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Grape!
Grape is in trouble again! He punched Miss Roof in the arm! Now he’s suspended for two weeks, and Principal Clarkson has threatened to send him to Riverwash, a school for problem kids. But he has one last chance. Grape must spend an hour a day writing about his history of trouble, and there’s a lot of trouble to choose from... Grape’s best friend Lou is by his side, and even though Grape drives his parents crazy, they’re pulling for him all the way. But will Grape make sense of it all? Will it be enough to keep him out of Riverwash?
185 pages, Hardcover
First published September 27, 2019
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 1, 2019
Bitter-sweetness and a touch of humor make this a tale which touches the heart and proves there's more to trouble than just being mean.
Grape is in trouble again, but this time, he's suspended from school for two weeks. The principal hasn't decided whether to let Grape return or send him of to a school for problem children. Grape's one chance is to write down his memories of the times he's gotten in trouble over the years. And there are some big ones to chose from. But as he writes, he might discover more than the unfairness in all of it.
While starting and ending with the usual story scenes, the rest of these pages constitute Grape's journal. It takes place in the 1970's with a boy who tries his best to work with people, but they never seem to work with him back. In the end, the spiders talk in his head and things go wacky or simply wrong. Each episode is a mixture of humor and heart-aching consequences. Grape's mistakes are clear. Still, he never has ill intentions...not mean, anyway. He, like many kids, ends up finding himself in situations which blur the lines of rules, necessities or desire. Readers will understand Grape's problems and feel for him, while clearly seeing what exactly went wrong and why.
Grape isn't a normal kid. This is never directly said but becomes clear as the tale goes on. It's never said what exactly his problem is (outside of an accident which leaves a cracked skull when he's very young), only that he has spiders which wiggle and talk in his head when they shouldn't. It's a gentle way to help readers understand those who might be a bit different. It makes a great read for especially for the classroom environment and is sure to bring new awareness and insights into understanding those around us.
I received an ARC copy and enjoyed it quite a bit. So, I'm leaving my honest thoughts.
Grape is in trouble again, but this time, he's suspended from school for two weeks. The principal hasn't decided whether to let Grape return or send him of to a school for problem children. Grape's one chance is to write down his memories of the times he's gotten in trouble over the years. And there are some big ones to chose from. But as he writes, he might discover more than the unfairness in all of it.
While starting and ending with the usual story scenes, the rest of these pages constitute Grape's journal. It takes place in the 1970's with a boy who tries his best to work with people, but they never seem to work with him back. In the end, the spiders talk in his head and things go wacky or simply wrong. Each episode is a mixture of humor and heart-aching consequences. Grape's mistakes are clear. Still, he never has ill intentions...not mean, anyway. He, like many kids, ends up finding himself in situations which blur the lines of rules, necessities or desire. Readers will understand Grape's problems and feel for him, while clearly seeing what exactly went wrong and why.
Grape isn't a normal kid. This is never directly said but becomes clear as the tale goes on. It's never said what exactly his problem is (outside of an accident which leaves a cracked skull when he's very young), only that he has spiders which wiggle and talk in his head when they shouldn't. It's a gentle way to help readers understand those who might be a bit different. It makes a great read for especially for the classroom environment and is sure to bring new awareness and insights into understanding those around us.
I received an ARC copy and enjoyed it quite a bit. So, I'm leaving my honest thoughts.
October 1, 2019
Grape is an oddly charming middle grade novel about a kid, which makes sense, what with it being a kid's book. This book was far more naturalistic than the middle grade books I usually read, but it really grew on me. The kid wasn't amazing, or a figure of destiny. Indeed he was only barely sympathetic at first, but something just kept building and building until I really felt for this child who was obviously struggling with so many things. But even the things he struggled with were quiet, and had more to do with integrating his personality and being able to function in the world. The author pulled a lot of richness and humor out of simple things like floundering friendships, the pain of school, sports, and immigrant parents. There's just so much concern and attention in the book and in the writing that it feels alive. I liked it. It's reminiscent of Louis Sachar (see "There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom") in some ways, a kid's author I greatly admire.
But I don't know if I would have given it five stars for all of this above, as much as I liked it. Ultimately it was something about the ending, unpredictable, hopeful, and even a little devious, that really made the book special to me, and that causes it to linger on. A really lovely book.
But I don't know if I would have given it five stars for all of this above, as much as I liked it. Ultimately it was something about the ending, unpredictable, hopeful, and even a little devious, that really made the book special to me, and that causes it to linger on. A really lovely book.
November 13, 2019
I loved this book, because I am (still) Grape. If your kid is too smart for his own good, gets into scrapes that make you shake your head, is a little goofy, and has a good sense of humor, Grape! will will definitely resonate for him.
