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Amy and Laura #4
Veronica Ganz
Thirteen-year-old Veronica manages to bully everyone in her class, except for shrimpy Peter Wedemeyer who keeps taunting and outsmarting her at every opportunity
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 23, 2016
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
Veronica Ganz is a horrible bully, and most of the kids in her school and neighborhood know better than to cross her. Only Peter Wedemeyer, a new kid who keeps teasing Veronica, is wily enough to outsmart her and avoid being beaten up. This makes Veronica terribly angry, and she begins to try setting traps to catch Peter, only to find the tables turned on her when she least expects it.
As I scanned through the reviews of this book on Goodreads, I noticed that a number of readers really wanted this to be a story to help kids deal with bullies, and to teach them how to behave properly. Interestingly, it is precisely because the book does not do this that I found it so enjoyable to read. This is not a story about how kids should behave; it’s a story about how they often do behave, told without politically correct apologies and Very Special Lessons. There are allusions to the fact that Veronica’s home life is not great. Her father is out of the picture, and her mother has been known to hit the kids when they misbehave. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to conclude that Veronica acts as she does at least in part because of her negative feelings toward her family, but this is not spelled out for the reader, nor is the reader lectured about kindness, tolerance, or diversity. It’s just a story, refreshingly unburdened by the contemporary notion that every book is poised to make or break the reader’s entire childhood by its portrayal of unpleasant happenings. There is no implication that Veronica is a role model; rather, she makes an interesting character because of her outrageously bad behavior.
Veronica Ganz was published in the 1960s, and is connected, at least by setting, to Marilyn Sachs’s novels about Laura and Amy. (I own some of these, and will review them eventually.) All of these stories are set in the 1940s, a fact which would not necessarily be apparent to contemporary readers, but which is interesting, especially given that the story focuses on a girl who beats up boys.
By today’s standards, this book might be seen as a terrible thing to recommend to a young girl, but I will certainly allow my daughters to read it when they reach the target age group, as it is well-written, different from many other stories at this level, and a great study in human behavior, both good and bad.
Veronica Ganz is a horrible bully, and most of the kids in her school and neighborhood know better than to cross her. Only Peter Wedemeyer, a new kid who keeps teasing Veronica, is wily enough to outsmart her and avoid being beaten up. This makes Veronica terribly angry, and she begins to try setting traps to catch Peter, only to find the tables turned on her when she least expects it.
As I scanned through the reviews of this book on Goodreads, I noticed that a number of readers really wanted this to be a story to help kids deal with bullies, and to teach them how to behave properly. Interestingly, it is precisely because the book does not do this that I found it so enjoyable to read. This is not a story about how kids should behave; it’s a story about how they often do behave, told without politically correct apologies and Very Special Lessons. There are allusions to the fact that Veronica’s home life is not great. Her father is out of the picture, and her mother has been known to hit the kids when they misbehave. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to conclude that Veronica acts as she does at least in part because of her negative feelings toward her family, but this is not spelled out for the reader, nor is the reader lectured about kindness, tolerance, or diversity. It’s just a story, refreshingly unburdened by the contemporary notion that every book is poised to make or break the reader’s entire childhood by its portrayal of unpleasant happenings. There is no implication that Veronica is a role model; rather, she makes an interesting character because of her outrageously bad behavior.
Veronica Ganz was published in the 1960s, and is connected, at least by setting, to Marilyn Sachs’s novels about Laura and Amy. (I own some of these, and will review them eventually.) All of these stories are set in the 1940s, a fact which would not necessarily be apparent to contemporary readers, but which is interesting, especially given that the story focuses on a girl who beats up boys.
By today’s standards, this book might be seen as a terrible thing to recommend to a young girl, but I will certainly allow my daughters to read it when they reach the target age group, as it is well-written, different from many other stories at this level, and a great study in human behavior, both good and bad.
March 26, 2008
This goes along with the Amy and Laura series because it expands on a character in the series. In the Amy and Laura books, Veronica is mean and a bully. But in this book you get to see another side of her, and to understand why she is the way she is. I just love Marilyn Sachs!
January 22, 2008
This book takes a disgruntled, thwarted young girl and makes her accessible and compelling as a character. Plus, its renditions of New York City working-class apartment life are spot-on. One of my top 5 books of all time.
March 27, 2020
Found an old library copy of this book! I'm rereading it and loving it! - March 27, 2020
I read this book when I was a child. I loved it. It would be fun to find this book again and re-read it. I wonder if I'd like it as much?
I read this book when I was a child. I loved it. It would be fun to find this book again and re-read it. I wonder if I'd like it as much?
August 6, 2015
Unpredictable and engaging.
