Scan barcode
moopsydoopsy's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
brandypainter's review
2.0
Way too long and is yet another depressing dying/dead friend story. It's the year of dead friends in MG fiction and I've read too many now.
i_love_horses's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It was good but it was sad when something happened
kbranfield's review
5.0
In Finding the Worm, Mark Goldblatt revisits Julian "Twerp" Twerski and his friends and this outing is just as charming and thought-provoking as its predecessor, Twerp. This newest release is also a lot more poignant as thirteen year old Julian and his pals learn one of life's harshest lessons when one of their friends is diagnosed with cancer.
Just before Christmas of 1969, Julian and his friends, Lonnie, Eric, Howie, Shlomo and Beverly are called to the guidance counselor's office where they are learn that their close friend, Quentin, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. The group is shaken by the news and although they are reassured that he will be fine, the kids are still worried. Julian takes his concerns to Rabbi Salzberg (whom they have nicknamed Magoo) who then uses Julian's bar mitzvah preparation to give him a few life lessons in addition to his haftarah instruction.
While Julian is trying to make sense of Quentin's illness, the school principal accuses him of defacing a painting. Since he was suspended from school the previous year, Julian's punishment is to write a 200 word essay on good citizenship. His pleas of innocence fall on deaf ears, and Julian is soon locked in a battle of wills with the principal as week after week, he turns in essays that are about everything except good citizenship. Since he refuses to take the punishment seriously, the principal ups the ante and Julian knows he is beat, but it is not until Julian discovers the perpetrator's identity that he turns in an incredibly insightful essay that shows remarkable maturity.
Despite their worries and Quentin's fragile health, Julian and the gang find plenty of time to enjoy being kids. They spend quite a bit of free time at Quentin's apartment since he is still recovering from surgery but they do get a few opportunities to have some outdoor fun as well. Baseball player Bobby Murcer makes a guest appearance that shows the depth of Quentin and Julian's friendship although all of the kids benefit from Murcer's generosity.
Finding the Worm is another entertaining and very heartwarming novel of friendship by Mark Goldblatt. Both humorous and heartbreaking, I highly recommend this marvelous story to readers of all ages. Although it is the sequel to Twerp, the story can be read as a standalone.
Just before Christmas of 1969, Julian and his friends, Lonnie, Eric, Howie, Shlomo and Beverly are called to the guidance counselor's office where they are learn that their close friend, Quentin, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. The group is shaken by the news and although they are reassured that he will be fine, the kids are still worried. Julian takes his concerns to Rabbi Salzberg (whom they have nicknamed Magoo) who then uses Julian's bar mitzvah preparation to give him a few life lessons in addition to his haftarah instruction.
While Julian is trying to make sense of Quentin's illness, the school principal accuses him of defacing a painting. Since he was suspended from school the previous year, Julian's punishment is to write a 200 word essay on good citizenship. His pleas of innocence fall on deaf ears, and Julian is soon locked in a battle of wills with the principal as week after week, he turns in essays that are about everything except good citizenship. Since he refuses to take the punishment seriously, the principal ups the ante and Julian knows he is beat, but it is not until Julian discovers the perpetrator's identity that he turns in an incredibly insightful essay that shows remarkable maturity.
Despite their worries and Quentin's fragile health, Julian and the gang find plenty of time to enjoy being kids. They spend quite a bit of free time at Quentin's apartment since he is still recovering from surgery but they do get a few opportunities to have some outdoor fun as well. Baseball player Bobby Murcer makes a guest appearance that shows the depth of Quentin and Julian's friendship although all of the kids benefit from Murcer's generosity.
Finding the Worm is another entertaining and very heartwarming novel of friendship by Mark Goldblatt. Both humorous and heartbreaking, I highly recommend this marvelous story to readers of all ages. Although it is the sequel to Twerp, the story can be read as a standalone.
lauralynnwalsh's review
4.0
I was so annoyed with the slow pacing of this book for most of its pages, but then, somehow, it finally made sense in the end.
peytonforbes's review
3.0
I thought that this book was great. I loved the story and the plot line. Amazing friendship between the guys.
spamel's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jillcd's review against another edition
4.0
This books takes an in-depth look at friendship and self reflection. I love how it was set in 1970. A really good, but difficult, book to use for discussion with kids.
chelseymarie's review
4.0
In between preparing for his bar mitzvah, and meeting his favorite baseball player, seventh grade Julian is also struggling to deal with the fact that one of his close friends is sick. Really sick. And he can try to act like it doesn't change anything, but it does.
This was a solid follow up to Goldblatt's first novel, Twerp. While Twerp covered bullying (specifically, what it's like to be a generally good kid but find yourself participating in bullying, and how to come back from that) Finding The Worm is about mortality and theodicy. Which seems like heavy and preachy material for a kid's book, but it's handled in such a way, and the characters are so charming, that it feels believable.
My biggest complaint is the way one subplot was wrapped up. Julian's friends are all a tight-knit group of guys - and one girl, Beverly. Beverly complains a few times that they don't really treat her like she's their real friend. They leave her out of stuff, they don't call her, etc. And throughout the book Beverly badgers them to get them to race her, which they also don't want to do because she's a girl. Now, I get that the book is set in 1970, so probably that attitude is realistic for the times, and that's fine. But what rubbed me the wrong way is the way that aspect of the story is just kind of... dropped. Goldblatt's books usually hit a lot of "lessons," but Julian never learns anything from this part of the story.
This was a solid follow up to Goldblatt's first novel, Twerp. While Twerp covered bullying (specifically, what it's like to be a generally good kid but find yourself participating in bullying, and how to come back from that) Finding The Worm is about mortality and theodicy. Which seems like heavy and preachy material for a kid's book, but it's handled in such a way, and the characters are so charming, that it feels believable.
My biggest complaint is the way one subplot was wrapped up. Julian's friends are all a tight-knit group of guys - and one girl, Beverly. Beverly complains a few times that they don't really treat her like she's their real friend. They leave her out of stuff, they don't call her, etc. And throughout the book Beverly badgers them to get them to race her, which they also don't want to do because she's a girl. Now, I get that the book is set in 1970, so probably that attitude is realistic for the times, and that's fine. But what rubbed me the wrong way is the way that aspect of the story is just kind of... dropped. Goldblatt's books usually hit a lot of "lessons," but Julian never learns anything from this part of the story.