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Amelia Rules! #7
Amelia Rules! Volume 7: The Meaning of Life... and Other Stuff
Amelia McBride may be growing up, but she’s feeling down. If there’s one theme to her life, it’s that nothing not her parents’ marriage, not Aunt Tanner’s support, not the clubhouse for the Gathering of Awesome Super Pals (G.A.S.P.), not even her new spot on the stupid cheerleading squad. And while she’s learning all kinds of things about foot fungus, cheerwitches, and Reggie—who thinks Rhonda is CUTE?!—there’s still one thing Amelia can’t figure out, and that’s the meaning of life. It takes a grownup sort of tragedy for Amelia and her friends to realize that even when the world is scary, and life is as mystifying as ever, some things—like friendship—do last.
In Jimmy Gownley’s touching seventh installment of Amelia Rules!, Amelia may not find all the answers—but she does know how to ask the right questions. Who needs answers, anyway?
In Jimmy Gownley’s touching seventh installment of Amelia Rules!, Amelia may not find all the answers—but she does know how to ask the right questions. Who needs answers, anyway?
160 pages, Hardcover
First published September 6, 2011
4 people are currently reading
326 people want to read
About the author
Jimmy Gownley
89 books106 followersJimmy Gownley is the author and illustrator of the Amelia Rules! series of graphic novels, as well as the memoir The Dumbest Idea Ever!.
He has been nominated for 13 Eisner awards and 6 Harvey awards. His book Superheroes won the 2006 Cybil Award for best graphic novel for kids 12 and under.
He lives in Pennsylvania.
He has been nominated for 13 Eisner awards and 6 Harvey awards. His book Superheroes won the 2006 Cybil Award for best graphic novel for kids 12 and under.
He lives in Pennsylvania.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
October 25, 2011
I love the fact that every time I read a new "Amelia" adventure I'm so taken in by the story and the characters, that I don't notice any morals or truths that are included in the message of the tales. By this point, the world is so "real" that I easily immerse myself into what's going on, living vicariously through their triumphs, trials and tribulations, and especially zany lives. And when the stories are as powerful as this one, it isn't until you close the back cover that you realize what an incredibly simple-yet-true "Life Message" was also revealed. Jimmy Gownley is a wonderful storyteller who writes with his heart, which is why it's so easy for me to have a soft spot for Amelia :)
July 1, 2013
I cried some while reading Her Permanent Record... But for this one... Holy cow. I cried so much. It's just so true to life and touching and so many things. This is why I love middle grade books. Because the authors aren't afraid to talk about life, about real life, about how life sucks sometimes, about how people argue, about how scary it is, how hard life is, that people (adult people too) aren't perfect and unfair things happen and people let you down. But there are also good people, good friends, and we don't have to be alone, and there's things to laugh over, and it will all be okay.
October 6, 2011
Sometimes it feels to me that when it comes to realistic stories about learning and growing the comic strip world for kids used to have some serious advantages over the comic book world for kids. Used to be that newspapers provided the primary way most kids read comic panels. Then comic pages started to stultify, reprinting the same dull strips ad nauseam, often long after the original creators died. After that the newspapers themselves started to drop as people moved to online content for their news. Combine that all with the rise of graphic novels for kids as legitimate library-worthy fare and it's a perfect storm. The comic strip is dead! Long live the comic strip! Bridging the gap between the past and present is Jimmy Gownley. If we take the idea that smart talking kids were best promoted by Charles Schulz back in the day then Gownley's Amelia Rules! series is its natural successor. The difference between the two, however, comes down to change. Unlike Peanuts you can watch the characters in Amelia Rules! grow and progress with each chapter, even as Gownley himself grows and progresses as an artist and a writer. Now with The Meaning of Life and Other Stuff he lets his characters look back a little and reminisce about what it was like when they were younger, even as they step into their ever shifting futures.
Amelia Louise McBride. Child of divorce. Apple of her Aunt Tanner, rock goddess's, eye. It's been years since Amelia moved to Pennsylvania from New York and played superheroes with her friends. Now their old hideout has fallen to pieces, and there are other changes as well. When a member of the school cheerleading team gets injured it's time for the alternate to take over . . . and that's Amelia. Add in the fact that Tanner's on tour and not emailing her back, the principal is riding her hard, she's remembering past wrongs that need to be righted, and then there's Joan's father serving overseas . . . It's a big year for Amelia this time. Give it this much, though. It's never boring.
Gownley has said that hegrew up with Peanuts and at first his series felt like an extended version of the classic strip. Since then, however, he's created six more chapters in the series and one Christmas special. With each addition he's gotten a little more serious too. One of the things I've always respected about these books is their serious undercurrent. Fears run rampant through these books, whether they're fears of abandonment, abandoning, not being a good person, or concrete worries about losing a parent. On top of that, Gownley has a tendency to throw in Amelia's thoughts on life, love, living, friendship, etc. in each chapter of this series. These ruminations have the potential to be didactic and postulating, but Gownley's pretty good at tone. Understandably some books are better at this than others, but in the case of The Meaning of Life he seems to scale back the bigger questions by the end to concentrate simply on what one does when a friend is in trouble. Actually, now that I think about it, it's sort of an answer to the title itself. What's the meaning of life? Being there for the people you care about. Could be a cheesy message. Isn't.
