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Remember Dippy

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Johnny's plans fly out the window when he finds out his single mother is leaving town for the summer. She has a breakthough job in upstate New York. He can live with his Aunt Collette but only on the condition that he "help out with" his autistic older cousin, Remember. Yup, you heard it right: Remember Dippy. That's his cousin's name—and Remember is a gawky awkward kid with some pretty strange habits, like repeating back almost everything Johnny says and spending hours glued to the weather channel. Johnny's premonitions of disaster appear at first to come to cringeworthy fruition, but when the two boys save a bully from drowning, salvage the pizzeria guy's romance, and share girl troubles, Johnny ends up having the summer of his life.

176 pages, Paperback

First published May 14, 2013

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314 people want to read

About the author

Shirley Reva Vernick

9 books31 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
Profile Image for Michael.
115 reviews5 followers
Read
May 13, 2013
From my blog review... (Middle Grade Mafioso)

What I liked:

I pretty much say it about all the books I like: VOICE. By this I mean that the voice (the outlook, the word choices) of the main character, Johnny, is spot on. Johnny would much rather hang with his friends, Mo and Reed, than with his cousin Remember ("Yes, that's right, his name is Remember--straight out of some New Age baby-naming book.") Remember (or Mem, as Johnny calls him) is on the autistic spectrum and does indeed have several habits that would exasperate a neurotypical teen. Mem repeats parts of what others say; he throws tantrums when he feels he can't control what's happening in the world around him. But he is also sweet. Therefore, while Johnny views his neighbor, Mr. Boots, as a "cranky old man," Mem calls him his best friend. Mem also doesn't get rattled by the boy whom Johnny can't stand, Dirk Dempster. In the end, it's Mem who teaches Johnny acceptance.

Cast of Characters: There's actually a lot going on in this novel. Johnny's Aunt Collette, who is Mem's mom, and with whom Johnny's spending the summer, has a suitor. Niko, who owns the pizza parlor in town, has lost the engagement ring he wanted to present his girlfriend. There's a girl, Leesha, visiting from Chicago who actually likes it in Hull and doesn't want to return home. (Mem, of course, befriends her.) Dirk Dempster has a rotten home life, but he and Johnny come to an uneasy truce. There are rescue ferrets. And Johnny and his pals end up helping (and growing to appreciate) Mr. Boots after he falls and breaks a leg.

Humor: Yup, there's a lot to laugh about. Middle school boys playing mini golf with... hard boiled eggs?! "So that's how we invented a new sport called Egg Whack. Mo actually wanted to call it Egg Roll, but Reed and I vetoed it on the grounds that it sounded like Chinese take-out." There are haircut disasters: "Who was this alien with the spikes and poufs staring back at me...? I looked like a rock star on a bad hair day, only worse."
But I think my favorite line is near the end, when the kids have pulled off something major and Johnny says "For a terrifying moment, I thought we were going to have a group hug. Leesha put both arms out, and Mem started leaning in--but I was saved by the bell. The doorbell, that is." See what I mean about voice?!

In conclusion, REMEMBER DIPPY doesn't have a huge promotional budget. It's being published by a small press. But it was definitely one of the more endearing novels I've read in a while, and I would encourage you to seek it out. Middle Graders will find the attitudes and experiences of the novel ring very true to life.
Profile Image for Shelley.
538 reviews126 followers
November 30, 2022
I very much enjoy YA and middle grade reads that have adult appeal and are realistic, although I can't speak for its authenticity when it comes to someone on the spectrum. This book was sweet, easy to read and taught a little bit about acceptance of others who are a bit different.
Profile Image for Sarah Evans.
672 reviews15 followers
May 29, 2018
Good middle grade read about acceptance of others with a variety of differences.
Profile Image for Hannah Doss.
4 reviews
December 9, 2016
This is a great novel for young adults, especially those in middle-high school. I loved it and I'm 21 years old so really it could be for any audience. It's an insightful story for someone who lives with an autistic person. Johnny expects his summer to be dreadful because he has to look after his cousin, Remember, while his mom is out of town for work. He soon finds out that it isn't as bad as he expects and remember is a lot more than just different. He is protective, caring, and very enthusiastic about certain things. Along with his friends and his aunt, Remember and Johnny end up having a very successful and eventful summer and it couldn't have ended better.
Profile Image for Jeanne.
642 reviews3 followers
February 18, 2017
This book was on the United Methodist 2017 Reading List. It was recommended for Youth and Adults and was in the Nurturing for Community category.

