The moral for the book and for the reader is that when you pretend to be something that you are not, good things MAY happen, but eventually the lies catch up to you in the end and the people you care about most will get hurt. The author uses this story to show the reader that sometimes it's easier just to be yourself.

Thanks to the fact that his Dad has never "just been himself" San Lee has had to move from place to place and been in tons of new schools. Thanks to this fact he has mastered the art of "faking it". When his life starts to really spin out of control, a series of random events in his new school turn him into the next "Zen Master" of random town Pennsylvania. Unfortunately the only thing he shares with Buddhism is his adoption from China 14 years ago.

While there is a great moral lesson taught in the book and Sonnenblick gives another funny and touching read, I think it is important for teachers and parents to be aware that the book delves quite a bit into the teachings and history of Buddhism. This is not to say as a negative reason, but for parents of other religions, it would be important to know so they could then discuss the differences of their beliefs and Buddhism with their children. For teachers it is always important to be aware of what is on your shelf for when parents ask or to have justification for / proof of multi-cultural reading material in your room. (Whichever you think you need.) I teach 6th grade World Cultures and have many Christian and Jewish themed character books. I have also found Muslim and Middle Eastern Themed Books. This is one of the first interesting and enjoyable books with Buddhist teachings in it.

I personally did not care a few sentences toward the beginning of the book. There were a few lines by San that implied that anyone who was against evolution was an extremist. (i.e. "The kids in this town were way more advanced than our suburb in Houston where some extremist preacher had declared our suburb an evolution-free zone.) To me, that seemed to totally contradict the entire purpose of the book, which was be yourself and stick true to your beliefs. (Sure you may disagree with that person's beliefs, but was this book really the necessary place to throw in that deprecating remark?)

My only other "nitpicky" problem (and that's me being hyper-analytical):

I always get frustrated when I find a situation or statement that wouldn't actually be true in the "real" world, even if it was really necessary for the story. San supposedly moves to Pennsylvania in 8th grade where he finds himself studying Eastern Religions. He finds this amusing because he had been studying American History in 8th grade in Houston and is upset he might not find out how that Revolution thing turned out. (This part is actually true as students in Texas take American History in 8th grade - I've taught it.) However, part of his situation arises because he had just finished studying Eastern Religions in 7th grade. Unfortunately all 7th graders in Texas take Texas History. (Taught that too.) They take World Cultures in 6th grade. That's when he would have done his study of Buddhism. (Teach that now!) Like I said, it's nitpicky, but still one of those little facts that drive me crazy! That order of curriculum is nothing new. It's been this way for at least 20 years - or at least since the late 80's when I was in junior high and in the end it doesn’t really matter. But like I said, it’s one of those things that drives me crazy! :)

A sweet book set in cute Mayberry-ish 1950 West Virginia town. Ruby June showed up on the doorsteps of the quirky town 12 years ago and was adopted by all. As she grows and the town adopts yet another family there is a startling discovering into who she really is. In the back of her mind, Ruby June thought she always wanted to know the answer to that question. But when the opportunity arrises, she finds that she isn't sure she likes the answer. The story tells of how the truth of who you are is not always as clear cut as "who are your parents" and "where do you come from". As an adopted child myself, I totally related with Ruby's ultimate search for identification told in such a sweet and subtle way of a 12 year old girl. I also ultimately agreed with her conclusion - it's not completely heredity or environment that makes you who you are, but two different kinds of love. The book is not as deeply written as I portrayed it. The ending of the book where Ruby's "adopted" mother trys to explain how 2 year old Ruby found her way 60 miles from Yonder Mountain to Way Down Deep is really a bit of stretch. It's truthfully a bit kooky and not anywhere near as sentimental and moving as the reaction the townsfolk have in the book. In fact, I was even left going, "huh?" It's not a Newberry award winner or book that is going to make kids come back to it again and again. But it is a sweet novel that middle school and upper elementary kids will find enjoyable.

Love it. Awesome book for history teachers to use. Has great pull out sections, pictures, and copies of primary sources to use as references all in bright color and vivid detail. Takes reader through 200 years of American History using recreations of Postcards from Mount Rushmore to Ticket Stubs to Woodstock. A Copy of the Declaraction of Independence is included. I loved the small little fun facts included with every story. My favorite is the one over the famous picture of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In the original the aritist showed Jefferson standing on Adam's foot to portray the animosity between the two in their early political career. When printing the 2 dollar bill, the engraver assumed it was a mistake and "corrected" the error for the plates.

Really fun book. Newberry Honor Book. Even for those kids who have never experienced the thought that their teacher MUST hate them, kids can definitely relate to the feeling that nothing can go right and SOMEONE must be out to get them. I laughed several times at the situations Holling found himself in and even more at his reaction to them. At the same time Gary Scmidt uses the backdrop of 1967 to integrate some important social themes as well.

As a teacher I found Mrs. Baker both amusing and frustrating in the beginning. She's one of those teachers who seems to be the type who give us a bad name. She never decorates for holidays, she never smiles, she is definitely of the authoritarian type. On Wednesdays half the students leave early for Hebrew lessons and the other half leave early for Cathechism lessons. As the lone Presbyterian in the class, Holling Hoodhood doesn't leave for anything! So instead of a break, Mrs. Baker is stuck with just one kid. Instead of using this time to catch him up on the math she apparently thinks he needs, she sends him out to clean erasers. (There's no use teaching you something new, if you're just going to have to hear it all again!) Evenutally they step into reading Shakespeare and Holling takes to it. He especially likes the curses - Toads, Beetles, Bats. Pied Ninnies.

The chapters take the reader through each month of what Holling considers his most torturous school year to date. And he comes to discover that everything is not always what it seems. Embarassing moments can sometimes only get more embarsassing. People can sometimes suprise you and sometimes, you just mind find that what seems to be the worst year of your life, just might play the most pivotal in defining who you really are.

Wasn't the best mystery book I've ever read. I prefer Joan Lowery Nixon better. It had moments of interest in finding the connection that explains the reasons for Rose wanting to come back and "stick it" to her old town. The concept shows a lot of promise and it's an okay book, but there are better out there.

Okay, I got this book in HARDBACK for $1 at half-price books and I can't believe my luck at getting such a good deal. This book is incredible. It portrays the feelings of a girl dealing with having to leave an abusive and alcoholic father so well. I know not every kid will have ever been in this situation or know some one in this situation (let's hope) but I feel like it really does do a good job of expressing the emotions of what it might feel like to have to leave with your mom and little sister in the middle of the night because the dad that you really do love deep down keeps beating up your mom. Fritz does a great job of not only helping the reader understand in the end why Sarah Jane so badly wants to go back to her Daddy, but also why her mother stayed so long in the first place. The book opens each chapter with one of Sarah Janes "prayers" to God as she uses this to really share how she is feeling when she doesn't think she can tell any one else what is going on with her. At the same time as she is dealing with her world falling apart, at her new school she is furiously trying to hide the fact that she lives at a "motel" and has no real home. A strange place to be when you are at that awkward middle school age. I highly recommend this book for kids.