Each book in the series also steps the art up a notch. It's consistent, to a certain extent. You wouldn't pick up the first book in the series (The Whole World's Crazy) and think it was from a different artist's pen. That said, Gownley has more and more fun with borders, perspective, p.o.v.s, and so on with each title he writes. In this particular book he even manages to include the faded remains of scotch tape on some of the older memories, which I appreciated. The colors are done entirely on a computer, but in a good way. It's not jarring. There's even an odd section where Gownley tries his hand at some pseudo-manga, but the less said about that the better. Overall, you won't have anything to complain about visually here.
Now seeing as how this is the seventh book or so in the series the question of whether or not you need to read them in order does arise. Heck, do you even need to have read a single Amelia book prior to this one for the story to make sense? On the one hand, the book does sort of stand on its own. Gownley provides a handy dandy cast list at the start for folks who may have missed an issue somewhere along the line (it's not exactly updated, though, since some of the stuff listed there is out-of-date). After reading this book through I think I can say that you can read it on its own if you've read at least one or two Amelia books before, but don't try leaping into the series at this point. For one thing, the physical appearance of Rhonda will completely throw you. At some point she did something to her hair and she now appears far less demented than she does in the book's flashbacks. For another, this book won't be nearly as satisfying as it is if you aren't aware of some of the trials the kids have resolved. Reggie's sudden interest in Rhonda, for example, or Tanner's return.
I'll admit that I harbor a bit of an Amelia Rules! addiction. I have a hard time not reading and rereading the series constantly. Partly I think that this is due to the quality of the books. Partly it's due to how long and satisfying each one is (set aside far more than the customary 15 minutes for each one of these). For kids who love books like Smile and other realistic comics, the Amelia series is a must read and this newest chapter a necessity. A strong continuation of a beloved character.
For ages 9-12.
Amelia Louise McBride. Child of divorce. Apple of her Aunt Tanner, rock goddess's, eye. It's been years since Amelia moved to Pennsylvania from New York and played superheroes with her friends. Now their old hideout has fallen to pieces, and there are other changes as well. When a member of the school cheerleading team gets injured it's time for the alternate to take over . . . and that's Amelia. Add in the fact that Tanner's on tour and not emailing her back, the principal is riding her hard, she's remembering past wrongs that need to be righted, and then there's Joan's father serving overseas . . . It's a big year for Amelia this time. Give it this much, though. It's never boring.
Gownley has said that hegrew up with Peanuts and at first his series felt like an extended version of the classic strip. Since then, however, he's created six more chapters in the series and one Christmas special. With each addition he's gotten a little more serious too. One of the things I've always respected about these books is their serious undercurrent. Fears run rampant through these books, whether they're fears of abandonment, abandoning, not being a good person, or concrete worries about losing a parent. On top of that, Gownley has a tendency to throw in Amelia's thoughts on life, love, living, friendship, etc. in each chapter of this series. These ruminations have the potential to be didactic and postulating, but Gownley's pretty good at tone. Understandably some books are better at this than others, but in the case of The Meaning of Life he seems to scale back the bigger questions by the end to concentrate simply on what one does when a friend is in trouble. Actually, now that I think about it, it's sort of an answer to the title itself. What's the meaning of life? Being there for the people you care about. Could be a cheesy message. Isn't.
Each book in the series also steps the art up a notch. It's consistent, to a certain extent. You wouldn't pick up the first book in the series (The Whole World's Crazy) and think it was from a different artist's pen. That said, Gownley has more and more fun with borders, perspective, p.o.v.s, and so on with each title he writes. In this particular book he even manages to include the faded remains of scotch tape on some of the older memories, which I appreciated. The colors are done entirely on a computer, but in a good way. It's not jarring. There's even an odd section where Gownley tries his hand at some pseudo-manga, but the less said about that the better. Overall, you won't have anything to complain about visually here.
Now seeing as how this is the seventh book or so in the series the question of whether or not you need to read them in order does arise. Heck, do you even need to have read a single Amelia book prior to this one for the story to make sense? On the one hand, the book does sort of stand on its own. Gownley provides a handy dandy cast list at the start for folks who may have missed an issue somewhere along the line (it's not exactly updated, though, since some of the stuff listed there is out-of-date). After reading this book through I think I can say that you can read it on its own if you've read at least one or two Amelia books before, but don't try leaping into the series at this point. For one thing, the physical appearance of Rhonda will completely throw you. At some point she did something to her hair and she now appears far less demented than she does in the book's flashbacks. For another, this book won't be nearly as satisfying as it is if you aren't aware of some of the trials the kids have resolved. Reggie's sudden interest in Rhonda, for example, or Tanner's return.
I'll admit that I harbor a bit of an Amelia Rules! addiction. I have a hard time not reading and rereading the series constantly. Partly I think that this is due to the quality of the books. Partly it's due to how long and satisfying each one is (set aside far more than the customary 15 minutes for each one of these). For kids who love books like Smile and other realistic comics, the Amelia series is a must read and this newest chapter a necessity. A strong continuation of a beloved character.
For ages 9-12.
September 20, 2014
This is the seventh book in the Amelia Rules! series by Jimmy Gownley. We recently discovered this series and our girls just love it - they will argue over who gets to read the books first. They are really into reading graphic novels right now and we all love that it features a strong female main character who has other strong women in her life. We haven't been able to get book #6 yet, so we skipped ahead (we just couldn't wait).
This book continues the story and has several sections highlighting love, life and friendship. The story has several flashbacks and we enjoy hearing more about Tanner's childhood from her old diary. There are several sections of the book that have an old-time comic book style, but I didn't necessarily recognize a particular comic like in previous books.
Overall, I love the complexities of the emotions and the tough subjects that are handled with both humor and sensitivity. I also love how the characters are maturing, learning, and really becoming dear to us. We all really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more of the books in this series.
interesting quotes:
"All that matters is that we're in this together now...forever...and no matter what trials, what challenges, what evil is thrown at us...they will never tear us apart." (pp. 3-4 and pp. 134-135)
"Sometimes the best way to get someone through the pain of their past or their present is just to be there with them and to hold their hand and wait for the future." (p. 88 and pp. 146-147)
"However, when we conceive of space time as an almost unimaginably large four-dimensional solid...which contains not only every moment that ever was or ever will be...but also contains every moment that could have been, and which may yet be...we can deduce that it is human consciousness moving through this construct that creates our perception of time...of choice...and therefore we can conclusively prove that free will can exist harmoniously in an Einsteinian universe! Uh...and junk like that." (p. 99)
This book continues the story and has several sections highlighting love, life and friendship. The story has several flashbacks and we enjoy hearing more about Tanner's childhood from her old diary. There are several sections of the book that have an old-time comic book style, but I didn't necessarily recognize a particular comic like in previous books.
Overall, I love the complexities of the emotions and the tough subjects that are handled with both humor and sensitivity. I also love how the characters are maturing, learning, and really becoming dear to us. We all really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more of the books in this series.
interesting quotes:
"All that matters is that we're in this together now...forever...and no matter what trials, what challenges, what evil is thrown at us...they will never tear us apart." (pp. 3-4 and pp. 134-135)
"Sometimes the best way to get someone through the pain of their past or their present is just to be there with them and to hold their hand and wait for the future." (p. 88 and pp. 146-147)
"However, when we conceive of space time as an almost unimaginably large four-dimensional solid...which contains not only every moment that ever was or ever will be...but also contains every moment that could have been, and which may yet be...we can deduce that it is human consciousness moving through this construct that creates our perception of time...of choice...and therefore we can conclusively prove that free will can exist harmoniously in an Einsteinian universe! Uh...and junk like that." (p. 99)
December 17, 2012
Side splittingly hilarious... highly recommended for all ages.
Amelia's family and friends will take up permanent residence in your heart.
Wonderful all ages comic!
Amelia McBride may not be growing up, but she's feeling down. If there's one theme to her life, it's that nothing lasts: not her parents' marriage, not Aunt Tanner's support, not the clubhouse for the Gathering of Awesome Super Pals (G.A.S.P.), not even her new spot on the stupid cheerleading squad. And while she's learning all kinds of things about foot fungus, cheerwitches, and Reggie- who thinks Rhonda is cute?!- there's still one thing Amelia can't figure out, and that's the meaning of life. It takes a grown-up sort of tragedy for Amelia and her friends to realize that even when the world is scary and life is as mystifying as ever, some things - like friendship- do last.
In Jimy Gownley's touching seventh volume in the Amelia Rules! series, Amelia may not find all the answers, but she does know how to ask the right questions.
Amelia's family and friends will take up permanent residence in your heart.
Wonderful all ages comic!
Amelia McBride may not be growing up, but she's feeling down. If there's one theme to her life, it's that nothing lasts: not her parents' marriage, not Aunt Tanner's support, not the clubhouse for the Gathering of Awesome Super Pals (G.A.S.P.), not even her new spot on the stupid cheerleading squad. And while she's learning all kinds of things about foot fungus, cheerwitches, and Reggie- who thinks Rhonda is cute?!- there's still one thing Amelia can't figure out, and that's the meaning of life. It takes a grown-up sort of tragedy for Amelia and her friends to realize that even when the world is scary and life is as mystifying as ever, some things - like friendship- do last.
In Jimy Gownley's touching seventh volume in the Amelia Rules! series, Amelia may not find all the answers, but she does know how to ask the right questions.
June 13, 2012
This book is on the Will Eisner Award list. This book would appeal to girls. Especially those who have had to go through struggles with friends and divorced parents.
September 11, 2019
Definitely a good book. A real compitetion for Judy Moody.
October 23, 2015
Still a very nice balance of humor and thoughtfulness, and enjoyable as ever! Amelia does rule!
March 16, 2018
I really didn't care for this book. It was hard for me to keep track of the different characters, even with the little character guide in the front. I also didn't like some of the creepy expressions on some of the characters.
2018 Literary Escapes Challenge - Pennsylvania
2018 Literary Escapes Challenge - Pennsylvania
November 1, 2017
This is a children's book right? Soo many feels!
June 11, 2018
Cute, funny , and enjoyable.
Light read j graphic
Light read j graphic
March 15, 2019
Wonderful stuff as always. This volume is quite low-key until near the end, when it suddenly goes off the scale.
BTW Does anyone have the recipe for Creamy Cookie Bon Bombs?
BTW Does anyone have the recipe for Creamy Cookie Bon Bombs?
October 28, 2012
Citation: Amelia Rules! Volume 7: The Meaning of Life... and Other Stuff, by Jimmy Gownley. (Simon & Schuster Children’s, 2011). 147 p. Graphic Novel.
Summary: Amelia McBride is a precocious middle-schooler navigating the worlds of friends, the cheerleading team, her parents’ divorce and a relationship with her favorite aunt. While trying to prove that she’s not really the troublemaker her reputation implies, she learns the real value of friends who support her, and returning their support when it is most needed.
Critique: a) Using the humor of traditional comic strips, Gownley tackles tough issues in young adults’ lives with careful attention. It is Amelia’s authentic voice through her struggles that allows these discussions to be filtered and sorted by young readers.
b) What makes Amelia’s voice so endearing is the ability for the reader to see her responses and emotions through the panel illustrations, while “hearing” her character interactions through the speech bubbles. Amelia acts with her friends and teachers as though she is a sassy troublemaker, “going all ‘punk rock’ “(p.67,) but the reader is able to hear Amelia’s inner voice as more fragile and uncertain. This makes her sound genuinely appealing to young readers as she sounds just like how they really feel (and how adults remember feeling when they were in middle school!)
c) Amelia’s dichotomous voice shows her to be struggling to keep up her “tough girl” exterior, but inside dealing with heart-wrenching issues. In a meeting with her principal, she is accused of using language like “Doofus. Lousy. Stupid. Schmuck. Crappy.” (p.60). Walking home from the same meeting, she laments that “Nothing lasts. Not family. Not friends. Not homes. Not happiness. Not love. Not peace. Not anything.” (p.80) In the final pages, Amelia reflects that “Maybe no one knows the ‘Meaning of Life.’ Maybe no one ever will. Because people are too weird and crazy and stupid,” (p.144) showing how young people have moments of mature contemplation coupled with moments of simple kid-thoughts
Curriculum Connection: This book would best be used in a small-group reading setting. Within a small group, students could read independently first, allowing them to take in the nuances of the comic illustrations, but come together to discuss the difficult themes and relationships.
Summary: Amelia McBride is a precocious middle-schooler navigating the worlds of friends, the cheerleading team, her parents’ divorce and a relationship with her favorite aunt. While trying to prove that she’s not really the troublemaker her reputation implies, she learns the real value of friends who support her, and returning their support when it is most needed.
Critique: a) Using the humor of traditional comic strips, Gownley tackles tough issues in young adults’ lives with careful attention. It is Amelia’s authentic voice through her struggles that allows these discussions to be filtered and sorted by young readers.
b) What makes Amelia’s voice so endearing is the ability for the reader to see her responses and emotions through the panel illustrations, while “hearing” her character interactions through the speech bubbles. Amelia acts with her friends and teachers as though she is a sassy troublemaker, “going all ‘punk rock’ “(p.67,) but the reader is able to hear Amelia’s inner voice as more fragile and uncertain. This makes her sound genuinely appealing to young readers as she sounds just like how they really feel (and how adults remember feeling when they were in middle school!)
c) Amelia’s dichotomous voice shows her to be struggling to keep up her “tough girl” exterior, but inside dealing with heart-wrenching issues. In a meeting with her principal, she is accused of using language like “Doofus. Lousy. Stupid. Schmuck. Crappy.” (p.60). Walking home from the same meeting, she laments that “Nothing lasts. Not family. Not friends. Not homes. Not happiness. Not love. Not peace. Not anything.” (p.80) In the final pages, Amelia reflects that “Maybe no one knows the ‘Meaning of Life.’ Maybe no one ever will. Because people are too weird and crazy and stupid,” (p.144) showing how young people have moments of mature contemplation coupled with moments of simple kid-thoughts
Curriculum Connection: This book would best be used in a small-group reading setting. Within a small group, students could read independently first, allowing them to take in the nuances of the comic illustrations, but come together to discuss the difficult themes and relationships.
September 18, 2016
This seventh installment in the Amelia Rules series finds Amelia in a tough spot. She's feeling older, thanks to a young crop of kids in the neighborhood who have formed a superhero club, Y.I.K.E.S. (Young Imaginative Kids Emulating Superheroes ) in an effort to emulate Amelia and her friends' former club, G.A.S.P. (Gathering of Awesome Super Pals). She's also missing Tanner, who is out on tour, and hasn't called. At school, she suddenly finds herself stuck on the cheerleading squad, and her friend, Joan, becomes obsessively concerned about the well-being of her father who is serving in the military. Underneath it all, Amelia struggles with the nagging idea that there might be something inherently bad about her, a belief she has developed due to a wrong she committed back in her hometown.
While there are lots of funny moments, this book is far from merely comic. Rather, Amelia is a fully-developed and well-rounded character facing serious existential questions that I think a lot of kids wonder about, but few know how to voice. There are some truly poignant moments in this book, particularly when Amelia finds Tanner's old journal, and when she and her friends rally around Joan in a moment of tragic uncertainty. Also hugely impressive is the way Gownley portrays the differences in development between the boys and the girls and shows that the characters are also aware of this. Some of my favorite moments in the story came from the interactions between Amelia, Joan, and Rhonda and the boys in their group.
The metaphor of the old G.A.S.P. clubhouse also really resonated with me. Amelia insists it cannot be rebuilt because it's too far gone, but learns, slowly, as the pieces of her past, present, and future come together, that nothing is ever really broken for good.
This series gets better and better with each volume. Amelia is one of my favorite middle grade characters of all time, and I really feel for her in every difficult situation she encounters. I love seeing her progression from book to book and can't wait to see where she takes us next.
