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Elston Prep #2
The Pity Party: 8th Grade in the Life of Me, Cass
In its paperback debut, the sequel to Alison Pollet's NOBODY WAS HERE follows quick-witted Cass Levin, through the rugged terrain of 8th grade at New York City's Elston Prep.
When eighth grade begins, Cass feels like the entire school is out to get her. She's stuck in classes without her closest friends Penelope and Tillie to keep her company. And as if that weren't bad enough, this is the year that students take an extended field trip to Elston Prep's nature retreat in the countryside.
Cass confronts her problems with spirited resilience, and she forges an unexpected friendship with Rod Punkin, the school's biggest behavior problem. When Rod goes missing, Cass embarks on a secret rescue mission in this funny, witty, and utterly moving story about being thirteen.
When eighth grade begins, Cass feels like the entire school is out to get her. She's stuck in classes without her closest friends Penelope and Tillie to keep her company. And as if that weren't bad enough, this is the year that students take an extended field trip to Elston Prep's nature retreat in the countryside.
Cass confronts her problems with spirited resilience, and she forges an unexpected friendship with Rod Punkin, the school's biggest behavior problem. When Rod goes missing, Cass embarks on a secret rescue mission in this funny, witty, and utterly moving story about being thirteen.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
6 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 21, 2012
FIRST IMPRESSION:
I personally didn't expect much out of this book. I just expected it to be a light-hearted, fun read. The title is pretty intriguing, and I noticed how the author has another book told from Cass's best friend, Penelope's point of view. I'll definitely have to pick it up later.
WRITING STYLE:
Amazing work with the writing style. There wasn't a single awkward sentence, or a place where I lost interest in the plot. It was all flowing together, though there are still questions left unanswered.
PLOT:
It didn't have the typical "other people changing" all because they got put in the same English group. I personally found the entire "English group" a little unneeded. I feel as if Cass and Rod would've had chemistry with or without being forced to work with each other.
CHARACTERS:
I loved the characters. Cass had some depth in her, and was one of the few female characters I didn't mind. She was strong and tall, (tallness being something most female characters aren't) And I loved Rod and his random outbursts, although it truly did make him appear crazy at times.
OVERALL:
A likeable read which I recommend to anybody under teens. I feel as if it'd be too "young" for teenagers, but it's enjoyable all the same.
AMOUNT OF STARS:
3
January 5, 2010
Cass was addopted by her aunt when her parent died in a car accident 2 or 3 years ago. When the mailman came she was excited she recieved "The Welcome to 8th Grade" letter, where it syas the name of her teacjers and what periods she has with them. She was nervous to open it she waited until her friends arrieved. When they got there they huddled and opened them when they found only two of them were the only ones thst were together, Cass wasn't one of them. She was dissapointed!! Later in the year she is friends with the most popular girl and gets invited to her rich mansion she forgets all about her other 2 bff's! The Pitty Party is a book about friendship and caring for another and i recomended to people taht are having a hard time with friends.
June 9, 2013
The Pity Party is such an amazing read.
Crazy and unusual word lists, classic books for reports, rhyming songs about kangaroos and Peanut Chews, combat boots, very strong individuality among characters, the no-words-can-describe-this budding relationship between Cass Levin and Rod Punkin... and the dreamy destination of 2 March Hare road.
Everything will send goosebumps all over—whether it makes you cry, laugh, smile or all at the same time. Rod will say things that you don't expect, and all of a sudden you find yourself wanting to be a part of their world of "insanity." 'Cause we are all a bit psycho.
And then, by the end of the book, you'll be wondering: Where am I supposed to be?
Crazy and unusual word lists, classic books for reports, rhyming songs about kangaroos and Peanut Chews, combat boots, very strong individuality among characters, the no-words-can-describe-this budding relationship between Cass Levin and Rod Punkin... and the dreamy destination of 2 March Hare road.
Everything will send goosebumps all over—whether it makes you cry, laugh, smile or all at the same time. Rod will say things that you don't expect, and all of a sudden you find yourself wanting to be a part of their world of "insanity." 'Cause we are all a bit psycho.
And then, by the end of the book, you'll be wondering: Where am I supposed to be?
November 26, 2012
Pity Party by Alison Pollet is a very relatable book about a girl who feels that the entire world is out to get her. Her school schedule is all messed up, her parents are dead, the boy she likes moves away, and she is emotionally incapable of going through the grief process. Everything bad happens to her and she is a mess. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mental journeys, stories about orphans, school problems, boy problems, and love. It is a great representation of how 8th grade works, how our human brain thinks, and how to overcome personal fears and problems.
October 31, 2008
This story was just alright. I like the character of Rod Punkin, for he bought a little spice into the story. He shook things up but when he got to where he wanted to be, he realized that the problem wasn't with him, it was the atmosphere around him. He didn't belong where he used to live. Slowly, Cass realized that too. Other that theclimaz, there was nothing interesting about the stoy. It was pretty boring.
July 23, 2017
Alison Pollet follows up her previous novel with this tween-age angst book. After thirty years it is becoming a bit dated with references some kids won't recognize. Though there is relatively nothing offensive in this book in terms of words or language or that kind of content. Unlike the first book, which was all about the struggles of being rich in a rich NY neighborhood and going to uppity private school, The Pity Party is more about the darkness of the mind that can affect anybody and just happens to occur at an uppity private school. Much more relate-able, and as such, enjoyable.
