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fizzingweasleys's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
sarahbaileyreads's review
5.0
What a heartwarming and sweet story! I loved all of the modern-day and literary allusions, the humor, and the heart woven into this story about a family navigating grief. Family dynamic are complicated and solidify over the years and I loved how this story continued to unfold the various layers of the father and son relationship. This is a very deep story masked in a humorous and unique perspective that I know middler schoolers would enjoy and love.
kelleemoye's review
4.0
I love John David Anderson books! It is so amazing how each of his books are different yet so much fun to read. Finding Orion was a quirky realistic fiction story about Orion’s odd family and a quest they must go on after Rion’s grandfather dies. The family learns more than they expect on the quest.
dogtrax's review
4.0
Quirky families are a source of great stories, and here, the quirkiness of the Kwirks brings us into the heart of remembering, and of fathers and sons, and the gaps of silence that can emerge between them (as in fiction, as in life), as well as the ways we might find a way to close those gaps. Sometimes, we need a little help along the way.
justjoel's review
4.0
I received an ARC of Finding Orion via a Goodreads giveaway. This has no bearing on my rating or review.
Finding Orion is middle-grade fiction due to be published May 7, 2019. The story follows Orion (Rion) Kwirk, a 12-year-old boy who comes from a very—um, quirky—family. His father, Fletcher, makes flavored jelly beans and his mother runs a planetarium (and named him and his 2 sisters after constellations).
The family has just settled down to dinner—which involves taste-testing one of his father's new confection inventions. Thankfully, NOT armpit flavored this time—when a clown knocks on the door.
Obviously, if you're afraid of clowns or allergic to odd, you can already tell this book is not for you.
The clown delivers a singing telegram to inform the Kwirks that Papa Kwirk has died. After confirming details with Grandpa's only other remaining relative, his sister, the family arranges to return to the town that Fletcher couldn't wait to escape as soon as he was old enough, and hasn't been back to much over the years.
The oddest funeral—sorry, I mean funneral—in the history of ever culminates in the Kwirks going on a scavenger hunt to find Papa (and perhaps themselves) along the way.
I really enjoyed the family dynamic here, and the sense of humor. Rion is a bit of a typical middle child, which can be even more problematic when you feel like everyone else in your family is just a little more extra than they need to be. As the book progresses, Rion learns things about his Grandpa that neither he nor the rest of the family knew.
Some of the events deal with what happens when people make assumptions without communicating issues. There are some nice moments that touch on father/son relationships, as well as family dynamics as a whole. The scavenger hunt is fun to read about, even if it is a bit farfetched (if you've seen The Goonies, it's kind of a similar vibe).
Overall, there were some laugh-out-loud moments, as well as a surprisingly intense and unexpected scene near the end of the book. I don't feel like there's anything particularly offensive or unsuitable for the intended age group.
Overall, it was a surprisingly good read that featured a family I think a lot of kids of similar age will be able to relate to.
4 out of 5 stars
Finding Orion is middle-grade fiction due to be published May 7, 2019. The story follows Orion (Rion) Kwirk, a 12-year-old boy who comes from a very—um, quirky—family. His father, Fletcher, makes flavored jelly beans and his mother runs a planetarium (and named him and his 2 sisters after constellations).
The family has just settled down to dinner—which involves taste-testing one of his father's new confection inventions. Thankfully, NOT armpit flavored this time—when a clown knocks on the door.
Obviously, if you're afraid of clowns or allergic to odd, you can already tell this book is not for you.
The clown delivers a singing telegram to inform the Kwirks that Papa Kwirk has died. After confirming details with Grandpa's only other remaining relative, his sister, the family arranges to return to the town that Fletcher couldn't wait to escape as soon as he was old enough, and hasn't been back to much over the years.
The oddest funeral—sorry, I mean funneral—in the history of ever culminates in the Kwirks going on a scavenger hunt to find Papa (and perhaps themselves) along the way.
I really enjoyed the family dynamic here, and the sense of humor. Rion is a bit of a typical middle child, which can be even more problematic when you feel like everyone else in your family is just a little more extra than they need to be. As the book progresses, Rion learns things about his Grandpa that neither he nor the rest of the family knew.
Some of the events deal with what happens when people make assumptions without communicating issues. There are some nice moments that touch on father/son relationships, as well as family dynamics as a whole. The scavenger hunt is fun to read about, even if it is a bit farfetched (if you've seen The Goonies, it's kind of a similar vibe).
Overall, there were some laugh-out-loud moments, as well as a surprisingly intense and unexpected scene near the end of the book. I don't feel like there's anything particularly offensive or unsuitable for the intended age group.
Overall, it was a surprisingly good read that featured a family I think a lot of kids of similar age will be able to relate to.
4 out of 5 stars
embe94's review
5.0
Honestly I thought this story was amazing. I went in not expecting much, and what I found was a masterful handling of grief, especially grief for estranged family. For being a book almost entirely on loss of a family member, it was hilarious. And there was no one fast and true miracle solution to what Rion was feeling- it developed, over time, over specific actions taken by the family. Fantastic!
amymck05's review
2.0
This was a read aloud that was disappointing for both me and my class. We kept waiting for it to get better, but it never did. There were side stories that just didn't add to the plot.
cnstamper's review
4.0
Rion--the self-proclaimed "normal" member of the Kwirk family narrates this charming and fun story of family and forgiveness. I laughed my way through the misadventures, the was also profoundly moved by the growth these characters go through during the novel.