While there are lots of funny moments, this book is far from merely comic. Rather, Amelia is a fully-developed and well-rounded character facing serious existential questions that I think a lot of kids wonder about, but few know how to voice. There are some truly poignant moments in this book, particularly when Amelia finds Tanner's old journal, and when she and her friends rally around Joan in a moment of tragic uncertainty. Also hugely impressive is the way Gownley portrays the differences in development between the boys and the girls and shows that the characters are also aware of this. Some of my favorite moments in the story came from the interactions between Amelia, Joan, and Rhonda and the boys in their group.
The metaphor of the old G.A.S.P. clubhouse also really resonated with me. Amelia insists it cannot be rebuilt because it's too far gone, but learns, slowly, as the pieces of her past, present, and future come together, that nothing is ever really broken for good.
This series gets better and better with each volume. Amelia is one of my favorite middle grade characters of all time, and I really feel for her in every difficult situation she encounters. I love seeing her progression from book to book and can't wait to see where she takes us next.
February 28, 2014
A review of The Meaning of Life and Other Stuff-An Amelia Rules Book!
by Rachel Langenfeld
I could introduce the book by explaining to students that nobody is perfect. No one has a perfect life and we are all on a different journey. It is what you do to get through your struggles and rejoice when life is going well that really matter. Friends and family are so important and we need to keep them close to us. I would ask students to think about how they act when they are angry, upset and sad and happy, cheerful and excited.
We could discuss these feelings as a class and then we will do an activity. I will break students into group and give each group a different scenario to act out and the class will have to decide what the scenario is.
There are probably many students who could relate to some of the themes in the book such as divorce, moving, or a family member gone or in the army. There are many more themes but these and friendship I think are the most important ones. Amelia acts out when she is upset so students could probably relate to how she handles the situations she is in and we could talk about them as a class. (Text-To-Self strategy)
This book could be related to the world by discussing the differences between a typical day in the United States versus a typical day in another country such as China. How does each of these peoples speak to and treat their elders and family members. What kinds of activities do they do with their friends. What expectations are put on them on a day-to-day basis? (Text-To-World strategy)
I would play the song “Lean on Me” in class because it relates to friendship like in the book. I could even print out the lyrics to the song so students could have a copy of it to remind themselves to keep their friends close so they will always be there.
by Rachel Langenfeld
I could introduce the book by explaining to students that nobody is perfect. No one has a perfect life and we are all on a different journey. It is what you do to get through your struggles and rejoice when life is going well that really matter. Friends and family are so important and we need to keep them close to us. I would ask students to think about how they act when they are angry, upset and sad and happy, cheerful and excited.
We could discuss these feelings as a class and then we will do an activity. I will break students into group and give each group a different scenario to act out and the class will have to decide what the scenario is.
There are probably many students who could relate to some of the themes in the book such as divorce, moving, or a family member gone or in the army. There are many more themes but these and friendship I think are the most important ones. Amelia acts out when she is upset so students could probably relate to how she handles the situations she is in and we could talk about them as a class. (Text-To-Self strategy)
This book could be related to the world by discussing the differences between a typical day in the United States versus a typical day in another country such as China. How does each of these peoples speak to and treat their elders and family members. What kinds of activities do they do with their friends. What expectations are put on them on a day-to-day basis? (Text-To-World strategy)
I would play the song “Lean on Me” in class because it relates to friendship like in the book. I could even print out the lyrics to the song so students could have a copy of it to remind themselves to keep their friends close so they will always be there.
April 4, 2015
Graphic Novel
Copyright 2011
I was very impressed with Jimmy Gownley’s graphic novel The Meaning of Life and Other Stuff. Amelia is a typical middle schools student with the same typical problems as middle school students today. Her parents are divorced, she has earned a reputation as a “bad kid”, and she faces how to help a friend whose father is serving in combat. These are all realistic things that middle school students in today’s society face. With all of the tribulations Amelia must deal with, she paints an accurate portrait of what preteens must deal with and how fast they sometimes have to grow up.Preteens will relate to some of the same issues that Amelia is going through, especially the girls; reluctant readers will enjoy the short stories within the story, and the illustrations provide a nice visual representation of the novel.
Text Connections
Text- to- text: This book reminds me of The Happiness Pursuit by Chris Guillebeau because it is also about truly finding the “meaning of life.” While this book is not a children’s graphic novel and is geared towards adults, it explores the same themes such as happiness and change.
Text- to- self: This book reminds me of my middle school days when life was extremely confusing. This book explores the fact that life isn’t all that great sometimes, especially in middle school. I feel like the book understands the struggles that middle school students go though, which helps me connect the book to my personal experiences .
Text- to- world: In the book, the main character’s parents are divorced, which is a prevalent occurrence in today's world. Divorce rates are high nationally, and every day children are having to deal with the fact that their parents are not together.
Copyright 2011
I was very impressed with Jimmy Gownley’s graphic novel The Meaning of Life and Other Stuff. Amelia is a typical middle schools student with the same typical problems as middle school students today. Her parents are divorced, she has earned a reputation as a “bad kid”, and she faces how to help a friend whose father is serving in combat. These are all realistic things that middle school students in today’s society face. With all of the tribulations Amelia must deal with, she paints an accurate portrait of what preteens must deal with and how fast they sometimes have to grow up.Preteens will relate to some of the same issues that Amelia is going through, especially the girls; reluctant readers will enjoy the short stories within the story, and the illustrations provide a nice visual representation of the novel.
Text Connections
Text- to- text: This book reminds me of The Happiness Pursuit by Chris Guillebeau because it is also about truly finding the “meaning of life.” While this book is not a children’s graphic novel and is geared towards adults, it explores the same themes such as happiness and change.