Read
March 10, 2017I took this book from the library when it was wrapped in paper so I didn’t really choose this book but I like it because I think it is cute and nice. The story tells about Cass, a girl in 8th grade that her parent died in a car accident when she was 8. She has two best friends, Penelope and Tillie. But when she gets to school and starts 8th grade she meets Rod, a new guy in her class.Then, when Rod goes missing, Cass take the mission to find him. I think this book is good for the ages between 10- 15.
June 2, 2016
January 18 (Pages 1 - 76)
As I've read only the beginning of the book, I have learned a lot about the main character, Cass Levin. Her parents died in a car accident, leaving her to live alone with her grandmother who she seems to be very close with. But she doesn't let this damper her days and get quite annoyed when people start to feel bad for her. She doesn't seem like the quiet type as she has friends and isn't afraid to be social with everyone, even the new boy who at first was seen as weird to Cass. She has a very strong personality and tries not to care about what others think of her but still tends to hurt when she feels excluded. She often feels this way with her two friends, Penelope and Tillie who share all of the same classes, leaving her alone in her class. She even feel this way with her pet dog, Sylia Hempel, sometimes as well which makes me think that because her parents are gone, she likes to feel the sense of being wanted. So far, I'm liking the book and can predict that Cass and the new boy Rod Punkin will become better friends, Cass might even become less than best friends with Penelope and/or Tillie
January 25 (pages 76 to 148 - end of book)
The Pity Party by Alison Pollet seemed quite average to me. There were very good aspects to the book, however there some mediocre parts to it as well. The characters, big and small, had personalities that were easy to detect and very relatable. Alison Pollet did a very good job of showing what all of the different characters were really like and was able to allow readers to connect with them. However, the book was written with a theme that was somewhat cliche. The book was all about middle school relationships which was easy to relate to but wasn't thorough in the book for me to really connect with. There was great potential to the book but there didn't seem to be a very big moment that was fleshed out enough to capture really. Overall, the book was alright but I would still recommend it to people who enjoy books about friendship, family, life in the city and for people that just want a read for entertainment more than depth.
As I've read only the beginning of the book, I have learned a lot about the main character, Cass Levin. Her parents died in a car accident, leaving her to live alone with her grandmother who she seems to be very close with. But she doesn't let this damper her days and get quite annoyed when people start to feel bad for her. She doesn't seem like the quiet type as she has friends and isn't afraid to be social with everyone, even the new boy who at first was seen as weird to Cass. She has a very strong personality and tries not to care about what others think of her but still tends to hurt when she feels excluded. She often feels this way with her two friends, Penelope and Tillie who share all of the same classes, leaving her alone in her class. She even feel this way with her pet dog, Sylia Hempel, sometimes as well which makes me think that because her parents are gone, she likes to feel the sense of being wanted. So far, I'm liking the book and can predict that Cass and the new boy Rod Punkin will become better friends, Cass might even become less than best friends with Penelope and/or Tillie
January 25 (pages 76 to 148 - end of book)
The Pity Party by Alison Pollet seemed quite average to me. There were very good aspects to the book, however there some mediocre parts to it as well. The characters, big and small, had personalities that were easy to detect and very relatable. Alison Pollet did a very good job of showing what all of the different characters were really like and was able to allow readers to connect with them. However, the book was written with a theme that was somewhat cliche. The book was all about middle school relationships which was easy to relate to but wasn't thorough in the book for me to really connect with. There was great potential to the book but there didn't seem to be a very big moment that was fleshed out enough to capture really. Overall, the book was alright but I would still recommend it to people who enjoy books about friendship, family, life in the city and for people that just want a read for entertainment more than depth.
April 24, 2012
I enjoyed this book more for the author's literary references and obvious delight in language than for the story itself. I liked the idea of keeping a list of favorite words. I also liked the description of a snowstorm in New York City and how it effects the lives of the school kids there(similar and different from Omaha.) Pretty typical junior high fare. ("Sometimes I wish my parents were dead.") I think the girls will like it.
September 13, 2007
I liked this book, it had some great moments. Cass is an orphan who lives with her aunt and wrestles with the death of her parents. The standout character in this story is crazy Rod Punkin, every scene he swelled made me smile. This is a sequel, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything by starting here.
Want to read
March 19, 2009I would like to read this book because it talks about how a girl named Cass makes a fake friendship with this boy Rod. Then Rod goes missing and Cass has to find him. I want to see if she really finds him.
November 17, 2007
Sequel to Nobody was here
September 18, 2008
good but could be better.
June 20, 2009
It's amazingly funny. Everything from Olivia Twisted, to heart shaped sunglasses missing a lens. Lists of books about orphans, and combat boots. :)
July 5, 2009
Very good book. It was inspiring, showing to let ur true style come out!
August 11, 2009
It was just ok it had a good ending but was a little different...
September 26, 2009
this book was SUPER SUPER good...really loved it!!!
October 25, 2009
I liked this book, but it didn't sound as if it took place in 1982
August 21, 2010
Eh....pretty standard YA stuff. Nothing special. Why set a book in the 80's if you aren't really going to make any references to the time period?
April 26, 2011
It was ok i guess. it wasn't Great but i still read it.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews