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brandypainter's review
4.0
4.5 stars
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
Whether or not I would read All the Answers wasn't even up for debate. It's a new Kate Messner MG and those are always a popular commodity among the kids I work with. I always enjoy them myself too.
Ava has a math test and needs a pencil. Grabbing one old blue one from a junk drawer, she is on her way and can focus on worrying about how she always forgets what she needs when taking a test no matter how much she studies. But a strange thing happens when she takes the test. She writes down a question and a voice answers. Soon Ava realizes the voice is coming from the pencil itself, but only the person holding the pencil can hear it. With her best friend Sophie, Ava begins to explore exactly what the pencil knows and what it can do. The girls decide to use the pencils powers to help others like the people who live with Ava's grandfather at the nursing home. Ava's worries about her family soon begin to consume her and she uses the pencil as a way to address them and soon learns things she rather wished she didn't know.
Ava is a worrier. She worries excessively. She worries so much has turned it into an art form where she is able to dodge any activity that scares her too much. What Messner has created with Ava is a picture of what anxiety looks like in a young person and I think it is one that many readers will understand and relate to. Because a lot of the things Ava spends her time obsessing over are at least passing worries for most kids her age: parents' marriage, parents' health, money issues, friend issues, school issues, fear of failure. This book touches on all of these and does so with exactly the right touch. Ava is such a real person and I truly felt everything she was feeling as I read the book. Her relationships with other people bring out crucial parts of her character. Messner does an excellent job of portraying intergenerational family life and the everyday squabbles, victories, joys, and defeats a family shares together. Ava's journey with pencil and what she discovers is realistic and I loved what happens to her when she goes on her adventure field trip.
Most especially, I love the idea of the pencil itself. It's the perfect hook for a book. Who wouldn't want a pencil who would give them answers to life's questions? How would you use it? What would you ask? The mechanics of the pencil and all the things the girls attempt to do with it make for a quick paced story with plenty of pitfalls and highlights. The pencil teaches Ava, but only because she is willing to learn and grow. She learns just as much from opening her eyes and seeing what is around her. It's a really great journey.
All the Answers is a story about family, love, and learning to take risks. It has some twists. It contains laughter and tears. Like all of Messner's books, I suspect it is one that will be read often. (At least in this house-my daughter loves all her books.)
I read an e-galley made available by the publisher, Bloomsbury, via NetGalley. All the Answers goes on sale January 27th.
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
Whether or not I would read All the Answers wasn't even up for debate. It's a new Kate Messner MG and those are always a popular commodity among the kids I work with. I always enjoy them myself too.
Ava has a math test and needs a pencil. Grabbing one old blue one from a junk drawer, she is on her way and can focus on worrying about how she always forgets what she needs when taking a test no matter how much she studies. But a strange thing happens when she takes the test. She writes down a question and a voice answers. Soon Ava realizes the voice is coming from the pencil itself, but only the person holding the pencil can hear it. With her best friend Sophie, Ava begins to explore exactly what the pencil knows and what it can do. The girls decide to use the pencils powers to help others like the people who live with Ava's grandfather at the nursing home. Ava's worries about her family soon begin to consume her and she uses the pencil as a way to address them and soon learns things she rather wished she didn't know.
Ava is a worrier. She worries excessively. She worries so much has turned it into an art form where she is able to dodge any activity that scares her too much. What Messner has created with Ava is a picture of what anxiety looks like in a young person and I think it is one that many readers will understand and relate to. Because a lot of the things Ava spends her time obsessing over are at least passing worries for most kids her age: parents' marriage, parents' health, money issues, friend issues, school issues, fear of failure. This book touches on all of these and does so with exactly the right touch. Ava is such a real person and I truly felt everything she was feeling as I read the book. Her relationships with other people bring out crucial parts of her character. Messner does an excellent job of portraying intergenerational family life and the everyday squabbles, victories, joys, and defeats a family shares together. Ava's journey with pencil and what she discovers is realistic and I loved what happens to her when she goes on her adventure field trip.
Most especially, I love the idea of the pencil itself. It's the perfect hook for a book. Who wouldn't want a pencil who would give them answers to life's questions? How would you use it? What would you ask? The mechanics of the pencil and all the things the girls attempt to do with it make for a quick paced story with plenty of pitfalls and highlights. The pencil teaches Ava, but only because she is willing to learn and grow. She learns just as much from opening her eyes and seeing what is around her. It's a really great journey.
All the Answers is a story about family, love, and learning to take risks. It has some twists. It contains laughter and tears. Like all of Messner's books, I suspect it is one that will be read often. (At least in this house-my daughter loves all her books.)
I read an e-galley made available by the publisher, Bloomsbury, via NetGalley. All the Answers goes on sale January 27th.
lfinkenkeller's review
5.0
I just finished "All the Answers." I loved, loved, loved it. I laughed at the father's world famous Kale Doughnuts and her sister's various names. I marveled at Sophie and Ava's friendship. I relished the fact that her parents and family were normal, kind and loving. My heart was filled with joy when the girls helped fulfill the elderly people's wishes, especially when she played "The Sunny Side of the Street" for her her grandfather and got her mother to be strong. I was surprised to find out who was the voice of the pencil. I want to remember the quotations, "A ship in harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for." - John A. Shedd, and "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." - Mahatma Gandhi. But most of all I loved the theme of the book, "The best we can do is to make peace with our questions, learn who we are, know our strengths, and do the best we can with the gifts we've been given while we're here."
One of my favorite reads of the summer!
One of my favorite reads of the summer!
rdyourbookcase's review
2.0
I thought the idea of having all the answers, or at least the ability to have all of the factual answers, was terrific. However, I thought that the idea of getting those answers from a pencil was a bit... lame. It’s not flashy and it’s definitely not realistic. But if it’s not realistic, could it at least be flashy? I liked the theme of gaining confidence, too. Overall, it had good intentions and promise, but to me, it fell flat - especially the explanation for HOW the pencil had the answers.
nssutton's review
3.0
This one spoke to me, as I'm totally an Ava. Some parts were a touch too precious, like Emma with all her names, but I liked how it discussing overcoming your fears in a real way, even as the scariest things you could imagine are happening. The pencil reveal was a little unbelievable, even for a middle grade fictional book, but I'll let it go because Marion was a reference librarian. Planning to purchase for the school library.
jennifercord's review against another edition
5.0
Such a good book. I can't wait to share with some of my students.
sevensorrows's review
3.0
Just a basic book. There were a couple cool twists in the book, but most of the book was very predictable.
I will try not do do any spoilers, but explain the strangeness.
Since all books need to teach a lesson...this seemed a word one...although kids might not see it. Main character is a worry-wart/ scaredy-cat, then she beats her fears (of course), but she only does it as a coping mechanism and by trying to run away from her real fears. This is probably not what we want to be teaching kids.
Strange ethical dilemmas in the book, and the characters more or less come away doing the right thing. But it seems like the reader (child) would have to figure this out on his/her own, but the reader might come away not understanding the “right thing” to do.
Not a bad book, so so many better ones out there. And I only have so much time to read them!
I will try not do do any spoilers, but explain the strangeness.
Since all books need to teach a lesson...this seemed a word one...although kids might not see it. Main character is a worry-wart/ scaredy-cat, then she beats her fears (of course), but she only does it as a coping mechanism and by trying to run away from her real fears. This is probably not what we want to be teaching kids.
Strange ethical dilemmas in the book, and the characters more or less come away doing the right thing. But it seems like the reader (child) would have to figure this out on his/her own, but the reader might come away not understanding the “right thing” to do.
Not a bad book, so so many better ones out there. And I only have so much time to read them!
lollypopkins225's review
4.0
I like this mostly realistic fiction with a touch of magic book. Ava finds a pencil that gives her all the answers, or so she thinks. It answers all the "easy" questions like what is the formula to find the circumference of a circle, however it doesn't tell her intangible answers like who the first boy her best friend will kiss or if her parents will get a divorce. Ava also suffers from anxiety so asking some of these questions make her want to ask more and more questions. Ones that she may not like the answer to.
All in all I'd say Ava and her story are relatable even if she had to use a "magic" pencil to find some answers for herself. I'd definitely recommend it to 8-12 year olds who like realistic fiction and don't mind a little bit of magic too.
All in all I'd say Ava and her story are relatable even if she had to use a "magic" pencil to find some answers for herself. I'd definitely recommend it to 8-12 year olds who like realistic fiction and don't mind a little bit of magic too.
lower222's review
5.0
I’ve been reading all the 2018 Golden Sower young adult book award nominees with my son and this was my favorite so far! Such a charming and magical coming of age story. I was so pleased with the arc of the protagonist. The end actually gave me goose bumps. That doesn’t happen often!