Text- to- self: This book reminds me of my middle school days when life was extremely confusing. This book explores the fact that life isn’t all that great sometimes, especially in middle school. I feel like the book understands the struggles that middle school students go though, which helps me connect the book to my personal experiences .
Text- to- world: In the book, the main character’s parents are divorced, which is a prevalent occurrence in today's world. Divorce rates are high nationally, and every day children are having to deal with the fact that their parents are not together.
September 20, 2011
Thanks to S&S Galley grab for the ARC.
To be fair, let me just say that I have not read the other Amelia Rules! Books, and this is the first time I have picked a comic book that isn’t Calvin and Hobbes or Betty and Veronica… It is from this standpoint that I write this review.
I have generally liked The Meaning of Life… and other stuff, it has a delightful and honest sense of humor and it has achieved to realistically portray the thinking of middle schoolers as they are confronted with issues bigger than that of their schoolwork and friendships. It captures the moment in the gang’s life of being in-between - in between the period of child’s play and the period of having an understanding of the deeper things in life. The way it depicted the friendship of Amelia’s gang is simply wonderful and insightful – effectively showing the sincerity of the thoughts and feelings of these children that adults should take in seriously. It was a good and fast read, a nostalgic trip down the road of childhood memories for those readers that are beyond their youthful years.
However, I found it quite disjointed as a comic novel, and somehow, I feel the transitions from one scene to another are too abrupt. There are moments too that I feel that the insights/life lessons that the author wishes to impart about life through Amelia are cramped into the dialogues, and are just thrown there for good measure. It feels confusing at times because it attempts to be very profound, yet also wanting to be light and it has not achieved the perfect balance.
Amelia is reminiscent of Ramona Quimbly (from the novels of Beverly Cleary), though, I still find Ramona more cunning and fun to read. Amelia is getting there, but not quite yet.
To be fair, let me just say that I have not read the other Amelia Rules! Books, and this is the first time I have picked a comic book that isn’t Calvin and Hobbes or Betty and Veronica… It is from this standpoint that I write this review.
I have generally liked The Meaning of Life… and other stuff, it has a delightful and honest sense of humor and it has achieved to realistically portray the thinking of middle schoolers as they are confronted with issues bigger than that of their schoolwork and friendships. It captures the moment in the gang’s life of being in-between - in between the period of child’s play and the period of having an understanding of the deeper things in life. The way it depicted the friendship of Amelia’s gang is simply wonderful and insightful – effectively showing the sincerity of the thoughts and feelings of these children that adults should take in seriously. It was a good and fast read, a nostalgic trip down the road of childhood memories for those readers that are beyond their youthful years.
However, I found it quite disjointed as a comic novel, and somehow, I feel the transitions from one scene to another are too abrupt. There are moments too that I feel that the insights/life lessons that the author wishes to impart about life through Amelia are cramped into the dialogues, and are just thrown there for good measure. It feels confusing at times because it attempts to be very profound, yet also wanting to be light and it has not achieved the perfect balance.
Amelia is reminiscent of Ramona Quimbly (from the novels of Beverly Cleary), though, I still find Ramona more cunning and fun to read. Amelia is getting there, but not quite yet.
February 21, 2015
I should start by saying this is the first graphic novel I have read. I can't say I'm a huge fan of the format of a graphic novel, maybe they will be like ricotta cheese for me, an acquired taste. I'll keep trying, I think it will take some getting used to. I thought the story jumped around a lot. There are several main characters so that could be part of the reason. I also started in the middle of the series, this particular book grabbed my attention so I wanted to start with it. I do like the way the text doesn't state how the character feels or reacts to something you have to look at the graphics and interpret them. I like the way the graphics and the text are codependent, if you had one or the other on its own, you wouldn't have the same meaning.
One of the parts I particularly enjoyed was on page 80, Amelia ponders the idea that the theme of her life is that "Nothing Lasts." This includes family, homes, happiness, etc. I think so many children can connect to these thoughts. On page 93 she thinks about a particular time she was very angry and how she hit a friend of hers, she describes the anger, "It was like a big ball of blackness inside me, and I liked it." I think kids can relate to this and it is important for them to feel like they are not alone. Even though it is fictional I think they get a feeling of validation knowing they aren't alone in feeling a certain way.
I believe, the fact that students can relate to this group of friends will keep them reading. It is important for students to make connections with the books they read. I think students will enjoy reading these books because they are relative to their lives.
One of the parts I particularly enjoyed was on page 80, Amelia ponders the idea that the theme of her life is that "Nothing Lasts." This includes family, homes, happiness, etc. I think so many children can connect to these thoughts. On page 93 she thinks about a particular time she was very angry and how she hit a friend of hers, she describes the anger, "It was like a big ball of blackness inside me, and I liked it." I think kids can relate to this and it is important for them to feel like they are not alone. Even though it is fictional I think they get a feeling of validation knowing they aren't alone in feeling a certain way.
I believe, the fact that students can relate to this group of friends will keep them reading. It is important for students to make connections with the books they read. I think students will enjoy reading these books because they are relative to their lives.
November 23, 2011
I love this series. Amelia is a great kid and her friends are awesome too. This is kind of the Gen-X Peanuts. Obviously the kids don't act like jaded slackers. What I mean is that the tone of this work is contemplative and the adults have a bit of a "cool" vibe going. There's also a fun reference to an early REM album as a chapter title. This one isn't my favorite in this long-running series, but it's a good stop-gap that allows the kids to take stock of where their lives are going as they get older. They're about 12 by now I think?
