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robbynjreeve's review against another edition
REQUIRED READING
This book addresses a lot of different issues: race, gender, age, and social class. 14 year-old LaVaughn, the first in her family with the possibility of making it to college, decides to take a babysitting job in order to earn a little extra money. Jolly, a 17 year-old single mom with two kids, needs all the help she can get. She gets fired from her job for refusing her boss' advances. LaVaughn who becomes more than a babysitter to Jolly and her family, sacrifices her time and schoolwork to help out. Together she helps Jolly pull her life together and learn that though she may have been ignorant before, she doesn't have to be now.
This book addresses a lot of different issues: race, gender, age, and social class. 14 year-old LaVaughn, the first in her family with the possibility of making it to college, decides to take a babysitting job in order to earn a little extra money. Jolly, a 17 year-old single mom with two kids, needs all the help she can get. She gets fired from her job for refusing her boss' advances. LaVaughn who becomes more than a babysitter to Jolly and her family, sacrifices her time and schoolwork to help out. Together she helps Jolly pull her life together and learn that though she may have been ignorant before, she doesn't have to be now.
xaqrii's review against another edition
5.0
REQUIRED
Make Lemonade was the dark horse of this term for me. I hadn't ever read a novel in verse and I think this was a great introduction. The book is about LaVaughn who babysits for the young, single-mother Jolly so she can work to support her family. LaVaughn learns, as she babysits, that things aren't what they seem: just because Jolly is a single mother doesn't make her irresponsible; just because Jolly didn't finish school doesn't mean she isn't smart; sometimes, your mother isn't always right. LaVaughn struggles to help Jolly when she loses her job and doesn't have the wherewithal to find a new one, and eventually ends up back in high school. The story is really eye-opening to the struggles of the underemployed and single mothers. It fights stereotypes the reader may bring to the book pretty directly through LaVaughn's stereotypes. I think this would be a really good book for younger teens, especially those who are interested in what poetry can be outside of what "classical" poetry they learn in school.
Make Lemonade was the dark horse of this term for me. I hadn't ever read a novel in verse and I think this was a great introduction. The book is about LaVaughn who babysits for the young, single-mother Jolly so she can work to support her family. LaVaughn learns, as she babysits, that things aren't what they seem: just because Jolly is a single mother doesn't make her irresponsible; just because Jolly didn't finish school doesn't mean she isn't smart; sometimes, your mother isn't always right. LaVaughn struggles to help Jolly when she loses her job and doesn't have the wherewithal to find a new one, and eventually ends up back in high school. The story is really eye-opening to the struggles of the underemployed and single mothers. It fights stereotypes the reader may bring to the book pretty directly through LaVaughn's stereotypes. I think this would be a really good book for younger teens, especially those who are interested in what poetry can be outside of what "classical" poetry they learn in school.
bickie's review against another edition
4.0
14-year-old LaVaughn lives with her widowed mother who is active on the residents' board of their public housing complex. LaVaughn tells the story of her interactions with a 17-year-old single mother, Jolly, who hires her to babysit her toddler and baby. LaVaughn tells us about the squalor of Jolly's apartment where everything is grimy and sticky due to a combination of lack of funds for cleaning supplies and sheer exhaustion on Jolly's part. LaVaughn also tells us about the pride Jeremy has in using the potty for the first time and his hopeful hours spent crooning to the cup of dirt with lemon seeds where he expects to see sprouts of a lemon tree. LaVaughn learns about the injustices Jolly has experienced (such as being fired after reporting her boss for inappropriate sexual contact) and how much circumstances and encounters with other people foil even hard-working, well-meaning people's efforts to rise above poverty. LaVaughn also experiences various moral dilemmas including wondering whether she is taking advantage of Jolly by taking money for her so that she can pay for college and escape the same fate. LaVaughn perseveres, not wanting to give up on Jolly or the two children whom she has grown to love. LaVaughn's prose is structured more like an oral story, making it perhaps more accessible to reluctant readers because there are not such dense blocks of words on each page, but the subject matter is weighty. LaVaughn's story is applicable to students from any background, touching on themes of fortitude, industry, and moral choices, and shedding a nuanced, three-dimensional light on two "poor" urban families. Ages 12 and up
4saradouglas's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty good! It was a good look into life as a poor teen mother in the city. You truly get a glimpse of the hardships and the hopelessness. The main character is great... both a positive role model and friend, and very realistic. Overall a nice read.
amazing_emily_anderson's review against another edition
3.0
REQUIRED TEXT
LaVaughn is 14, and she is already determined to start working hard to earn money for college. So, when she finds an ad looking for a babysitter, she takes the job. Little did she know that Jolly, a 17 year old and a single mom of two kids, would need more help than she bargained for.
This novel was really beautiful, and I really loved LaVaughn as a character. She is the kind, hard-working and empathetic person that I think we all strive to be. This book was thought provoking, and I was surprised at LaVaughn's willingness to work without pay even though her situation was not much better than Jolly's in a lot of ways. Overall, this was a really great book about hardship, poverty, and resiliency, and I think the verse format of this book really added to its overall appeal.
LaVaughn is 14, and she is already determined to start working hard to earn money for college. So, when she finds an ad looking for a babysitter, she takes the job. Little did she know that Jolly, a 17 year old and a single mom of two kids, would need more help than she bargained for.
This novel was really beautiful, and I really loved LaVaughn as a character. She is the kind, hard-working and empathetic person that I think we all strive to be. This book was thought provoking, and I was surprised at LaVaughn's willingness to work without pay even though her situation was not much better than Jolly's in a lot of ways. Overall, this was a really great book about hardship, poverty, and resiliency, and I think the verse format of this book really added to its overall appeal.
thestoryowl's review against another edition
3.0
The narrative was a little hard to read (it's got strange, shortish sentences, but the story was felt very real to me.
urfriendash's review against another edition
4.0
i think this was a good book. it gives you a peek at what life may be like for a teenage mom with a rough life. all of their characters seemed pretty well written. i liked the writing style too, it was fast paced and easy to get through.
this book is written from the perspective of a girl (lavuagn)that wants a job so she can afford college. she decides to start babysitting for a teenager named jolly. jolly has two toddlers, a small and dirty apartment, and a minimum wage job. jolly has no family nor education. lavuagn helps jolly get her shit together.
ps i definitely spelt lavuagn wrong.
this book is written from the perspective of a girl (lavuagn)that wants a job so she can afford college. she decides to start babysitting for a teenager named jolly. jolly has two toddlers, a small and dirty apartment, and a minimum wage job. jolly has no family nor education. lavuagn helps jolly get her shit together.
ps i definitely spelt lavuagn wrong.
nsusdorf's review against another edition
4.0
Make Lemonade is a very engrossing book about to young women trying to better themselves. It has some content too mature for my middle schoolers, but this would be great for reluctant high school readers.
emilymorgan02's review against another edition
4.0
I think this is my third time reading this novel. I love novels in verse and I love the strong main character in these. I love watching her work hard, make mistakes, learn, and move forward. The audiobook narrator is perfect.
krpollard's review against another edition
4.0
A solid YA read that reminds us we're all not born with the same chances in life.