One Of Those Hideous Books Where The Mother Dies

One Of Those Hideous Books Where The Mother Dies

By: Sonya Sones

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sones, Sonya. 2004. one of those hideous books where the mother dies. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 1416907882

PLOT SUMMARY

It is understandable that Ruby, the narrator of this story, would be sullen and depressed. After all, she has just lost her mother to cancer, she is being forced to leave her hometown, her best friend, and her boyfriend, and she is going to live with the absentee, movie-star father she has never met. This verse novel follows Ruby as she becomes acclimated to California and navigates the myriad of emotions she is feeling at any one time. Written in a fast paced and conversational tone, this will grab readers quickly and allow them to dive into Ruby’s troubled path.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

As a verse novel, many of the traditional poetry evaluation criteria (rhythm, rhyme) do not apply easily. However, as a stand-alone this is a fantastic example of poems that work to share a narrative. The author combines the free verse poetry of Ruby, along with emails to Ray, Lizzie, and her deceased mother to move the story along. The poems are mostly one to two pages in length and are written in the language that almost any 15 year old would use. A perfect example of this is when Ruby meets Eminem on the set of one of her father’s films. “Suddenly, Whip’s standing in front of me/introducing me to the real Slim Shady himself./He smiles, shakes my hand, and says, “’Sup?”/”S’all good,” I say,/acting way more cool than I’m actually feeling.” The poetry is written in such a fashion that it can take several poems to express what’s occurring in Ruby’s morning alone, or one poem can encompass the events of several days. The author has done a wonderful job of deciding what’s necessary to move the story along. Ruby’s emotions are front and center in each of the poems, and Sones’ choice of words gives the reader a clear glimpse of what’s going on in Ruby’s head and heart.

It is an interesting concept, using multiple short stretches of poetry to tell a narrative, but it is engaging for many reasons. Reluctant readers and members of the “generation that hates to wait for much of anything” will appreciate the format and how quickly the characters progress and develop. The author/poet touches on themes of stereotypes, betrayal, grief, and parent-child relationships in this verse novel, which is something that would be difficult to do in one stand-alone work of poetry.

If the main criteria of a successful verse novel is that it be built on poems that can be stand-alone works of poetry, then “One Of Those Hideous Books…” is a success. Sones has written a wonderful series of poems that can be appreciated separately but are even more successful as a unit in sharing the emotions of the journey that Ruby is on to the ultimate, expected happy ending.

REVIEW EXCERPTS/AWARDS

*Best Children's Books of the Year, 2004 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States
*Booklist Book Review Stars, May 1, 2004 ; United States
*School Library Journal Book Review Stars, August 2004 ; Cahners; United States
*Senior High Core Collection, Seventeenth Edition, 2007 ; The H. W. Wilson Co.; United States
*Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2005 Supplement, 2005 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
*YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2005 ; American Library Association; United States
*Young Adults' Choices, 2006 ; International Reading Association; United States

*Iowa Teen Award, 2007 Winner Iowa
*Isinglass Teen Read Award, 2006 Winner New Hampshire
*John and Patricia Beatty Award, 2005 Finalist United States
*Rhode Island Teen Book Award, 2006 Winner United States
*Society of School Librarians International Book Awards, 2004 Honor Book Language Arts-Grades 7-12 Novels United States
*Volunteer State Book Award, 2007 Winner Grades 7-12 Tennessee

Starred review in Booklist…” After the death of her mother, high-schooler Ruby is sent from Boston to L.A. to live with the father she has never met: "He's such a scumbag / that he divorced my mother/ before I was even born." The "scumbag" is Whip Logan, a famous movie actor, but Ruby is too angry to be impressed; at the airport she wonders whether to "ask him for his autograph, / or kick him in the balls." Sones' latest free-verse novel follows Ruby through her first few months in her new home, a mansion where her every desire is granted--except what she longs for most: her best friend, her boyfriend, and of course, her mother. Sones' novel is an unusual combination of over-the-top Hollywood fairy tale and sharp, honest story about overcoming grief. Teens may predict the novel's surprises long before Ruby discovers them, including a revelation about Whip's sexuality, and, as in every fairy tale, many things are too good to be true--especially Whip's eager devotion and celebrity. It's Ruby's first-person voice--acrimonious, raw, and very funny--that pulls everything together, whether she is writing e-mails to her deceased mother, attending Dream Analysis class at a private L.A. high school, or finally learning to accept her father and embrace a new life. A satisfying, moving novel that will be a winner for both eager and reluctant readers.”

Starred review in Library Media Connection…”Ruby Milliken's whole life has just changed. Her motherraised her alone, never telling her about her father. However, Ruby's aunt secretly took her to films to show her who her father is-Whip Logan, movie star. When Ruby's mother dies , Ruby is sent from the East coast to Beverly Hills to live with her father, leaving behind her aunt, best friend, and boyfriend. Grieving for her mother, lonely for her East Coast life, and angry that her father never was there, the only person Ruby connects with is Whip's assistant/trainer, Max. When a boy at her school dies and an earthquake almost kills Ruby by toppling a bookcase onto her bed, Whip reveals just how involved he has been in her life with a scrapbook he has kept about her. Whip explains why her motherwanted him to have no contact with her-he is gay and Max is revealed as his partner. As clues and bits of memories snap into place, Ruby knows he has always been there for her. Each new verse adds a clue about Whip's role in Ruby's life and could be used to illustrate foreshadowing. It is a quick and easy read and would be good for reluctant readers, as well as budding poets.”

CONNECTIONS

*Study the website of the author, Sonya Sones, at http://www.sonyasones.com/index.html. It is interesting to find out more about the poet/author and how she came to write some of the verse novels that she has written.

*Ask the students to consider taking a day, or a certain period of their life, and transform that into poetry. Much like the author tells the story of the change in Ruby’s life through poetry, see if the students can write about even one day, or series of events from their own lives in a similar fashion.

*Read other verse poetry works by Sonya Sones, such as

What My Mother Doesn’t Know ISBN 0689855532

Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy ISBN 0064462188

Compare the style of the author. Who are the main characters in each, and do they have anything in common?