Falling In

by Frances O'Roark Dowell

B z z z z z z z

The buzzing sound?

Do you hear that?

There it is again.

B z z z z z z z

No? Well, I really shouldn't have asked. Most people can't hear it, anyway. But, if you could, you'd think it sounds like you're teetering on the edge of the universe. That's what Isabelle Bean thinks...and she's not that far from the truth.

B z z z z z z z

You really don't hear that?

Well, it's actually not that great to have a buzzing in your ear. It's distracting for one thing. And when Isabelle starts listening to the buzz instead of, say, her boring teacher, strange things happen. She gets sent to the principal's office ( that's not so strange), but then while awaiting her punishment, she tumbles into an adventure—into another world that's a little bit different, a little bit Hansel & Gretel-y, a little bit like a fairy tale, which would be great, but...did I mention that Isabelle is an unusual dresser? When she shows up in fairy-tale land wearing her favorite high, pointy boots, the fairy-tale people start thinking that Isabelle is a witch -- and not just any witch, but the witch!

From Edgar Award-winning author Frances O'Roark Dowell comes the unlikely story of Isabelle Bean—an ultimate misfit, an outsider extraordinaire, and not a witch!

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Childrens, Fiction, Juvenile, Magic, Young Adult

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

While Frances O'Roark Dowell (Dovey Coe, The Secret Language of Girls, Trouble the Water) is best known for her award-winning novels, she also hosts the popular "Off-Kilter Quilt" podcast, where she talks about her latest quilt projects with friends and fellow quilters around the globe. Her own little corner of the globe is Durham, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, two sons, and a dog named Travis. Connect with her online at FrancesDowell.com.

Reviews

[Carissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

probably will get this one confused with the Lost Children book that I just recently read (also about falling into another world with unfortunate children), but it was definitely different. I actually loved the writing in this one--very non-traditional (the author tends to jump in at times and just talk as herself) chapter 16 starts out, "As i write this, there's a spider on my wall, and it's tempting to reach out and smash it." and ends, "Go in peace, little brown spider. You're welcome here." and the next chapter begins with the main character rescuing a small spider--just a small incident, not at all a big deal or integral to the storyline, but a very charming little detail. And that's how all of the writing is, full of charming details that make the story fun and easy to read, like discovering hidden nooks in your house where you can curl up and take a good nap.

As a reminder to myself, this one involves falling into another world, a witch who supposedly eats children, but who is in fact quite harmless, an epidemic of the flu that sweeps through a camp full of children hiding from the witch, and the protagonist who thinks she is a changeling.

[Christina (Confessions of a Book Addict) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isabelle Bean is a quirky middle schooler that is pretty much in her own world. On her way to the principal's office, she opens the door and then literally falls into this fantasy world. In this world the children are running from a witch and they fear perhaps Isabelle could be THE witch. What is even scarier is the fact that this witch eats children. Instead of running from this witch like the other children, she decides to find said witch. After all, Isabelle is convinced that she is a changeling after entering this alternate universe. Isabelle's journey is a laugh out loud adventure that is simply fun. Falling In by Frances O'Roark Dowell is a middle grade novel that both boys and girls will enjoy; readers will love to be lost in Isabelle's world.


This is the first book I've read by Dowell and I must say that I love her writing style. Normally when authors "talk to the readers," it drives me nuts, but in this case, it worked. This book is so zany and humorous that the asides really brought the story to life. In fact, this would be an excellent read aloud for a middle school or upper elementary school classroom due to all those eccentricities. When I say this book made me laugh out loud, I truly mean it. I was hysterically laughing and I think my students would be too. For examples:
"You've probably guessed that about her already, haven't you? Yes, Isabelle thought she was a changeling. Or at least believed there was a strong possibility she was a changeling. Okay: She had no proof whatsoever that she was a changeling, but she really, really hoped it was true. You know about changelings, right? Please don't tell me you go to one of those schools where they teach you only things you can actually prove, like two plus two equals the capital of Arizona. Do you hear me sighing? I want you to march into your principal's office first thing in the morning and say, "I demand you educate my imagination!" Homeschool? Tell it to your mom. There are changelings everywhere. Most bullies are changelings, but a lot of shy children are too. That kid who's always tripping over his own two feet? Definitely a changeling" (page 42-43).

Dowell also has a tendency to jump around in her narration. One minute she will be talking about one thing and then next, the story flows into a different topic and then she's back on the original topic. I think middle schools often think like this and would probably like this entertaining style of writing, which, by the way, includes many sidebars and details. It felt a bit too ADHD for me, but that is my only complaint. Dowell's intended audience would probably get a kick out of it.


I love that this book takes Isabelle into another world and it reminded me of the Narnia series and of course, Alice in Wonderland; however, it was very modern. Modern readers will enjoy this new idea of "falling in" another world while at school; I'm sure all my students have all thought about it or even hoped for it! But this novel, although it's a fantasy, still has a deeper theme and important message that can be discussed, such as the importance of imagination, prejudice, etc. In fact, this book has received a lot of Newbery buzz, which is why I immediately picked it up after the Newbery presentation I went to earlier this week. In sum, France O'Roark Dowell's Falling In is a whimsical adventure that fans of middle grade fantasy shouldn't miss, especially if you want a quirky, unconventional read!

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun quirky and inventive fantasy for elementary and middle school readers. While different in tone than Kate DiCamillo's Tale of Desperaux, the author's direct aside to readers creates a similar feel. Readers who enjoyed the story of an undersized mouse with big dreams will likely enjoy the story of Isabelle Bean, a young girl with a big imagination and a touch of "otherworldliness." A girl who doesn't quite fit in-who is quiet but not shy, who talks in riddles but isn't rude.

Isabelle Bean is a girl who opens a door and falls into an alternate world that is a blend of Alice and Wonderland and Hansel and Gretel and readers will enjoy exploring this world with her. A delightful read that would make a great selection for book clubs. There is much to discuss--themes of prejudice and the power of imagination can be explored as can a variety of plot elements--including the true identity of the witch--and all of this is wrapped in story that is humorous and fun.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Sentence Review: Dowell comes as close as she ever has doing fantasy and the result is a rather lovely reinterpretation of witch-related fairy tales.

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know when you feel like you just don't belong? Or have you ever wished/pretended/hoped you were actually from another place or land or family? That's kind of what Isabelle feels in this book. She just doesn't belong and one day she falls into another world and her hopes are confirmed.

Actually turned out to be pretty decent. Even though I could see many of the twists coming it is clearly written for a young audience so I can forgive that. I didn't connect to Isabelle though. I felt more for her mother and the witch than anything. Guess that's how I know I'm getting old!

[Cori Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story that I thoroughly enjoyed. The only reason I didn't love it was because of the second person dialogue scattered throughout . That way distracted me from the story. I started skimming it to get back to what was happening.

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun middle grade fantasy that was a great little palate cleanser.

[Diana S · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is definitely a Juvenile book that should be read by tweens or to tweens... As an adult, I found the book to be cute, but underwelming. My daughter enjoyed the story and the other world was interesting. Really, the biggest positive about this book is the lesson that can be taught about judging someone without getting to know them.
Isabelle is an outcast in her world, but after falling into another world she finds herself an outcast again. Slowly though she begins to build a friendship with Hen... who has lost her siblings and finds herself heading towards the feared witch that she and the other children are fleeing. In this other world, they believe there is a witch who travels into their towns during certain seasons and kills, hurts, or eats the children there. Hen knows that Isabelle is different, but she takes a chance on her. When Isabelle twists her ankle an old lady takes her and Hen in. She is kind an teaches them more than they really know... in fact she teaches them that sometimes rumors are just that. There is no witch, rather there is a story about a witch that has been blown out of proportion after some awful kids tried to kill her baby... just because she was not like them. Isabelle's job is a hard one. She has to convince the other kids that there is no witch and that the story is about a kind old lady that happens to be her grandmother. It is a hard task especially when Hen (who knows she means the kids no harm) upon learning the truth is mad at her and unwilling to help. Yet, when they get to camp and they realize that they were blessed by their time with "the witch", they realize that she really is someone that they should try to help. Sometimes, you must fight to stop people from being mean to people who they do not like or do not understand... and help them to see the gifts that someone can bring to your life if you just let them. Instead of hating someone because of rumors, stop and get to know them first and maybe you will find that the rumors are far from being true. Maybe the dangerous one is the ones who act without the knowledge. So although, I would not recommend to adults... I think this would be a great book to use in conjunction with a bullying unit.

[J.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isabelle Bean is one of those girls who seems to be in her own little world. She's in sixth grade and has no real friends as the other girls find her a bit odd. So, she's not entirely surprised when she opens a closet and falls through into another world, kind of like Alice, but without all the annoying characters. In the other world she finds all the children on the run from a witch. But instead of joining them on their trek to the safe camps, she sets out to find the witch. After all, what could me more interesting than meeting a witch, even if she does eat children?

I just finished reading this charming book to my (almost) 8 year old daughter, and we both loved it. The writing style is perhaps the best part of it - very confidential and story-telling-like, with frequent interruptions and asides to explain and develop the story line - it was really a lot of fun to read aloud. But the characters are likeable and endearing as well: the quirky misfit Isabelle, the solid and down-to-earth Hen, and the kindly old herb woman Grete. The language feels a bit advanced (more on a level for my 11 year old daughter, who also enjoyed it) and I occasionally had to stop and explain what was happening (I'd say grades 4-6 appropriate, but I almost think I appreciated the "story-telling" style more than my girls did). The story gets a bit tense with realistic dangers that kept us from wanting to put it down. But don't be misled by the "fantasy" label being applied to this book. When I think of "fantasy" novels I think of elves and fairies and magical creatures. This was nothing like that, and beyond the "Alice-in-Wonderland" entrance of "falling in" to another world (with a faintly medieval setting), there wasn't much "fantasy" to it. Very cute story and highly recommended.

[Eva Mitnick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a curious hybrid of a fantasy. It's part modern-girl-visits-fairytale-world, a la the Narnia books or Alice in Wonderland, and it's part a rustic witch-and-woods fairytale. The plot and magical happenings are quite humble and old-fashioned, with some herbal lore, a magical book, and a bit of low-grade mind reading, and yet the tone is quite modern, with the narrator addressing the reader directly in breezy, colloquial language. Here's an example:
"Here's the deal: One day a beautiful, perfect baby is born, and his mom and dad make a huge fuss, take a gazillion pictures on their cell phones and post them to their website, http://www.ourbabyisbetterthanyour.com/, and generally behave like they're the only people in the world who ever had a cute kid. Big mistake. There are fairies flitting all around your average maternity ward just waiting for that kind of hubris."

Isabelle seems like a young, unusual, and very lonely girl, and the jacket art, with those red boots (which are described as being woman's witchy-looking red lace-up boots but which look like a little kid's rainboots on the cover), makes this seem the perfect book for an 8-year-old. And while many 8-year-olds will love it, there is that knowing tone to the narration that will be best appreciated by, say, an 11-year-old. Oh, and there's Grete's tragic past, not to mention a whole camp of very sick children plus an accidental but serious poisoning. It's light, fairy-tale fun, but with a slight edge to it. The ending is odd, sad, and (for me anyway) hugely anticlimactic, but perhaps fitting for this kind of quirky tale.
I liked this fantasy for its quiet refusal to fit into a particular niche and for Dowell's lively writing and unusual perspective. Ages 8 to 12.

[nicole]

I couldn't tell you the main plot. After 86 pages, we still weren't there and I was starting to grow restless. I couldn't get behind Isabella, even though I myself was not often picked until last for gym class and had a penchant for wearing accessories I believed to be quirky and adorable. I didn't like that the narrator would break world-building in order to say nonsensical things that were later repeated, such as the traveling nature of spiders. I know some of the other Cybils panelists had had great things to say about it, even noting that the second half of the book picks up more than the first, but I just couldn't hold on long enough.