In this one you see most of the major players I think, though this is mostly focusing on Amelia, Rhonda and Joan. Tanner is barely in it and Reggie has more of a minor role. Pajama Man is also barely in it, though his character is more of a novelty, let's face it. I missed the presence of Kyle, the kid Amelia kind of had a crush on in previous books. He's kind of a jerk who needs to mature, but he has his good side too and I hoped we'd hear more about whether he grows up a little.
This is a good book about maturing and also about dealing with big issues. Joan's dad is in the military and she is always concerned about his safety. Good addition to the set.
In this one you see most of the major players I think, though this is mostly focusing on Amelia, Rhonda and Joan. Tanner is barely in it and Reggie has more of a minor role. Pajama Man is also barely in it, though his character is more of a novelty, let's face it. I missed the presence of Kyle, the kid Amelia kind of had a crush on in previous books. He's kind of a jerk who needs to mature, but he has his good side too and I hoped we'd hear more about whether he grows up a little.
This is a good book about maturing and also about dealing with big issues. Joan's dad is in the military and she is always concerned about his safety. Good addition to the set.
August 29, 2016
The thing I liked the most about this volume is that it didn't just work with themes from previous books, it expanded on them and gave them a new message. "Pick up the pieces and make something new" is a much stronger message than the original about things just being broken and not being able to fix them, and it's a better message for kids to take away, too.
As the series is almost over, we really see how the cast has grown (and see some of their successors take on similar roles), just like we do. It feels like the ending of a real childhood (and even going back to this series kind of was that).
This volume was probably my favorite of the second half (at least, so far) because it really shows how difficult life can be, and how that isn't fair, but we still have to deal with it. When , the kids would rather do anything than face the possible truth. But instead, they know what they have to do - be there for their friend, for better or for worse.
I can't exactly sum up how important that was to me, but I won't overblow it. It's a simple ending, but it's brought so much meaning to the story itself and to what the characters mean. I'm excited to finally read the last volume.
As the series is almost over, we really see how the cast has grown (and see some of their successors take on similar roles), just like we do. It feels like the ending of a real childhood (and even going back to this series kind of was that).
This volume was probably my favorite of the second half (at least, so far) because it really shows how difficult life can be, and how that isn't fair, but we still have to deal with it. When , the kids would rather do anything than face the possible truth. But instead, they know what they have to do - be there for their friend, for better or for worse.
I can't exactly sum up how important that was to me, but I won't overblow it. It's a simple ending, but it's brought so much meaning to the story itself and to what the characters mean. I'm excited to finally read the last volume.
December 7, 2016
1. This book has not received any awards.
2. This book is appropriate for 6th grade and up.
3. In this graphic novel readers meet Amelia and her gang of pals, G.A.S.P to be exact "Gathering of Awesome Super Pals. Life is not easy for Amelia as she struggles with constant change. Her parents are divorced, her Aunt is constantly busy, and her friends can be difficult. She can't even secure a spot on the cheerleading squad! A real-life scary tragedy helps Amelia to see what really matters in life.
4. I thought this was a cute story. It is not entirely relatable however but I can see moments where a young lady could see themselves in Amelia. Overall, it was a pleasant read but not the best graphic novel, for children, that I have read.
5. A) This would be the perfect graphic novel to use for a character study. After picking a character from the story each student would create a short presentation of their character and provide evidence from the text.
B) Another use could be to have students create their own scene to add into the graphic novel. It doesn't have to be long just a few boxes with illustrations and speech bubbles.
2. This book is appropriate for 6th grade and up.
3. In this graphic novel readers meet Amelia and her gang of pals, G.A.S.P to be exact "Gathering of Awesome Super Pals. Life is not easy for Amelia as she struggles with constant change. Her parents are divorced, her Aunt is constantly busy, and her friends can be difficult. She can't even secure a spot on the cheerleading squad! A real-life scary tragedy helps Amelia to see what really matters in life.
4. I thought this was a cute story. It is not entirely relatable however but I can see moments where a young lady could see themselves in Amelia. Overall, it was a pleasant read but not the best graphic novel, for children, that I have read.
5. A) This would be the perfect graphic novel to use for a character study. After picking a character from the story each student would create a short presentation of their character and provide evidence from the text.
B) Another use could be to have students create their own scene to add into the graphic novel. It doesn't have to be long just a few boxes with illustrations and speech bubbles.
May 30, 2016
Amelia Rules, why oh why do you make me cry. As Amelia adjusts to Tanner not being in her life she starts to separate from Reggie and her life as a super hero as she gains access to the cheerleading club despite the fact that her principal hates her and tries to get her out.
Reggie meanwhile starts feeling his team slipping away so he recruits new members but loses something close to his heart.
Amelia gets the surprise of her life concerning her dad and also digs deep inside to figure out if, as her principal declares, if she is truly bad.
But again when all seems right with the world, the world declares not so fast and a terrible event brings reality to Joan again when something happens to her dad fighting overseas. Can GASP but aside their differences that threaten to break them apart in order to help where it really matters?
Again Jimmy Gownley hits you right in the feels and goes to show you that Amelia Rules is one of the most important stories in the last 15 years.
Reggie meanwhile starts feeling his team slipping away so he recruits new members but loses something close to his heart.
