Book
The lucky ones
Record details
- ISBN: 9780061565861 (trade bdg.)
- ISBN: 9780061565878 (lib. bdg.)
-
Physical Description:
print
278 p. ; 20 cm. - Publisher: New York : Greenwillow Books, c2008.
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Family life -- New York (State) -- Fiction Brothers and sisters -- Fiction Conduct of life -- Fiction Friendship -- Fiction New York (State) -- Fiction |
Available copies
- 1 of 1 copy available at Sitka.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 0 total copies.
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitimat Public Library | J Gre (Text) | 32665001268269 | Juvenile Fiction | Volume hold | Available | - |
- Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2008 October #1
With Cecile's parents at odds, the annual family summer vacation by the sea seems more important than ever this year. Yet with her 14-year-old sister Natalie distracted by thoughts of boys, their time together on Gull Island is distinctly less satisfying. Though just two years younger, Cecile is fundamentally different from her sister and finds herself bemused by Natalie's shifting interests and hurt by her occasional cruelty. After a rocky summer of observations and experiences, Cecile, poised on the verge of adolescence and reluctant to leave her childhood behind, finds a way to take a small step forward without compromising her strong sense of self. Greene's prose can be very fine, notably in the use of metaphorsâshe describes Natalie as "all pins and needles; Cecile was her favorite pincushion"âbut something about the writing suggests an adult audience rather than a younger one. Still, kids will recognize aspects of themselves in the beautifully nuanced story of Cecile. Copyright 2008 Booklist Reviews. - Horn Book Guide Reviews : Horn Book Guide Reviews 2009 Spring
Twelve-year-old Cecile loves summer vacations at her grandfather's island home. But this year, with her parents fighting, her older brother working in Canada, and her big sister obsessed with sunbathing and boys, Cecile feels alone, pulled between the safety of childhood and the allure of adolescence. Cecile's changing relationships and evolving sense of self guide this quiet story. Copyright 2008 Horn Book Guide Reviews. - Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2008 August #1
The prevailing sensibility in this relic of a novel hearkens back to a simpler time, perhaps mid-20th century, when young girls knew the difference between a magnum of champagne and a regular old bottle, Mom wore pearls, everyone on the island went to the club and Grandfather's kindly African-American cook was named Sheba. Cecile, age 12, is critical of older sister Natalie, who at 14 and with Mom's encouragement is having her first experience in the back seat of a car. Cecile thinks it is all too absurd, until the end when she rises to her sister's defense, agreeing that it is terribly unfair for girls but not boys to be judged "fast." In the end, Cecile agrees to take tennis lessons but, ever the rebel, draws the line at golf. Cecile's proto-feminist coming-of-age takes place against a backdrop almost entirely alien to most 21st-century readers and with nary a hint of irony to balance sentences such as, "Maybe that was what made an expensive dress worth paying for: knowing you looked great in it made you feel relaxed." (Historical fiction. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus 2008 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved. - Publishers Weekly Reviews : PW Reviews 2008 August #4
Set at a luxurious summer house off Long Island Sound, Greene's well-observed novel is part period piece, part coming-of-age story. The "lucky ones" are the protagonist, 12-year-old Cecile, and her siblings, who take their privileged lives for granted. But this summer Cecile begins to be less certain of herself and her family. Cecile recoils when her older sister kisses a boy the sister doesn't particularly like ("What's the big deal?" Natalie responds. "It's only practice"). She doesn't understand why her mother flirts with her childhood buddy, King, even when Natalie explains she's "giving Dad the business" for sending their older brother off to a summer job in Canada. But eventually Cecile, too, interacts with boys and buys her first party dress (and bra), and starts considering what kind of woman she will be. Despite details that place the story in the past (the sisters borrow their mother's rouge), the story is not grounded in a clear time period. While older readers will be compelled by Cecile's strong voice, the emphasis on mood may lose the target audience. Ages 10â14. (Sept.)
[Page 75]. Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information. - School Library Journal Reviews : SLJ Reviews 2008 November
Gr 5â8âThis thoughtful coming-of-age novel, set sometime in the past in a world of privilege, tells the story of a pivotal time in the life of 12-year-old Cecile. Her family is once again spending the summer on tiny Gull Island at her grandfather's manor-like residence, and she's looking forward to swimming and soaking up the rays with her older sister. Unfortunately, Natalie, 14, has other plans that mostly involve locking lips with William, an "Interloper" who is vacationing on the island with his family. Despite Cecile's continued protests that she will never become obsessed with boys and appearances like Natalie, she finds herself facing changes as she buys her first bra, attends a dance at the club, and longs to catch the attention of a particular young man. Cecile is a likable and sympathetic individual who wants things to go back to the way they were last year, before her parents were fighting and puberty took her sister away. Readers on the verge of crossing the line between childhood and adolescence will relate to her internal struggles. In the end, Cecile realizes that while she cannot stop herself from growing up, she can do so at her own pace and in her own way, not necessarily following in Natalie's footsteps. The well-written book introduces a memorable main character.âRobyn Zaneski, New York Public Library
[Page 122]. Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.