I will say this may be a good read for girls who feel lonesome and cannot connect with their classmates, but I had a little trouble telling who were the popular kids snubbing her. For example, the description of Charley Bender:

If you had to see somebody in the hallway, Charley Bender wasn't so bad, Isabella supposed. She wasn't exactly Isabella's cup of tea, but she was okay for the kind of girl who was usually picked third or fourth for games in PE, who stuttered a bit at the beginning of class presentations but calmed down after a minute or two and was only halfway borning on the topic of the Major Domestic Imports of Southern Lithuania.
From this description, I took her to be just a regular kid, picked towards the top in gym class, with a stutter that faded and a bad eye for easy class assignments. Call me old-fashioned, but I like my popular girls obvious. It's hard to give this one the old college try, given the pace I've been keeping for Cybils reading, I've got to go with my gut for this one and fall into something else.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked how the story opens with "On the morning this story begins..." For me, it captures how fairy tales begin. The author goes on to introduce Isabelle Bean, "an only child of a lonely family." Isabelle is considered by most to be dull, different and is somewhat of an outcast in her class. Instead she is the girl who likes to wear red boots stuffed with toilet paper because she thinks they complete her. She talks in riddles and only when spoken to. Most of all she is a dreamer of things that most think are impossible. I love how the author seems to be having a personal conversation with the reader. Let me give you an example. So your wondering what is it about this book that made me give it five stars. Well let me tell you, Mrs. O'Roark Dowell captured the essence of what I was thinking by asking just the right questions in the text at the right time. When I started to wonder about the witch. She wrote "I know, I know. What about the witch? Will Isabelle find the witch?" The author cleverly guides you through her story with her personal questions, side notes and comments. A very cute funny read about what you find when you fall down that infamous rabbit hole but in this case there are no rabbits to follow and Isabelle really wants to go to another world.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is a fast fun read about Isabelle Bean, a girl that just does not fit in. When she follows a squeaking sound she falls into another world. There she finds that children are sent away because there is a wicked witch that comes after them once a year. Isabelle seems strange even here and many of the children she meets think she is a witch. However, one girl, Hen goes with her to find the witch. Hen wants retribution for the years of suffering while Isabelle thinks it would be interesting to meet a witch. They do find the witch but she is not what they expect. Isabelle also has a connection to Grete, the witch, that may be the cause of her "falling in".
This was a fun book with interesting characters and a parallel world much like our own. Each chapter has a line drawing a plant and the healing properties that it has in the healers world. It is a good way to incorporate the story line into the readers imagination. I would recommend this one to children who are felling a bit odd in the real world and want to "fall in" another world. The characters were engaging and I wish Isabelle could have stayed forever with her new friends.

[Suzy Cooksey · Rating 3 out of 5]

My eleven year old daughter brought this book home from the library and I had just finished reading a book so picked it up. I read it in a couple of short sittings and really had to push through the first 1/3 or so of it before I really got into it. Isabelle Beane is a girl who just doesn't quite fit in...until she falls in...into a world that believes in witches, fairies and magic. She meets a group of children who actually become her friends, and learns about herself and her mother. I'm going to encourage both of my daughters to read this.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really, really good and a great story! Some fairly dark aspects that I wasn't expecting (it reads light hearted and then BAM!) but I rather liked that style. I would hesitate to give this to a young tween who might be freaked out by the darkness. In other words, know your audience.

All in all though, I highly recommend.

[Quinn Lei · Rating 1 out of 5]

We started listening to this book and we did not like it it was not moving along fast enough for us. The narrator was not great and the storyline did not make sense. So we decided to not finish it.

[Madeline W · Rating 2 out of 5]

REVIEW: Falling In, Frances O'Roark Dowell
RATING: 2.5/5 stars

"Falling In" was one of the first audiobooks I ever listened to. It has remained fairly iconic in my brain for both the accents implemented and the introduction of changelings into my young life. When I needed something short to finish up this year's summer reading before my job grows intense, I settled on the audiobook for old time's sake. While I still enjoyed it to an extent and know fully that the references I make will remain, the text itself is somewhat boring yet zany simultaneously. It has a slew of problems that certainly make it different from most MG novels you might encounter.