While a lot of books written for this age group seem to be about ghosts, time travel, or dragons, Grape! is character-driven and never talks down to its readers. (It happens to be set in the 1970s but is not a period piece, nor is it the place to go if you are looking for 70s trivia.)
And while many of these novels tie a neat moral ribbon around the story, Grape! uses a series of vignettes to explore the kinds of real-world ethical dilemmas that an 11 year old boy would grapple with, and leaves the readers to come to their own conclusions -- with a little guidance (such as the pen knife incident, one of my favorites).
Which is to say, nothing really bad happens to the kid, but he does experience a hard knock or two, and grows up a bit as a result .
Though the ending arrives at a firm resolution, I think the author leaves the door open for a sequel. If so, I'm definitely going to read the next installment.
April 18, 2022
Set aside a few hours to read this through, because you won't want to stop. Grape! is written is such an engaging style that you are totally invested in this boy's adventures within the first few pages. I appreciated the fact that though the adults in the book don't take up a lot of space, when they do they are real adults who care for Grape and want to help him, even when they don't completely understand him. Grape is complex, yet completely lovable, and I didn't want him to suffer too long. He didn't, although things kept happening to him--things that sometimes were caused by his own actions. I was reminded of my own tumultuous youth, but I appreciated the specificity of his experience with Spanish-speaking parents and a Jewish background, things that were very different from my own experience.
Compelling reading for this adult (and also for youngsters, I'm sure). Heartrending, yet full of hope!
Compelling reading for this adult (and also for youngsters, I'm sure). Heartrending, yet full of hope!
November 17, 2019
One of my favorite things about this book is how honest and revealing it is regarding peer pressure and bullying. Grape is also quick to apologize and I love his explanations regarding the spiders in his brain. Yes, Grape acted impulsive and made not-so-great choices, but he is still a wonderful boy who had best intentions at heart and never meant to cause trouble or hurt anybody. I love how the book proves the value of second chances and the importance of taking the time to understand the motivations and reasons behind children's actions and not jump to punishing conclusions. Read more of my review at https://pagesforthoughts.blogspot.com...
August 13, 2020
What a perfect summer read! While it may be intended for kids, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it as both a teacher and a stepmom. Each chapter is its own anecdote, shared as a journal entry by Grape, a boy who is struggling to be understood and often finds himself in trouble. Experiencing each of these events through Grape's perspective is humorous, sad, enlightening, frustrating, and heartwarming all at once. Now that I'm finished, I've passed the book along to my stepson, and I look forward to hearing his opinion of Grape's choices and actions too. I highly recommend taking on this easy and enjoyable read. It serves as a great reminder that we may all have some spiders lurking in our head!
August 17, 2020
Grape is a such a unique and lovable character—he’ll draw you in right away with his bush named Sigmund, the spiders in his head, and his innocent yet ill-timed and impulsive actions. A surprising amount of empathy comes by way of the cast of adult characters including his parents, his teachers (except for Miss Roof!), and the school administrators. Like them, you'll be rooting for Grape to get out of this mess. I loved this book and will be recommending it to all the late middle-grade readers in my life!
September 30, 2019
Grape! is a perfect novel for middle-school readers who like quirky stories about big-hearted protagonists who just can't stop getting into trouble. With plenty of humor, it's an excellent choice for reluctant readers, as well as those curious about 1970s pop culture.
I'm excited to recommend Grape! to my child's middle-school librarian and to my public library and local bookstores, as well!
See my video review here: https://youtu.be/HaEw2E8sxqw
I'm excited to recommend Grape! to my child's middle-school librarian and to my public library and local bookstores, as well!
See my video review here: https://youtu.be/HaEw2E8sxqw
January 28, 2024
I read this aloud to a mixed group of 3rd-5th graders and we all enjoyed it very much. Grape's voice is very clear, well-rendered, and very amusing. The story really draws you in and for those of us (that would be me) who were there in the 70's, it was fun to see all the cultural markers. My students were all very invested in the outcome for Grape and are looking forward to the sequel. I highly recommend this book.
October 10, 2019
Grape! was such a fun read from start to finish. Based on a young boy in elementary school, the story takes you on a journey of how he navigates through new and different situations that arise both in school and at home. It is thoughtful and so funny. It is a great story for children and adults alike. I read it in one sitting because I didn't want to put it down.
March 28, 2020
Love this! The protagonist (named Grape) was funny, quick, and a real treat to get to know.
October 10, 2019
Grape! was such a fun read from start to finish. Based on a young boy in elementary school, the story takes you on a journey of how he navigates through new and different situations that arise both in school and at home. It is thoughtful and so funny. It is a great story for children and adults alike. I read it in one sitting because I didn't want to put it down.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews