United Tates Of America #01 - Hardcover

Danziger, Paula

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0590692216 ISBN 13: 9780590692212

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2002

Synopsis

Best-selling children's book author Paula Danziger brings us the perfect novel for middle grade readers--a touching story incorporating the themes of friendship,loss, love and perseverance.

Skate Tate has just started middle school and everything's changing. Her friends and her school are different. Only her close-knit family seems the same. Great-Uncle Mort (GUM for short) is their center. GUM supports Skate's dream of becoming an artist, encourages her to embrace new experiences and occupies many pages in her precious scrapbooks. When GUM dies unexpectedly, Skate must deal with a very painful change. GUM leaves the Tates his fortune on one condition--that they use it to travel and document their trips.

About this title

Review:

Sarah Kate Tate, otherwise known as Skate Tate, has mixed feelings about middle school. Her best friend, Susie, seems to be undergoing a sea change, causing her to hang around with a girl named Kiki ("I think that Kiki is a silly name. It sounds like a choking sound, Kiki."), dye her hair blue, and lose interest in The Happy Scrappys, the scrapbook-making club they've been in since third grade. Fortunately, Skate's favorite person in the world, GUM (Great Uncle Mort), is always helping her remember not to be afraid of what's "around the corner." But when tragedy strikes, how can Skate find the courage to go on, let alone see what's around the corner?

Paula Danziger (Snail Mail No More, The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, the Amber Brown series, etc.) has her finger directly on the pulse of sixth-grade life in this authentic novel about the very normal, bubbly Skate. Her scrapbook insert could be out of any middle-school girl's world, with happy faces, goofy photos, silly captions, and mementos from vacation spots. Readers will probably want to go out and start "cropping" their own scrapbook right away! (Ages 9 to 12) --Emilie Coulter

From the Publisher:

United Tates of America is a multi-voiced recording narrated by Carmen Viviano-Crafts and the talented Full Cast Audio family of actors. Author Paula Danziger makes her acting debut in this production as sixth-grade teacher Mrs. Lipschitz. Seventeen-year-old Carmen Viviano-Crafts' brilliant portrayal of a young girl dealing with the family, friends, school and the loss of a favorite uncle will make you laugh and cry. Reminiscent of classic radio drama, this wonderful audiobook is even better because it contains the full, unabridged text. Special Feature: An exclusive interview with author Paula Danziger who talks about what inspired her to write this story.

About this edition

• Publisher: Scholastic Press
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0590692216
• ISBN 13: 9780590692212
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 144