Art CorriveauRecensioni

The early 1900s. It is an age when nature is stepping aside for the steamroller that is science. A father with twins so identical even he can't tell them apart shows up in eight-year-old Lily's Vermont yard, looking for carpentry work. Unabashed and unconventional, Lily takes to the boys and they can't help falling in love with her as only little boys can when a girl can climb a tree faster or shows no fear diving into a pond from a great height.
Fast forward ten years and one of the twins, Oren, comes calling. He has never forgotten Lily. Eighteen years old, Lily now works as a librarian in the same town she never left. Did she stay where she was just so Oren or Ian could find her? Oren came back first. They marry, build a house and settle into the community as husband and wife. Soon after brother Ian arrives in town after surviving the horrors of the First Great War. He is a shell-shocked sleepwalking mess and Lily feels the old pull towards him; with Oren's blessing she welcomes Ian into their home. The three set up house as if time has stood still and they are once again children, locked in the play of deep friendship. Only now with adult alcohol to go with the games and music and loud laughter. It isn't long before their unconventional arrangement becomes the talk of the town.
More than a story about conformity and appearances, Housewrights is a lesson in identity and acceptance. It is about changing with the times and making peace with the past.½

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4.5. I really enjoyed this book. I liked his writing style a lot :-)

Recommended Ages: Gr. 6-8

Plot Summary: Nicky isn't happy that his mom made him move to Charlestown. He's even more annoyed that she brought home Reggie from the pound. He's expecting her to take care of Reggie, but when she doesn't take him out or buy him food, Nicky starts to do that, just until she can do it herself. On one of their walks, Reggie, a former-seeing eye dog, leads Nicky to all of his old favorite places to go. Nicky meets some guys at the park who know Reggie, and they guys ask how Alf is doing. Nicky lies and says that he and his mom are staying with Alf while he recovers from a broken ankle. Nicky tells the same story to Mrs. Strazzulo, who offers Nicky bones and meat, when Reggie leads Nicky to his old neighborhood. Nicky becomes attached to Reggie and wants to solve the mystery of why Reggie flinches when someone raises a hand and why Reggie was at the pound instead of with Alf. He continues to lie and pretend he is Alf's grandson, but how long until everyone figures out the truth? And why is Nicky's mom trying to keep his dad away from him? Why does he only call her at work?

Setting: Charlestown (a little rougher - Townies are the tough white kids, popular kids are bullies), suburb/neighborhood of Boston, from Littleton (nice houses with yards, popular kids had money)

Characters:
Nicky Flynn - likes to solve mysteries, likes Dr. Ice from a comic, always thinking about what to pack, including a swiss army knife and cards
Mom - works for Ambulance Chasers, frequently drinking wine, doesn't make enough money for a better place and is worried about getting her security deposit back but Reggie pees and Nicky gets spaghetti on the rug right away
Reggie - German Shepard, has a bad hip, is very protective, flinches when someone raises a hand at someone he likes, very smart, can lead Nicky around the city no problem
Marky - Nicky's best friend from Littleton
Rita de la Cruz - first kid to introduce herself to Nicky, very forward, real Spanish accent, saves Nicky from some bullies, a little bit of a loner, calls Nicky "brownie" for being so good at school
Alf Santorello - old, cranky blind man who was the previous owner of Reggie, keeps his house a mess, moves, house is for sale
Sal, Mickey, and Floyd - old guys, friends with Sal from the Veterans
Timmy Burns - bullied Nicky at school, laughs at Nicky when Nicky drops and spills a huge bag of dog food, he and his dad pick up Nicky when he's running away and he is nice, open, and helps Nicky
Mrs. Strazzulo - runs a butcher shop in Alf's neighborhood
Lori - girl who walks into dad's place with groceries, a real babe according to Nicky, knows about Nicky and seems genuinely happy to meet him, dad's new secretary
Jenny - a gardener living in Alf's neighborhood, loves dogs but is afraid to pet Reggie because Alf told her not to
Dad - has a temper, works crazy long hours, got mad at his wife for spending so much money on silly things and the big last fight was about a $12 jar of mustard

Recurring Themes: divorce, new school, friendship, family, dogs, blindness, mystery, Freedom Trail

Controversial Issues:
Mom drinks wine frequently but at the end of the book decides she needs to stop
pg 46 "my crappy middle school"
pg 84 "there'll be hell to pay"
pg 110 "big-ass bag of dog food....got a big-ass dog"
pg 119 "please lock that damn dog in the kitchen"
pg 123 "damn dog is driving a wedge between us"
pg 135 crap...double-crap
pg 145 "what the hell could I have been thinking?"
pg 198 "big-ass SUV"
pg 219 "Oh crap! Crap, crap, crap!"
pg 224 "go to hell"
pg 226 "work my ass off"

Personal Thoughts: Eh, it was ok. I think the lie went on for way too long. How did none of those people call Alf is they were all friends with him? I guess I didn't get wrapped up in Nicky's character or problem. It was obvious his dad didn't want to talk to him and his mom was trying to protect him by not telling him that. Why did Nicky's mom get Reggie if she didn't plan to keep him and only bought one can of dog food at a time? And especially if they have no money? Was she that much of an alcoholic?

Genre: realistic fiction

Pacing: medium, not very suspenseful but there is some action
Characters: decently developed
Frame:
Storyline:

Activity:

It's 2009 and Tony DiMarco has moved into a new home, a house at 13 Hangman Court, that is literally falling apart from age. He is 13 and he lives in the attic. It seems that he shares the attic with other 13 year olds - all alive, but living in their own time in history. Together they solve a mystery, find a treasure and catch a murderer.

