April StevensRezensionen

A quiet story about a memorable kid on the edge of becoming more self-aware. Frances Pauley calls herself Figgrotten though nobody else does (it reminded me of [b:George|24612624|George|Alex Gino|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1423358952s/24612624.jpg|44165520] because the close third person narration describes the main character as she sees herself, not necessarily as the world sees her).

Figgrotten is beautifully (enviably) un-self-conscious when the story begins. She wears the same thing every day and just wants to be outside all the time observing nature. Her favorite person is the very old man who drives her school bus.

As the story unfolds Figgrotten/Frances changes significantly and believably into a kid who takes an interest in her appearance and children her own age. Her relationship with her older sister evolves from hostile to understanding.

There's a death in this story that made me tear up, but I don't think this is a book about dealing with grieving a lost loved one as much as it's a story about how young hearts and minds change in the tumultuous tween years.

This also kind of randomly make me think of [b:Jeremy Draws a Monster|6399392|Jeremy Draws a Monster (Jeremy and the Monster)|Peter McCarty|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1316636531s/6399392.jpg|6588089] because it's also about a creative but lonely kid who finds his way to friends by the end of the book.

I first encountered this author via a YA novel, but this, her first published effort, is most memorable and requires an adult sensibility to appreciate its delicacy and effective handling of acute depression on all the members of a family. Father Gordie has left his wife Augusta and high school senior son Henry. Elder son Mathew, who never bonded with any other family members, has been immersed in a life of complete solitude at college and graduate school for years. In what was apparently never a household of happiness, the schism wrecks all three and their home becomes a tomb of alienated, zombie-like protoplasm. The story is told from each point of view, and relief and recovery comes in the form of Bette Mack, a teenager Henry meets at a party. The language is precise and poetic, and for the family and for the reader, Bette's care is like blessed rain in a drought-stricken desert. This is a novel worth seeking out and owning.

Quotes: “It was easy looking back. I could do it all day, my mind like an old buried landfill.”

“On the second day he went through several bad hours thinking he should do himself in. He wasn’t sure what he was sticking around for. But the idea of being gone made him sad anyway, not necessarily because he’d miss anyone but because he couldn’t help thinking he’d sort of miss himself. His own face and his stupid jokes and the junkyard of thoughts in his head.”

Frances Pauley was not a typical eleven year old. She was more interested in nature and being outside than she was clothes, makeup and boys like the other girls. This fact drove a wedge between her and her older sister. Until one day, when they experience a tragedy that brings them back together.
The Heart and Mind of Fances Pauley is recommended for readers grades 4-6. The relatable and well formed characters are easy for children in this age group to identify with. The story touches on the serious topics of bullying, death and family dynamics in a child like manner.

Excellent book for young YA (4th grade and up), dealing with serious issues: individuality, death, the natural world, and forgiveness. Ideal for a sensitive and caring child, or one who isn't - this might help them to achieve empathy. Not preachy or boring, just well thought out.

Eleven-year-old Frances Pauley (“Figgrotten” is the nickname she’s given herself) loves nature and science but not necessarily other people. This debut work is a solid middle-grade novel about her journey from loner to someone who accepts, and even appreciates, the differences among people. My only quibble is that some of her acceptance comes a little too quickly and so feels a little preachy. There are some realistic dark waters, but they’re dealt with gently and with curiosity and optimism.

(Review based on an advance reading copy provided by the publisher.)

Summary:
Edwin is a baby and tomorrow is his birthday. His mother is frantic and is gathering up all her kids to go to the grocery store. The mother is forgetful and the kids are hyper. They think that baby Edwin is just babbling. When you look at his broken speech you can see he is reminding his mother about all the things she is forgetting and the things his siblings are forgetting too. No one understands baby Edwin so he gets the package of sugar they have forgotten to grab himself. No one understands baby Edwin but he is beginning to learn how to speak.
Comments:
Edwin Speaks Up, is a very sweet story, it is a good book to read to very young kids. The illustrations are very sweet with their soft color schemes and their soft lines with repeating patterns.

This book is about a family ferrets taking a trip to the supermarket to get grocery. There is one thing they can not forget at the supermarket and that is the sugar for Baby Edwin birthday cake for his party the next day. The central message of the story is that sometimes we need to slow down and pay attention to someone we think is not making sense. They might be saying something that is valuable to you.

The Finnemore family took a shopping trip to get groceries. Edwin is a babbling little baby. With all the children, the shopping trip is turning into a chaotic mess. Their one job is to remember to get sugar for Edwin's birthday cake. They forget many things. Who will remind her to get the sugar?

Mrs. Finnemore is an overwhelmed mother of 5. She has trouble keeping track of her belongings and her children. Baby Edwin is the one who speaks up to let mom know where things are, but mom can't understand his gibber. Edwin takes matters into his own hands to save mom's perfect day.

Edwin speaks but nobody listens.

This book is a delightful romp into stereotypical 1950’s culture. The drawings and text render a faithful attempt at capturing what life was like in that bygone era, right down to the local grocery store where everybody knows each other and food items cost less than a dollar. The book design is interesting and varied, with the size and angles of the pictures helping to move along the text. Characters constantly appear to be in motion, in true Randolph Caldecott style, causing the reader to move quickly to the climax of the story. The pictures give an insight to the story that the text alone does not yield, and irony abounds. The one character who actually understands what is going on is the baby, but nobody else in the story recognizes his intelligence or insight. The theme is that even the youngest child has something important to offer, if we would only listen.

Baby Edwin accompanies Mother on her errands, babbling all the way. Even though mother and siblings don't realize it, we can hear that he makes perfect sense! DO practice Edwin's lines before reading aloud for maximum effect.

This is an adorable book about a toddler, Edwin, who is just learning to talk. He knows enough words to intersperse he babble with some relevant information about what is going on--like for instance that his mother's pocket book is on the roof while they're driving to the store. He uses the word Sweety for sugar and Leavey for them leaving but no one seems to notice. He's the only one to notice they're about to forget the sugar at the store and finally is the only one to mention the sugar is on the roof of the car! The book ends with his mother mentioning that soon Edwin will be learning how to talk:)

A cute story about not forgetting to actually listen to children. The illustrations are crisp and colorful.