Virginia Euwer WolffRecensioni

I loved revisiting LaVaughn, a couple years more mature with a long way left to go. The end of Make Lemonade gave me goosebumps; the end of True Believer leaves me hopeful.

Many awards. Make Lemonade trilogy.

This book is the third in the trilogy that began with Make Lemonade and True Believer. It took years (about 7 or something) between True Believer and This Full House, and there was a lot about the plot and characters that I didn't remember, but after reading a few pages of This Full House I was completely immersed in that world again. It's a realistic story set in a poor urban community about teenagers trying to succeed in various ways despite the many hardships that seem to be burying them. The writing is pretty simple but the characters are not. The story is both tragic and hopeful and full of complicated relationships. I'll admit that I cried, and I'm not usually very sappy. I love how perspectives from different generations are portrayed so beautifully, and the focus on the struggles that females face in academics, the medical world, and as lovers and mothers was really moving. I would highly recommend this whole series to everybody.

This author has a knack for using spare language to create really full characters. I don't really know how she does it. The people in this story are alive - the young, uneducated mother Jolly, her two little kids, and the fourteen year old babysitter LaVaughn are completely real and complicated people. I find myself caring so much about what happens to them that I have to keep thinking about them and trying to figure them out.

A little confusing with the changing narrative but overall a powerful and complex piece of historical fiction.

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ALA BBYA. RGG: Written in free verse, a story about a teenage girl's connection to an unwed mother and her two young children. Really a story about overcoming adversity.

Bit flabbergasted why a novella of approx. 30k words needs 66 chapters plus a prologue but oh well.

It was an okay story, if a bit oddly structured. End is dissatisfying. The characters are realistic. The story is well thought out. Was just okay for me to read though.

ALA BBYA. RGG: Written in free verse, a story about a teenage girl's connection to an unwed mother and her two young children. Really a story about overcoming adversity.

This is a readable, teachable, discussable book about poverty and social justice and ethics. - See more at: http://www.parenthetical.net/2015/02/03/review-make-lemonade-by-virginia-euwer-w...

I read this book when I was a teenager, and I have loved it since! The language used evokes a realistic aspect to the story. The dialogue adds so much! The plot really keeps readers on their toes and the struggles in the story gets them truly invested. The main character is quirky and kind, so personally, I relate to her a lot. Her love for the children in the story shows readers how personal sacrifices and selflessness can help others rise above their own cirumstances and give people a sense of pride and fulfillment.

CATEGORY: REQUIRED

LaVaughn is getting out of the ghetto, even if it is her mother's last wish. Her mother has put all of her effort into making sure LaVaughn doesn't make any mistakes, whether it be in school or in her social life. So, when LaVaughn takes a babysitting job for a teenager with two kids living in a crappy apartment, her mother isn't too pleased. But LaVaughn sees that Jolly desperately needs her help. Jolly loses her job after being sexually assaulted by her boss and LaVaughn stops getting paid. But LaVaughn can't leave Jeremy, Jilly, and Jolly on their own. She helps everyday after school, even after the paychecks stop. Jolly doesn't know the simplest thing about taking care of a household and LaVaughn is just trying to help, much to the dismay of her mother. And LaVaughn does help immensely. Jolly goes back to school after saving Jilly from choking on something and eventually stops needing LaVaughn's help.

I enjoyed this book for a few reasons.
1. I thought it was really awesome of Virginia Euwer Wolff to portray Jolly in such a way that is realistic but also in a way that shows how strong she is.
2. I love that race is never mentioned in the characters. Rather than racially stereotyping, we are left to figure it out on our own.
3. Stylistically, Wolff does so many cool things with her verse.

ALA BBYA. RGG: Written in free verse, a story about a teenage girl's connection to an unwed mother and her two young children. Really a story about overcoming adversity.

What would it be like to be taken from your home and locked away during the second world war, simply because you are of Japanese decent? What would it be like to then return home after the war has ended?

This book focuses on the second question through the eyes of many middle school age girls with powerful and complex answers.

Lexile: 930

While preparing for a performance in a prestigious competition, a young violinist discovers more about herself, her heritage, and the power of music.

