia wrapped up in it that I still love it regardless.
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