Dairy Queen (Dairy Queen Trilogy, #1)

by Professor Catherine Gilbert Murdock

After spending her summer running the family farm and training the quarterback for her school's rival football team, sixteen-year-old D.J. decides to go out for the sport herself, not anticipating the reactions of those around her.

• ISBN10: 1417779799
• ISBN13: 9781417779796
• Publish Date: 1 June 2007 (first published 1 May 2006)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 7 April 2021
• Imprint: Turtleback Books
• Edition: Turtleback School & Library ed.
• Format: Hardcover (Library Binding)
• Pages: 274
• Language: English

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

I wish I could remember which blogger mentioned this one recently, because I would love to thank them. I found this book so adorable. DJ was such a sweet and normally complicated 16 year old. Her musings was quite amusing, and I couldn't help but admire the way she put her family's needs before her own. She lost a lot when she had to assume the majority of the responsibilities on the farm, and I was elated when the universe returned good things to her. I am a city girl (Brooklyn), but my parents would take us upstate for summer vacations to visit farms and commune with nature. By no means does this infer that I know anything about the life of a farmer, so I actually really enjoyed this slice of life look into DJ's daily routine. I learn a lot about football, farming, cows from this delightful girl, and I am very eager to get to the next book.

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[Angie]

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about Dairy Queen. I had seen lots of good reviews for it, but it didn't really seem like my thing. I gave it a try anyway, hoping to be surprised, but I should have stuck with my gut. D.J. is working on her family's farm all summer, since her dad is in a walker, her mom is busy with her job, and her two older brothers are away. It's just D.J. and her brother Curtis, until Brian arrives. D.J. is not happy about their new helper, since he's a spoiled rich boy in her eyes and knows nothing of hard work. But soon, she's recruited to train him for the upcoming football season, since she helped with her brothers. Then she decides she wants to join the team, too.

I'll start with what I did like about Dairy Queen, which was the themes on communication. D.J.'s family never talks. Whenever they do, and there's a disagreement, someone just leaves angry. Curtis actually just doesn't talk at all. How is anyone suppose to know how you feel, or what's going on, if you don't tell them!? Communication is important, and that's something D.J. learns as she fumbles her friendship with Amber, and her possible budding romance with Brian. D.J. also spends a lot of time pondering how everyone just does what's expected of them, instead of doing what they really want to do. So even though I don't give one crap about football, I did enjoy watching D.J. go for it despite it not being what her dad wants her to do, or what society expects.

What I didn't like about Dairy Queen was this fight D.J. has with Amber. They're best friends, so this should have been a great plot point, but it just isn't. I didn't believe it for a second, because it made no sense. I appreciate the author covering this issue (I can't say what without spoiling this whole plot thread), but it could have been done in some more believable way. There was just no way I can believe Amber thinking what she did. It doesn't help that she doesn't even explain why she felt that way (see, lack of communication!). D.J. does have some inner monologue about "signs" she noticed, but even with those things, Amber's thinking was way too much of a leap.

Then there's D.J.'s weird obsession with Oprah Winfrey. Okay, so, I don't think she's actually obsessed with her, but Oprah is mentioned in pretty much every chapter. D.J. describes people as "Oprah-like" or "pulled an Oprah" or just referred to them as Oprah. It was so weird. The first time was enough. I'm sure it had to do with her uncanny ability to ask a simple question and get everyone to spill their life story, but it was a bit much. Not everyone who talks openly is Oprah-esque.

Dairy Queen wasn't really my thing at all, so I'm kind of bummed. I was hoping it would end up being a nice surprise, but I was mostly bored and annoyed. However, I loved the ending. That was a cute twist! I kept wondering who D.J. was addressing (it doesn't feel like she's talking to the reader), and I liked who it ended up being.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Stephanie]

I tried reading this book first, but I only got about 5 pages in before I stopped because the way it was written in a conversation-like way annoyed me. I don't know why because it doesn't always annoy me, but it did with this book. But I still wanted to read it. The story sounded interesting and I've read a lot of amazing reviews for it, so I decided to try the audiobook, and I think this is the best way to read these books, because it was amazing.

This was my second audiobook, so I was still trying it out, but Dairy Queen made me fall in love with audiobooks. Natalie Moore is an amazing narrator for this book, with the accent and everything. And the conversation-like writing that annoyed me while I was reading, made me love the book in audio. It felt like D.J. was standing next to me telling her story.

I'm not a big fan of football, but that didn't matter as I listened. I really enjoyed listening to D.J. as she trained Brian Nelson, the quarterback of her school's rival football team. And I loved the fact that her training Brian gave her the incentive it try out for her school's football team.

I don't even know what else to say in this review. I loved D.J. and her relationship with her brothers (I have 2 older brother so I definitely understood and appreciated the relationship), I loved her and Brian's relationship, and I loved listening as D.J. found her voice (that sounds really corny, but it's true)

I absolutely loved this book and I definitely recommend listening to the audio over reading the book. Especially if you're looking for something light, but still has some great depth to it.

[lizarodz]

A while ago one of the topics for the Top Ten Tuesday hop was “best series” and I say the Dairy Queen books listed in several blogs and of course I had to read it. I have to say that you guys were right, I LOVED this book!

D.J. is an amazing character. She has a peculiar family that chooses to not talk about real issues. I found the way she was taken for granted by her family unfair and she thought so too, but never complaint or voiced her concerns. D.J. has an amazing voice and she was hilarious in her observations, it really felt like being inside the head of a 16 year old. D.J.’s father was so unfair to all his children that I can’t understand what kept the family together at all. Curtis limited “talking” was probably a survival skill to survive this family! I liked Brian and I am glad that he came to his senses by the end of the book.

The story is told in the first person, from D.J.s perspective and she is telling her story to the reader her way. The writing is fluid, funny and fresh. Ms. Gilbert Murdock is a genius! I hope the next two books are just as good, I am really looking forward to reading them soon.

About the cover: It’s funny, right? Since D.J.’s family has a dairy farm (that she pretty much runs by herself) she is made fun off and called “dairy queen” so I guess is not as funny for her.

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

A great book with lots of heart and attitude.