Synopsis
One million American children become part of blended family every year. What happens to stepsiblings when the oldest child suddenly becomes the middle child, and the youngest even younger? Out of Order delivers four electric points of view from stepsiblings, ages nine to fifteen, in a super-unsettled, scrambled-up family. An unforgettable Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament, plus 120 hazardous bug snacks, equals humor, insight, and serious indigestion. Betty Hicks gives us her most entertaining and complex novel yet.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
Betty Hicks is the author of I Smell Like Ham, Animal House and Iz, and Busted! "Everything about this novel was out of order," Betty Hicks says. "The family itself, their problems, their fun. I even found myself writing it out of order. It was wild. The only thing never in doubt was the title!" She lives in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Reviews
Grade 4-6–Hicks provides readers with a fresh look at blended families, offering much food for thought and several multilayered characters. Chapters alternate among each distinct voice and point of view, much like in Wendelin Van Draanen's Flipped (Knopf, 2001) and Carl Hiassen's Hoot (HarperCollins, 2002).The novel begins and ends with sixth-grader Lily, who is not only jealous of her perfect new stepsister, V, but feels ill-treated and verbally abused by her as well. Prior to the remarriage, she was the oldest, somewhat bossy, and always the idea person. While Lily can't think of an idea for a science project, V wants to grow tomatoes to sell in order to buy soccer balls to send to kids in Iraq. Existential Eric reads Hemingway, lives like a Spartan, and plays Rock-Paper-Scissors with Parker, the youngest. Plots interlace with characters as their goals and problems blend. False accusations, creative moneymaking schemes, edible cicadas, and Old Man of the Sea references all make this a worthwhile read. The tidy conclusion not only gives Lily the science-fair project she needs, but handily explains the title as well: she does research on birth order and what can happen when it becomes rearranged. A captivating and timely novel.–Debbie Whitbeck, West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland, MI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Gr. 4-7. Before her mom remarried, Lily was the eldest; now she has dropped to second from the bottom. Her 13-year-old stepsister, V, is brilliant, popular, and seriously beautiful, but "lately she's been toxic waste." That, however, is only Lily's viewpoint. Hicks tells her uproarious story in fast, alternating narratives from the four stepsiblings, who suddenly find themselves together in a blended family. Along with all the jealousy and hurt, they still have fun, as when they hold a rock-paper-scissors competition for a neighborhood fund-raiser. There's also a little puzzle. Who has destroyed the tomatoes that V has been growing to raise money to send soccer balls to kids in Iraq? Without heavy message, the switching viewpoints make readers privy to the family secrets and the lies, as the combination of farce and tenderness in daily life brings home both the struggle and the fun. A great choice for readers' theater. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Other Popular Editions of the Same Title
Search results for Out of Order
Stock Image
Out of Order
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Very Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with possible writing/highlighting. Binding strong with minor wear. Dust jackets/supplements may not be included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 52474331-6
Stock Image
Out of Order
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G1596430613I3N10
Seller Image
Out of Order
Seller: Goodwill of Silicon Valley, SAN JOSE, CA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: good. Supports Goodwill of Silicon Valley job training programs. The cover and pages are in Good condition! Any other included accessories are also in Good condition showing use. Use can include some highlighting and writing, page and cover creases as well as other types visible wear. Seller Inventory # GWSVV.1596430613.G