The story of LaVaughn and a young mother told through pages of free verse poetry. LaVaughn babysits for this young mother, but ends up learning and doing a lot more

Third in the trilogy, This Full House continues the story of LaVaughn, an inner city teen who is now 17 years old and beginning to think about the possibility of college. In this installment, the book explores ethics and choices, as well as motherhood and/or the absence of a mother.

All of the books in this series are written in verse, although as a reader of the audiobook version in this and the previous book, I really could not tell. I felt that book #3 was on par with the previous two -- presenting a good glimpse of some of the issues that an inner city teen might have to deal with. However, written for a tween audience, these were a much scaled-down version of what would likely be happening in reality. The language is very innocent, as are most of the characters. I could see these as being educational & appealing for ages 10-12, or possibly an older teen 20 years ago, but anyone older in this day and age might scoff at the seeming innocence of these novels.½

LaVaughn has high aspirations: she wants to go to college, something that people in her neighborhood rarely do. To make money for college, she takes a job babysitting Jeremy and Jilly, the two children of a girl only a few years older than LaVaughn herself. Can LaVaughn work and keep up with her studies, or will she get pulled into the drama of the struggling family she's working for?

This verse novel is a quick, thought-provoking read as LaVaughn searches for balance. I enjoyed it, but probably will not bother with the sequels.½

Wolff makes the characters seem so real- the reader can't help but cheer LaVaughn on and applaud her strong mother.

Narrated by Heather Alicia Sims. LaVaughn is set on going to college someday and escaping the kind of life Jolly leads, a single mom with two small children, unemployed and living in subpar public housing. But while babysitting for Jolly's kids, LaVaughn sees that striving for better can depend on the situation one is in. Sims' warm narration gives us a thoughtful LaVaughn.

Sequel to "Make Lemonade." "We will rise to the occasion, which is life." This is the mantra of La Vaughn's teacher in her grammar tutorial group. La Vaughn is facing many challenges as she works to rise to the occasion and someday escape the crime and depression of her low-income neighborhood. But when Jody, a former classmate, moves back to La VAughn's apartment building, more handsome than she remembers, the goal of college seems a lot more remote than going with Jody to a school dance and getting kissed.

Audio review: Narrated by Heather Alicia Sims. Ms Sims gives perfect voice to La Vaughn as a thoughtful, intelligent and determined teenaged girl striving to overcome setbacks and succeed in what she believes.

Narrated by Heather Alicia Simms. The prospect of LaVaughn reuniting her WIMS teacher Dr. Moore with friend Jolly and the process she goes through to assure their blood connection was intriguing but in the end I lost interest in the story. There seemed to be too much going on here: the WIMS program, Annie's pregnancy, LaVaughn's deception. And the screaming in the shower was too performance-art for me...weird!

I read the first book in this trilogy as a library school student in a young adult literature class. At first I couldn't place where I recognized the characters from but as I continued to read I remembered LeVann and eventually Jolly and her two children.

I really enjoyed this book. I felt so proud listening to Levonn better herself. She was so impressive dealing with all the things around her. Sometimes I felt like her mother was overly tough on her, but then other times I could see how easy it would be to slip and totally understood why she as so tough on Levonn.

I read the first book in this trilogy as a library school student in a young adult literature class. At first I couldn't place where I recognized the characters from but as I continued to read I remembered LeVann and eventually Jolly and her two children.

I really enjoyed this book. I felt so proud listening to Levonn better herself. She was so impressive dealing with all the things around her. Sometimes I felt like her mother was overly tough on her, but then other times I could see how easy it would be to slip and totally understood why she as so tough on Levonn.

I read the first book in this trilogy as a library school student in a young adult literature class. At first I couldn't place where I recognized the characters from but as I continued to read I remembered LeVann and eventually Jolly and her two children.

I really enjoyed this book. I felt so proud listening to Levonn better herself. She was so impressive dealing with all the things around her. Sometimes I felt like her mother was overly tough on her, but then other times I could see how easy it would be to slip and totally understood why she as so tough on Levonn.