Flipped

by Wendelin Van Draanen

The first time she saw him, she flipped. The first time he saw her, he ran. That was the second grade, but not much has changed by the seventh. She says: “My Bryce. Still walking around with my first kiss.” He says: “It’s been six years of strategic avoidance and social discomfort.” But in the eighth grade everything gets turned upside down. And just as he’s thinking there’s more to her than meets the eye, she’ s thinking that he’s not quite all he seemed.

This is a classic romantic comedy of errors told in alternating chapters by two fresh, funny voices. Wendelin Van Draanen is at her best here with a knockout cast of quirky characters and a hilarious series of misunderstandings and missed opportunities. But underlying the humor are two teens in transition. They are each learning to look beyond the surface of people, both figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and who they want to be with.

• ISBN10: 037591174X
• ISBN13: 9780375911743
• Publish Date: 9 October 2001
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 212
• Language: English

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

This has to be one of the most precious books I have ever read! I am so glad I stumbled upon it at the library and selected it for my reading challenge, because this book was a near perfect read for me.

•Pro: This story was so sweet and adorable and I could not stop smiling the whole time.

•Pro: I am such a fan of stories that span several years, and this one took us from 2nd to 8th grade. The bulk of the story was set in 8th grade, but I really enjoyed seeing the very beginning of Juli and Bryce's relationship.

•Pro: I always enjoy dual perspective narration, but this was my favorite type of dual POV. I loved the way Van Draanen overlapped the POVs. We would hear an event from Bryce, and then we would experience the event from Juli's POV. It really allowed me to get to know each of them better, and I was also impressed that the author accomplished this without it becoming repetitive.

•Pro: The two POVs were so distinct. Juli and Bryce both had crystal clear voices.

•Pro: Watching them grow and change was such a delight. As Juli matured, she started to appreciate the world so much more. As Bryce matured, he started to see the flaws in his world. I just loved the way Van Draanen showed their changing world view. It was beautifully done.

•Pro: Juli's family was so wonderful, but the real standout was her dad. The relationship he maintained with his daughter was so special. I just adored that doting dad and his big beautiful heart.

•Pro: There was a lot of lessons on compassion and empathy in this story, and I was touched often by the story.

•Con: That ending made me happy and nuts! The con is for the very open ended ending. I like closure. I like loose ends dealt with. This ending leaves me wondering about quite a few things, and that's just wrong.

•Pro: I never thought I see it, but we got a grand romantic gesture in a middle grades book. I must say, it was wonderful.

Overall: An utterly adorable and very special story of love, life, and growing up. My heart soared as I read this story, and I shed a multitude of happy tears.

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