April 30, 2011
I read this as an insecure fourth grader. Like Veronica, I was clumsy and bigger than everyone else, so I was teased a lot. I admired Veronica and the way she never let anyone push her around. Kids were really wild growing up, and I wanted to be like Veronica; brave and strong, taking no guff from anyone! I thought it was cool the way the author attempts to show that women/girls aren't the weaker sex. All my life people told me that men are better than women, etc., and this book settled the score! Now when I think about it, it is a bit unusual for a bully to be female; usually female bullies might have been victims of abuse or something. Veronica comes from a broken home and she and her sister Mary Rose Ganz are from her mother's first marriage. In the 1940's when this story took place, divorce was unusual. Anyway Veronica lives with her mother, sister, and her stepfather and half brother Stanley, and Veronica feels like she has to stand up for herself and her family. It seems like their real dad is distant; they haven't seen him since they were babies, and all he does is send letters and money. And he apparently has always been breaking their hearts by saying that he's coming to visit and then cancelling at the last minute, anyway, Veronica says she couldn't care less but i think deep down it hurts her, and her sister is always crying and devistated over their father not coming. I think that's the cause of VEronica's behavior towards others, and i think she has a lot of anger inside. She gets irritate easily, and usually when she lets people have it, she is successful, until Peter moves to town, and he gives her heck and she chases him for months. It is neat the way the story ends, and I don't want to tell it and spoil it for anyone, but anyway another comment i have is that although i appreciate the way this book stands up for the female gender, i think it went a little overboard in that it sort of put men down by making them seem like wimps. I guess Veronica had a lot of problems being lonely and insecure and not having a father in the home, even though her stepfather was a nice guy. WHat bothered me was the way Veronica was always complaining about her stepfather and her mother always screamed at him. However,it was a totally awesome book and the author is cool and she has a point in all this!
September 25, 2011
This book is one of my very few happy childhood memories. I laugh remembering the black & white sketches and the line: "Veronica Ganz doesn't wear pants!" I never finished reading it, but got really far. I think I still owe the library money because it was returned late. I really want to read it again (20+ years later). It holds so much importance in my life.
September 23, 2014
Thirteen year old Veronica Ganz is a student at Public School 63 and lives with her mother and stepfather, Peggy and Ralph Petronski who run a cleaner, younger sister Mary Rose who is eleven, and little half-brother Stanley who is five, in an apartment in a run-down section of a city like New York; a couple of sources suggest that the story is set “in the early 1940s.” Her father, Frank Ganz, and mother divorced when Veronica was five, and he moved to Las Vegas and remarried. Veronica has been described as “One of the most famous bullies in children’s books.” Author Marilyn Sachs has written books about other girls in P.S. 63, such as Amy Moves In, Laura’s Luck, and Amy and Laura, in which Veronica appears as a bully, so apparently it was decided to give her a book of her own. She has systematically beaten up everybody in all of her classes and has never been challenged successfully by anyone.
However, a new kid, shrimpy little Peter Wedemeyer, moves into the neighborhood and begins to tease her unmercifully, yet always seems to stay one step ahead of her mighty fists. Getting even with Peter will take some real brainpower. How can Veronica find a way to teach him who is boss? To be honest, I did not like this book. A lot of reviewers seemed to find the plot humorous, including the one from Kirkus who ended their review saying, “With laughter from deep down.” I realize that various people have different senses of humor. However, having been bullied myself when in junior high, I just don’t find bullying, being mean, and hitting people funny, even if the story is supposed to end up “all right.” One person said, “I admired Veronica and the way she never let anyone push her around.” Are slapping girls in the face and poking boys in the nose acceptable means of accomplishing this goal? And from there, things start getting muddled. At first, we feel sorry for Peter, but then he turns out to be just about as nasty as Veronica, so all of a sudden we almost feel sorry for her.
The conclusion is supposed to demonstrate Veronica’s redemption, but the ending seems rather abrupt and even somewhat forced, and we still have to wonder if she has really changed or just altered her attitude towards Peter because she is beginning to like him. Apparently there is a sequel, Veronica and Peter. Overall, this is a very worldly book. When Peter chants, “Veronica Ganz Doesn’t wear pants,” the author tells us that “she flipped her skirt up to her waist, revealing the pair of pink panties that lay underneath.” There are a few common euphemisms like “gee,” and the phrase “swear to God” is used several times by kids. And Veronica’s home is rather dysfunctional. “Mama screamed a lot, and hit, too, when she was real mad.” One who considered the book “cool” did admit, “I think it went a little overboard in that it sort of put men down by making them seem like wimps.” Someone else who liked it also noted, “This book really has a lotta violence for a children’s story.” Yes. The actions and attitudes displayed might seem relevant to some people, but in my opinion it bears no relevance whatever to godly families who are trying to bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. A good book about childhood bullying might be useful, but this one isn’t it.