The first very notable thing about this book is that Isabelle, the protagonist, holds the "I'm not like other girls" attitude to the max. This would be annoying in itself, but it is clear early on in the text that other kids like Charley are at least speaking to her and including her in their endeavors, no matter how small. This inclusion only grows in the other world, but Isabelle's attitude about weirdness does not change, which grows irritating and poses some issues. I did like the fact that the author twisted some of the conventions of the Alice in Wonderland type story where the main character is the unique or chosen one; in this case, Isabelle's mother is the changeling who had once been taken. The proceeding depictions of learning to cope with disappointment and isolation are strong and genuinely very heart-wrenching at times. But any of these broad efforts to dive deep into introspection are thwarted with the narrator's interjections. Don't get me wrong: I actually like that the narrator is her own character in a way, but the execution is just not right. It ruins a lot of the dramatic action even leading up to the climax. I think if the book would have started more strongly with this narrator and then gradually phased her out (eliminating the cliché of it being Isabelle as well), the story would have taken on an entirely new level of creepy and coordinated. Regrettably, the end result has pacing problems and suffers from disjointed action or a lot of walking. In other words, it reads in its starting moments and especially the latter half like a bad D&D campaign.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This middle grade delivered fun, magic, and surprise! At first the intermittent narrator chapters seemed a bit distracting, but I love how it came together. The story is about a girl who never felt like she belonged. All the other children avoided her and made fun of her, but she didn't mind being by herself. When she falls into another world, she learns of an evil witch that eats the children there, and finds a friend to journey with. But the thing is, she wants to go to the witch, not run away! Very cool concept, simple for kids but imaginative and rich.

[Ashlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for a school project, I only chose it because on the back it talked about witch’s. (Which are my favorite books to read about.)
This was a good book. It leaves you on a cliff hanger with each and every chapter. Speaking of chapters, all the chapters were relatively short, which is always a convenience. I love the main character, (Isabelle) and like the way she thinks.
It reminds of A series of Unfortunate events, not because of the plot or anything but because of the way it is written.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun novel that ultimately teaches us to appreciate what we have even if we miss what we had. It is sweet and poignant and creative.
Isabelle learns who she is and what she can do, so she doesn’t need to daydream about what could be. Hen and Sam and Quinn and Elizabeth and Jacob and Dreama all learn something important too.
This was heart warming and fun. Just what I needed right now.

[B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this out loud to my 6-year-old and she was completely in love with it. Very enraptured with the story. My biggest complaint, and the spoiler, is when she describes a baby being stoned. I didn't read that part to her and I wasn't sure I wanted to keep reading after it. But everything else was fine and her writing style translated to reading very nicely.

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isabelle Bean is a daydreamer. She is a 6th grader who doesn't fit in with the other kids, wishes the teachers would assign more interesting things, believes in magic, and hopes things will get better. When she hears a squeak coming from somewhere in the nurse's office and opens the closet door to investigate, Isabelle falls into a world where she feels much more at home.

[Melinda Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun has a fairy tale feel to the book. It is about a girl who just doesn't quite fit into her world. She is given purpose elsewhere. She is able to become others focused. And as most fairy tales it ends happily ever after.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book overall, it's a good one for children to read that lose sight of their imagination. But I found the book hard to keep up as an adult (I'm an elementary ed major), it would probably be easier for children to read because its more in their language.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is full of imagination. Isabelle has a strong sense of self-confidence.
The reader on this book, Jessica Almasy, is wonderful. Her sense of timing is perfect & the expression in her voice puts you right in the story.

[elaje]

Oh my GOD I have been trying to remember this book for so long because I read it so long ago but could not for the life of me remember the name. And then I saw it on DEPOP of all places. The world is so beautiful and vast

[Rhylee4-7 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a good book if you really like fairy tales but it was hard to keep up with.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen to this in the car with my 10 yr old and 4 yr old and husband. Everyone enjoy it!

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun book!