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everydayreading's review against another edition
2.0
Not much of a fan. . . I had a hard time not skimming this one, and I NEVER skim.
mrskatiefitz's review against another edition
4.0
Set in Sullivan County, New York (not far from where I grew up), As Simple As It Seems is the story of a young girl named Verbena, who, after years in the dark about her true identity, learns she is adopted, and that her biological mother drank during pregnancy, and her biological dad is in prison for murder. This information changes the way Verbena sees herself, and she begins to suspect that she has inherited the ugliness of her parents' dark sides. As she comes to terms with the new information she's learned about herself, Verbena also struggles to cut the apron strings tying her to her adoptive mother, worries that her best friend has moved on to bigger and better things, and clings to some semblance of her old self-image by duping a neighbor boy into believing she is a ghost.
The book is one of those serious children's stories for which it can sometimes be difficult to find an audience. I enjoyed the writing style very much, especially the description, but I definitely saw it from an adult's point of view, and as a kid, I don't know that I would have been at all interested in the story. Still, though, Verbena's struggle to understand changes in her life as she grows up and begins to see the truth of her situation, is a universal experience, and I think, if kids stick with the serious tone, they'll see themselves in it.
Here is just a taste of the quality of the description. Verbena explains why she won't attend this year's Fourth of July barbecue:
Annie and I had always watched the fireworks together, lying on our backs on an old blue bedspread. We would each hold our breath in anticipation as the rockets shot up, then whoop and shriek as they exploded into patterns we gave names to, like waterfall, curly fry, and dandelion puff. I had never missed a Fourth of July celebration in my life, but I'd already made up my mind that I wasn't going that year. I knew the old blue bedspread would feel as big as the ocean without Annie lying beside me. (p. 57)
I can imagine not only the happiness of past holiday celebrations, but also Verbena's feelings of abandonment and loneliness now that those happy times are past.
I also absolutely loved the scenes where Verbena meets and befriends Pooch, the neighbor boy vacationing in a nearby house. They reminded me so much of Jennifer and Elizabeth's friendship in Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth, right down to the faux supernatural elements.
This is a quiet book, and it's realistic fiction, which isn't all that popular these days, but I really like it, and I hope I'll be able to recommend it to at least a few kids in my library.
The book is one of those serious children's stories for which it can sometimes be difficult to find an audience. I enjoyed the writing style very much, especially the description, but I definitely saw it from an adult's point of view, and as a kid, I don't know that I would have been at all interested in the story. Still, though, Verbena's struggle to understand changes in her life as she grows up and begins to see the truth of her situation, is a universal experience, and I think, if kids stick with the serious tone, they'll see themselves in it.
Here is just a taste of the quality of the description. Verbena explains why she won't attend this year's Fourth of July barbecue:
Annie and I had always watched the fireworks together, lying on our backs on an old blue bedspread. We would each hold our breath in anticipation as the rockets shot up, then whoop and shriek as they exploded into patterns we gave names to, like waterfall, curly fry, and dandelion puff. I had never missed a Fourth of July celebration in my life, but I'd already made up my mind that I wasn't going that year. I knew the old blue bedspread would feel as big as the ocean without Annie lying beside me. (p. 57)
I can imagine not only the happiness of past holiday celebrations, but also Verbena's feelings of abandonment and loneliness now that those happy times are past.
I also absolutely loved the scenes where Verbena meets and befriends Pooch, the neighbor boy vacationing in a nearby house. They reminded me so much of Jennifer and Elizabeth's friendship in Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth, right down to the faux supernatural elements.
This is a quiet book, and it's realistic fiction, which isn't all that popular these days, but I really like it, and I hope I'll be able to recommend it to at least a few kids in my library.
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!
thisgrrlreads's review against another edition
3.0
Slow to start and it seemed loaded with issues in a way that Weeks's books usually aren't. Rather, her books are chock full of issues that are seamlessly integrated. Lots of exposition in this one.
anna_reads_too_much's review against another edition
2.0
When I started in on this book, I didn't realize that it was a middle grade book. Some middle grade books I can read, and I'm fine with. Others, I just can't read for some reason. This one was one of those that I could read, but this was just very... weird. I didn't really see what the purpose of the book was.
When the book is first starting out, it's very boring. You're basically just getting background on Verbie's life. There's nothing that's really interesting, and there's nothing there that would really make you want to keep reading, either.
Then the big secret is revealed right in the middle. Once it's revealed, it doesn't seem that bad. It's just like... "Okay. So what?" kind of a Big Secret. Then the book kind of just spirals downward from that point. After that is revealed, there's somewhat of a plot, but to me it just seemed pointless.
The book's one main feature was the town and people that Weeks created. They're very original and that was my favorite aspect of this book.
Overall, this wasn't the greatest. I would recommend you getting this book from the library when it comes out instead of buying it if you still want to read it. :]
When the book is first starting out, it's very boring. You're basically just getting background on Verbie's life. There's nothing that's really interesting, and there's nothing there that would really make you want to keep reading, either.
Then the big secret is revealed right in the middle. Once it's revealed, it doesn't seem that bad. It's just like... "Okay. So what?" kind of a Big Secret. Then the book kind of just spirals downward from that point. After that is revealed, there's somewhat of a plot, but to me it just seemed pointless.
The book's one main feature was the town and people that Weeks created. They're very original and that was my favorite aspect of this book.
Overall, this wasn't the greatest. I would recommend you getting this book from the library when it comes out instead of buying it if you still want to read it. :]
plexippa's review against another edition
3.0
Verbena Colter has not been looking forward to the summer after fifth-grade graduation. Over the last year, she has drifted apart from her best friend, become self-conscious about having "the heaviest mother and the oldest father" among her classmates, and learned about a huge family secret. Is it any wonder that she's been feeling "mixed up and mean"? Now, all she wants is to be anyone other than herself. When she takes an opportunity to do just that, it turns out to be a bit more than she bargained for.
I love the characters Weeks creates in this quiet novel. They feel like real people, with good points and bad, just trying to get along in the world. Verbena is at that age when the world suddenly looks a lot more complicated than it ever has, and her doubts and confusion ring true. She's figuring out who she is and how to be herself. While she works through her own turmoil, the reader remains pretty sure that things will ultimately work out. Recommend to older elementary students who enjoyed THE HIGHER POWER OF LUCKY.
I love the characters Weeks creates in this quiet novel. They feel like real people, with good points and bad, just trying to get along in the world. Verbena is at that age when the world suddenly looks a lot more complicated than it ever has, and her doubts and confusion ring true. She's figuring out who she is and how to be herself. While she works through her own turmoil, the reader remains pretty sure that things will ultimately work out. Recommend to older elementary students who enjoyed THE HIGHER POWER OF LUCKY.
ejderwood's review
3.0
too much internal suffering for one small girl without consequences for the things that were genuinely her fault or anyone actually trying to intervene. I remember liking this a lot more the last time I read it.
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