Art Corriveau has constructed a marvelous tale in this junior fiction book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. And I learned a bit of history at the same time...I had never heard of The 1919 Great Molasses Flood in Boston and was amazed to find that it was a real event. The ballplayer Ted Williams plays a part in the book, as does John F. "Honey" Fitzgerald (JFK's grandfather), Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Paul Revere. A nice addition at the end is a summary of things in the book that actually happened.

The fabric of history is carefully woven into the story, each of the boys providing his part, like pieces of a puzzle, so that at the end, just in the nick of time....

I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

13 Hangmen kept me up late at night reading about Tony and his four new friends, all working to solve the mystery of 13 Hangmen's Court. Tony, a mystery lover, explores the house and town in search of clues. He meets Sarah Pickles working at Ye Olde Curiosity Shop in town; she's around his age and proves to be a helpful ally. Tony struggles with his suspicious neighbor, Mr. Hagmann, as well as with his own weight and confidence. With the help of his friends, he solves the mystery and proves to be more of a leader than he ever thought he could be.

I loved the idea that six teenagers from different periods in history could communicate with each other across time. The explanation behind this was very interesting, but very intricate and very scientific as well. I wondered as I read if perhaps it might be a little over some middle grade readers’ heads. I think it would be perfect for readers with a strong interest and knowledge base in math or physics, or Native American spiritualism. But otherwise, it may be a lot to take in and pretty hard to comprehend. It was for me, anyway.

Tony made quite a few big steps over the course of the book. The struggle with his weight is something readers could easily relate to, especially with the pressure from his family. Luckily, he has the support of new friends and the dedication to follow the new ways of eating and exercising that he learns. He comes across as a little unsure of himself at the beginning of the book, but as he makes friends and follows clues, his confidence grows. By the time the mystery of 13 Hangmen's Court is solved, Tony is finally able to recognize his own ability to be a strong, loyal leader.

Corriveau's writing had a quirk to it when he needed to insert a backstory that I found a little distracting. In the midst of a pretty solid narrative style with good dialogue and nice descriptions, Corriveau would introduce a backstory with a sentence to the effect of "Here's what happened: ... " What followed read more like his own notes for what he would eventually flesh out into a finished version; it was written with a matter-of-fact tone and simple, sometimes choppy sentences, a distinct contrast from the rest of his writing.

Even though there were a few aspects of 13 Hangmen that I didn't love, I enjoyed unraveling the mystery with Tony and the others. I can definitely see this being a favorite book for lots of middle grade readers, especially mystery lovers and history lovers. It's one of those books that could be read again and again; I'd like to read it again myself to see what clues I missed or misinterpreted the first time around.

Full review originally posted on my blog, PidginPea's Book Nook.

Great Fun, Interesting Premise

In 13 Hangman, Tony is approaching his thirteenth birthday when his parents receive the news that Tony inherited his uncle's house in Boston. Though Zio Anthony visited the family at Thanksgiving, they have never been close, but the will stipulates that the family must to move to Boston and Tony has to live in the attic bedroom. Since Tonys twin brother drive him crazy, he is thrilled with the promise of his own room. However, when they arrive, immidiately problems pop up beginning with the next-door neighbor accusing Tony's dad, Michael, of murdering Zio Anthony. When long dead thirteen year olds begin showing up in Tony's bedroom, it only takes him a little while to to begin putting the mystery together, and save his family.

This book is well thought out, amazingly linked to history, and just great fun to read. The main character is a chunky nerd constantly on the receiving end of his brothers' ridicule. Like many kids today, he lives more in the virtual word, than the real world, but the move pushes him to make decisions and choices that he wouldn't have otherwise made, giving him power that all preteens yearn for and can relate to. The connections to history add depth for the history buff and might hook some others. This is an excellent addition to the middle school crowd that doesn't include vampires or witches. It could even be used as part of a lesson to research the fiction/non-fiction elements of the story.

Received Galley from NetGalley.com

cute middle grade book, more depth than it seems at first. also I now want a dog.

The arrival of a housewright and his twin boys sets into motion events which will change Lily's life as an adult. Her love for the twins, and theirs for her, shocks their small town and causes a rift between brothers and husband and wife. Through heartbreak and tragedy, Lily discovers a strength all her own.

Lovely imagery, lovely writing - wonderful and sad.

**(2nd summary)

The arrival of a housewright and his twin boys is the beginning of a story that will have implications far into Lily’s future. The young girl who played with the twins has become the town’s librarian when one of the twins, Oren, returns to ask her to marry him. When his twin returns from the war (WWI), the three have a close relationship, until they dance an impetuous dance in public, and start tongues wagging… Beautifully written, I loved the characters, and was riveted to what would happen with the relationships.

As a New Englander, I enjoyed this depiction of rural Vermont life in the 1920s. The characters were interestingly modern but placed in a historical small-town setting. It's gentle prose mixed with a few unique perspectives on housebuilding, the nature of conflicting desires, and the tension between the public and private made this book a relaxing and enjoyable read.½

Woman living in small town befriends set of boy twins who, along with their dad, are traveling house builders. Years later she hooks up with one of the twins and they fall in love. Then the other twin returns and the three of them become entwined. The woman's girlfriend is brought in mainly to quell gossip mongers, and trouble erupts.½

Housewrights was a very enjoyable slice-of-life book. I descend from carpenters who lived in small-town America, so the general story felt very personal to me. The specific story of what happens to the characters was less interesting. I saw nothing inspired in the story of the characters. Still, it was an enjoyable, quick read.½

Lily, Oren and Ian. Fantastic!