Tween Tuesday: As Easy As Falling Off the Face of the Earth by Lynne Rae Perkins

4 wonderful oatmeal creme sandwiches.

Cover Love:  I do love this cover.  I think it's pretty eye-catching and makes you want to find out more about this story.

Why I Wanted to Read This:  When this one came to my library in the fall of 2010 the cover immediately made me interested in reading it.  I finally got around to reading it and I am so glad I did!  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

In this new novel by a Newbery Medalist ("Criss Cross"), 16-year-old Ry completely redefines summer vacation. Illustrated with the author's line art and comics throughout.

Romance?: Nope

What I Liked & Didn't:

I am putting this on tween Tuesday because even though Ry is 16, this book does not read as YA.  Ry is a young man, but when his whole world gets knocked sideways he becomes a lost boy.  He is not a cynical teenager, instead he is open to others around him and very cognizant of those that are trying to help him.  He never once acts like a spoiled kid.  A lot of you might say, "Yeah, but that's not realistic."  I disagree, I meet teenagers like this all the time.  In fact, he acts more mature than a lot of 16 year olds would!

There is so much hope for the world in this book!  When you hear the news of all the awful things that happen all the time, it makes you forget that that is the global picture.  The small, local picture is not like that.  In small ways, all the time, humankind shows how amazing they are towards each other and this book illustrates this perfectly!

The synopsis is tiny so here is the book in a nutshell.  Due to a few unforeseen circumstances Ry gets stranded in Northeast Montana.  There is a problem with his grandfather that makes it impossible to reach him--even though Ry tries.  His parents are also unreachable.  There are several small things that happen that create bigger ripples.  However, he finds kindness and helping hands at every turn.

My favorite part is the author's portrayal of  the NE Montana town.  I am from Montana and my mother is from a very small NE Montana town.  It is the kind of place where people come together and help others, even a stranger.  A man like Del would be easy to find in a town like this.  And I loved that Ry recognized all that Del was doing for him--their relationship was fun to watch develop.

The author shows us several sides to this story, the grandfather's and Ry's parents and the dogs.  There are also darling illustrations sprinkled throughout the book.  Everything that happens is plausible and it all ties together very nicely.  

To Sum Up:  I used to booktalk this without having read it, but next year I will be able to do so much more effectively.  It was such a warm, uplifting book! 

Book from my middle school library collection.