[mrh Posts: 4,758 Status: Offline www.marciahoehne.com WWW]

but will wonder what is there to forgive on page 2, because I don't see it 

Much will depend on what else you've read by him. 

[217mom Posts: 1,289 Status: Offline "Keep the child in view"- Charles Dickens WWW]

It occurs to me that our very own mrh is the best most gifted promoter. Not only did her rec (with the enigmatic reference to page two) made me go to read the first few pages, get hooked, and order the book,    but now I am thinking of reading Mr. Schmidt's other work.
Marcia is a great person to have on one's side! 

[mrh Posts: 4,758 Status: Offline www.marciahoehne.com WWW]

now I am thinking of reading Mr. Schmidt's other work.

Do it! I'd be a fan anyway, but at least a little of my fandom stems from the fact that I discovered him as a reader decades ago before he was a name.

But I would recommend a LONG span between THE WEDNESDAY WARS and JUST LIKE THAT (which could have used a different title and cover, imo), and that is all I'm going to say. 

[Pons Posts: 2,465 Status: Offline]

I agree about the cover. If I remember correctly the first printing of  Wednesday Wars had one of the worst covers ever, but I do love his writing. I haven't read Just Like That, but I'm on my way to order it from the library. The Look Inside hooked me, too.

[Barbara Etlin Posts: 2,257 Status: Offline WWW]

With all the awards Gary Schmidt has won, you'd think his publishers would put more effort into ensuring his books had great covers. Luckily I rarely judge a book by its cover...

[Pons Posts: 2,465 Status: Offline]

With all the awards Gary Schmidt has won, you'd think his publishers would put more effort into ensuring his books had great covers. Luckily I rarely judge a book by its cover...

 

[Barbara Etlin Posts: 2,257 Status: Offline WWW]

mrh:

I'm now finishing JUST LIKE THAT by Gary D. Schmidt, and all I can say is Newbery Newbery Newbery. (Actually, most books I like in this same way take Newbery Honors, but that counts.)

If you can forgive him for what he does on p. 2, the book is well worth the ride. Wonderful characters, voice like no other, harrowing and beautiful scenes, suspense, laugh-out-loud lines, and for Boomers, a good dose of nostalgia since it's set in 1968. As someone who returns probably around 70% of what I check out from the library either unread or mostly skimmed, I can't recommend this one enough.

***
I loved JUST LIKE THAT! I did forgive Schmidt for his page 2 incident...eventually.      Hope he does win a Newbery for this gem.

[dewsanddamps Posts: 2,302 Status: Offline]

I recently read The Wolf Hour by Sara Lewis Holmes and really enjoyed it. I don't usually like fairy tale retellings but this was less a retelling than an upending.

[sophielynette Posts: 72 Status: Offline You're never too old for penguins! WWW]

I read it a few years ago, but  A SNICKER OF MAGIC by Natalie Lloyd is the first book to pop into my head as something I enjoyed reading.