However, a new kid, shrimpy little Peter Wedemeyer, moves into the neighborhood and begins to tease her unmercifully, yet always seems to stay one step ahead of her mighty fists. Getting even with Peter will take some real brainpower. How can Veronica find a way to teach him who is boss? To be honest, I did not like this book. A lot of reviewers seemed to find the plot humorous, including the one from Kirkus who ended their review saying, “With laughter from deep down.” I realize that various people have different senses of humor. However, having been bullied myself when in junior high, I just don’t find bullying, being mean, and hitting people funny, even if the story is supposed to end up “all right.” One person said, “I admired Veronica and the way she never let anyone push her around.” Are slapping girls in the face and poking boys in the nose acceptable means of accomplishing this goal? And from there, things start getting muddled. At first, we feel sorry for Peter, but then he turns out to be just about as nasty as Veronica, so all of a sudden we almost feel sorry for her.
The conclusion is supposed to demonstrate Veronica’s redemption, but the ending seems rather abrupt and even somewhat forced, and we still have to wonder if she has really changed or just altered her attitude towards Peter because she is beginning to like him. Apparently there is a sequel, Veronica and Peter. Overall, this is a very worldly book. When Peter chants, “Veronica Ganz Doesn’t wear pants,” the author tells us that “she flipped her skirt up to her waist, revealing the pair of pink panties that lay underneath.” There are a few common euphemisms like “gee,” and the phrase “swear to God” is used several times by kids. And Veronica’s home is rather dysfunctional. “Mama screamed a lot, and hit, too, when she was real mad.” One who considered the book “cool” did admit, “I think it went a little overboard in that it sort of put men down by making them seem like wimps.” Someone else who liked it also noted, “This book really has a lotta violence for a children’s story.” Yes. The actions and attitudes displayed might seem relevant to some people, but in my opinion it bears no relevance whatever to godly families who are trying to bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. A good book about childhood bullying might be useful, but this one isn’t it.
February 9, 2011
I loved Amy Moves in when I was younger - okay, still do! And have also read Amy and Laura so I was interested to read more books about the same characters. Amy doesn't feature in this one at all, it's all about Veronica - as the title suggests - and her trials with bully Peter. Now Veronica Ganz was always THE bully... but I don't know, maybe I have a soft spot for her? But in the other books, you're never really made to wholly dislike Veronica. She's tough and tomboyish and uses her fists, maybe is quick to punch, but never for no reason. Unlike Peter - the new boy who just starts picking on her and is really quite awful, making me feel very sorry for poor Veronica!
November 15, 2010
kind of a toss-up. I read it as part of Paul's Passalong Books. (www.paulsbooks.org). a coming of age type story. bully-ish girl, gets outsmarted by a boy. funky home life. I didn't feel like the character depth was worthwhile, but look at the age range.
August 22, 2012
A girl bully learns a secret weapon to end the cycle of getting even with enemies.
August 15, 2015
One of the best, most realistic depictions of New York City childhood that I have ever read.
February 21, 2024
Yeah, I read this classic children's book on a female bully and the boy who keeps outwitting her. I never loved it but it held my attention. It was also way ahead of its time.
The thing is, it went on to have more books in the series. I think it reads better as a stand alone.
I, like so many others will never forget the "ants in her pants" line. But it was also painful. I was bullied as a child. Perhaps that's why I didn't love this like so many other childhood classics.
I liked Veronica in spite of it all and I liked Peter. The story contains some really good lessons so I don't regret reading it at all.
The thing is, it went on to have more books in the series. I think it reads better as a stand alone.
I, like so many others will never forget the "ants in her pants" line. But it was also painful. I was bullied as a child. Perhaps that's why I didn't love this like so many other childhood classics.
I liked Veronica in spite of it all and I liked Peter. The story contains some really good lessons so I don't regret reading it at all.
July 18, 2022
If you think about this book too much, or perhaps at all, it is definitely flawed, but it is one of those books I read over and over as a child that I still find an enjoyable read as an adult. Frequently funny and occasionally a little sad, but always interesting.
August 11, 2024
"Veronica Ganz doesn't wear pants," sings Peter Wedemeyer, and Veronica (who does too wear pants) spends nearly the entire book planning how to "get" Peter for all the things he says about and does to her. In the end, Veronica's entire perspective on life changes -- and so does her attitude toward Peter.
A delightful story written about 8th graders, but suitable for younger children.
A delightful story written about 8th graders, but suitable for younger children.
April 25, 2025
Revisiting a childhood series.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews