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ssloeffler's review against another edition
4.0
You don't often come across a YA book with a heroine like this one...or one that addresses the effects of FAS on young lives. Simple read, but effective.
madelinefaye's review against another edition
3.0
a very good children’s book. not as good as weeks’ other, more acclaimed books, but a really quick read that teaches young people about forgiveness and not only pushing through difficult times, but knowing they’ll get better.
lacey1020's review against another edition
2.0
I originally read this book when I was in 6th grade so this is a reread for me. I try not to rate middle grade books based on my own personal enjoyment but rather if I think it would be enjoyable for the target demographic and if I think it has good lessons. This one I just did not feel that great about.
The main character was very bratty. I understand puberty and life changes at this age make pre teens moody, but still. She was really mean to her mother for no reason. She also constantly shamed her and made fun of her weight. She somewhat learns her lesson at the end, but this still bugged me throughout the book.
I personally don’t know anyone with fetal alcohol syndrome, but I’m not sure this book was good representation. I don’t feel like how having it impacted the main character’s life was discussed enough. It felt like the author only made the main character have fetal alcohol syndrome just to make her “different”.
I also didn’t like how throughout the book the main character kept saying she was bad and mean all the time. She felt this way because she found out her biological father was in prison for killing someone. I definitely was expecting a nature vs nurture discussion in this book but there wasn’t one.
I also felt the main character’s feelings about out she was adopted should’ve been discussed more.
Also all the comments about Native Americans definitely rubbed me the wrong way. I don’t even understand why it was included.
Instead of having the discussions this book should have had for the topics it included, there was a whole lot of nothing. Even for middle grade readers I don’t think this is a good book. It doesn’t really offer anything important to middle grade readers and also isn’t very eventful.
The main character was very bratty. I understand puberty and life changes at this age make pre teens moody, but still. She was really mean to her mother for no reason. She also constantly shamed her and made fun of her weight. She somewhat learns her lesson at the end, but this still bugged me throughout the book.
I personally don’t know anyone with fetal alcohol syndrome, but I’m not sure this book was good representation. I don’t feel like how having it impacted the main character’s life was discussed enough. It felt like the author only made the main character have fetal alcohol syndrome just to make her “different”.
I also didn’t like how throughout the book the main character kept saying she was bad and mean all the time. She felt this way because she found out her biological father was in prison for killing someone. I definitely was expecting a nature vs nurture discussion in this book but there wasn’t one.
I also felt the main character’s feelings about out she was adopted should’ve been discussed more.
Also all the comments about Native Americans definitely rubbed me the wrong way. I don’t even understand why it was included.
Instead of having the discussions this book should have had for the topics it included, there was a whole lot of nothing. Even for middle grade readers I don’t think this is a good book. It doesn’t really offer anything important to middle grade readers and also isn’t very eventful.
lemon_drop's review against another edition
4.0
Great for tween girls freaked out by the early stages of puberty and all the mood swings
cocoreads1970's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
martha_schwalbe's review against another edition
4.0
Wow! I found the book compelling as I witness what FAS does to kids and young adults. I love the surprise being for Verbena and Pooch's reaction. All around a good read, probably not for high school as Verbena is 13 or 14 and Pooch is nine. A delightful read with a good result. I wish life happened like this!
jdianm's review against another edition
4.0
This story tells of a girl who hits 5th grade and finds out that much of the simple things she has taken for granted no longer fit - in the frustrating way of tracing an outline only to find that it slips out of place and cannot fit the original again. She finds that her own identity is not what she thought, and fears that the people around her cannot accept her true roots. Sarah Weeks captures the turmoil of fighting to grow up while fighting the changes that feel anything but simple.
loveyourlibrary's review against another edition
3.0
This is a pretty straight forward simply constructed coming of age story.
pussreboots's review against another edition
4.0
Scholastic book fair
http://www.pussreboots.pair.com/blog/2013/comments_12/as_simple_as_it_seems.html
http://www.pussreboots.pair.com/blog/2013/comments_12/as_simple_as_it_seems.html