Amelia gets the surprise of her life concerning her dad and also digs deep inside to figure out if, as her principal declares, if she is truly bad.
But again when all seems right with the world, the world declares not so fast and a terrible event brings reality to Joan again when something happens to her dad fighting overseas. Can GASP but aside their differences that threaten to break them apart in order to help where it really matters?
Again Jimmy Gownley hits you right in the feels and goes to show you that Amelia Rules is one of the most important stories in the last 15 years.
February 17, 2012
For my second graphic novel, I wanted something funnier and less serious thank Anne Frank. The Meaning of Life by Jimmy Gownley was perfect. It was about a girl who was part of a superhero club with her friends. The book went deeper into her life and one of her friend’s lives too. She was close to her Aunt who was a rock star, and she ended up going to her Aunt’s journals from when she was little for advice. It was like middle school all over again; fights between friends, and secret clubs that no one else could join besides your friends. I liked the art work in the graphic novel because it was colorful and cheerful. It was also cartoonish which I feel made for an easier read. I would recommend this to someone who just finished a serious graphic novel and wants something lighter for their next read.
January 1, 2012
This is the seventh graphic novel in the Amelia Rules series. This is a graphic series I would definitely recommend to my students. They will definitely be able to identify with her.
Amelia is a typical middle schools student with the same typical problems as middle school students today. Her parents are divorced, she has earned a reputation as a “bad kid”, and she faces how to help a friend whose father is serving in combat. These are all realistic things that my middle school students face. I’ve read these in e-book format and will definitely purchase these in physical form for my shelves. Really nice graphic novel. This is coming from someone who really doesn’t care for a lot of graphic novels. This one I recommend.
February 13, 2015
This book is so cute cute is about a group ;of friends and their unique life's. The book is mainly about this girl named Amelia McBride and how she thinks nothing in her life is going the way she wants it to be. first her aunt doesn't answer her emails so she decide to read her aunts diaries in other to not feel that alone and also to realize some stress. I loved the stories of each kid how each one had their own problems and worries some were small problems but him or her were huge for example Reggie problem was building the club house and getting his friends back together. But Joan was going through having her dad in a war she was constantly worried about her dad's well being. I love how they were friends through rough and happy moments I enjoyed this book very much.
February 5, 2012
I love this series! I love how Amelia and her crew mature just enough in each book, it's one of those series you want to get into kid's hands at that right moment.
I think the beauty of this series is that kid's Amelia's age can pick it up and enjoy it, but adults can also read her stories and identify with what she is going through. I remember feeling the way Amelia does in this book, and finally realizing that, like she says, there is no "child's world" or "adult's world" - there is just life and we all have to learn how to navigate it and friends are the most important thing to have.
I think the beauty of this series is that kid's Amelia's age can pick it up and enjoy it, but adults can also read her stories and identify with what she is going through. I remember feeling the way Amelia does in this book, and finally realizing that, like she says, there is no "child's world" or "adult's world" - there is just life and we all have to learn how to navigate it and friends are the most important thing to have.
January 26, 2016
After hearing about them forever and ever (well, a good few years), I finally got around to reading the Amelia Rules! books when our library got nice, new reissues. They are super enjoyable and so truly well-done. Great art, very realistic and manages to deal with a host of situations and issues that feel very true. As opposed to the dreaded didactic, issuey manner. I'm so very fond of all of these characters and will now wonder about their fates, although Gownley is kind enough to offer us a few sneak peeks a long the way.
Special shout-outs also for the way flashback scenes adapted the style of various comic strips and the indie rock references, both of which made me super-duper happy.
Special shout-outs also for the way flashback scenes adapted the style of various comic strips and the indie rock references, both of which made me super-duper happy.
September 24, 2012
This is a easy and funny book to read. There is a lot of drama that takes place in the book. This book is short and has pictures on each page. Amelia is in middle school and gets made fun of a lot. Her parents are divorced. She has to go to the principle with her parents because she is bad. She wanted to be on the cheer leading team but couldn't be because of the principle. She doesn't have a lot of friends. In the end she says, sometimes the best way to get someone through the pain of their past or their present is just to be there with them, and hold thier hand, and wait for the future. All in all, I would recommend this book to others because it is short and makes you laugh.
October 15, 2013
O NO!! I did it again!! I grabbed this book while browsing through the library shelves, not realizing that it was the 7th in the series!! No wonder there were times that I felt a bit left out in an otherwise intriguing graphic novel with layered characters, and profound story lines that had just the right amount of fluff. And worse yet…. for whatever reason the first book in the series is unavailable for transfer at my public library. Thank goodness I could add it to my goodreads “to-read” shelve to remind myself to order a copy when I have some amazon funds saved up. I know my pre-teen will love it!
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June 13, 2012Audience: This book is a great choice for students 3-5 grade.
Appeal: I think this book is very appealing because it deals with challenges that children face, but in a humorous way. This book deals with a parent fighting in the war, divorce, going to the principal, not making cheer leading, and many other struggles kids may be dealing with. I think reading a book with characters in similar situations could help students get through a hard time in their life.
Awards:2012 Will Eisner Award Nominee
Appeal: I think this book is very appealing because it deals with challenges that children face, but in a humorous way. This book deals with a parent fighting in the war, divorce, going to the principal, not making cheer leading, and many other struggles kids may be dealing with. I think reading a book with characters in similar situations could help students get through a hard time in their life.
Awards:2012 Will Eisner Award Nominee
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