In 2011 THE SECRET LIFE OF MRS. FINKLEMAN by Ben Winters won Best Juvenile Novel
Best Juvenile Nominees, 2011. Ben Winters is second from left.
(from Publishers Weekly)
The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman
Ben H. Winters, Harper,
Winters builds a fast-paced, funny, and highly original story on
the premise that a drab music teacher—"so totally unremarkable as to be
essentially invisible"— might have a secret past as a famous punk rock
star. The main character, seventh-grader Bethesda Fielding, sets the
plot in motion when she supposedly uncovers Ms. Finkleman's secret, but
numerous other characters are fleshed out nearly as strongly. Winters
moves with facility from one point of view to another, providing just
enough background and detail on each to keep readers informed and
engaged. When Ms. Finkleman, her former life apparently revealed, is
instructed to prepare a rock-and-roll concert for a music competition,
instead of the 16th-century English ballads she favors, the story takes
some unusual twists, a few of which are kept from readers, adding more
suspense. Winters (Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters) keeps tight
control of the inventive material, ensuring that the unpredictable
developments hit with a zing; his confident handling of an unusual
mélange of elements will entertain readers with a wide range of tastes.
Ages 8–12. (Oct.)
No comments:
Post a Comment