Entertaining book that shows acceptance of people with differences and disabilities.

I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Julie Suzanne.
2,175 reviews84 followers
May 10, 2017
Librarians and teachers sang the praises of this book when introducing the Charlotte Award nominees last year. All of the titles selected for the elementary school and middle school categories were "dark" or upsetting in some way, and it was noted. When this was introduced as a high school level novel, the presenter clutched the book to her heart and said something like, "You wanted a touching and positive book? This one will touch your heart." I made a note to read it, even though it has a cover and title that would normally repel me.

I do regret taking the presenter's word for it. This is in no way appropriate for high school; it is a middle school book at best, and probably most appropriate for elementary school kids. I was bored to death, and the characters acted like elderly people in teen bodies. I guess it was...sweet? I can't think of anyone to whom I'd recommend this, except maybe a kid who is required to read a realistic fiction book with a character who has autism and all of the better ones weren't available, and that's about it. I think it's already dated, unfortunately.

Profile Image for Patricia M Thompson.
87 reviews
May 22, 2017
This book is perfect for a 6th to 7th grade student, particularly a boy. The author did an awesome job in telling a story about how important friendship and helping others is in our lives. You cannot help but be drawn into the life of the main character. The decision the young boy had to make the one summer of his life that started out as the "Pits" and turned out to be something "Exceptional". I recomend this book to all parents, grandparents, and teachers to add this to a childs reading list.
41 reviews
April 23, 2021
(Dolly Gray Award)

This book is an excellent representation of a normal teenage boy and his exciting plans for the summer. However, those plans were short-lived when he has to spend the summer with his autistic cousin, Remember. At first, the main character Johnny was upset about his summer plans, but after spending time with Remember, Johnny ends up really enjoying his summer. I think this book presents raw emotions from Johnny having to hang out with his autistic cousin, and that is not always something that is presented in young adult books.
40 reviews
October 19, 2021
This book felt very authentic. As readers, we often expect books about disabilities to be very dramatic and we expect the character with a disability to be a victim who eventually transforms into a hero. I enjoyed this book because Remember was never expected to change in order to fit in. My biggest takeaway from this book was that we should take time to understand those who are "different" from us. Often time what happens is that we end up realizing that we are more similar than we are different.
37 reviews
April 14, 2018
This is a great book that explores the clash between different but normal. Johnny is sent to stay with his aunt and cousin who is very different, over the summer while his mom gets a new job. Johnny and his cousin differ in many ways. His cousin likes every day to be the same as where Johnny likes to be adventurous. The author invites reader to see things through a different perspective and informs them that is it okay to do so. This was a great read and I would recommenced it to all ages.
46 reviews2 followers
March 8, 2018
I feel this book had a great learning experience behind it. It could be the lesson of learning to accept one and other as they are. I felt it was meant more for older young adults rather than children. It was very educational, but was not something that I enjoyed reading.
Profile Image for Lilly .
82 reviews
December 19, 2019
Honestly not that realistic of autism representation. I work with kids with autism and while the common behaviors are there, they don’t really match what they truly look like. Echolalic speech in this book is just a tick, not a form of communication. The main character also isn’t the brightest.
29 reviews
May 1, 2020
Another great read about diversity and being different. Story is about accepting each other no matter what. The story is great for learning about special needs and would be great to read to a k-4 classroom to teach the lesson of acceptance and being true to who you are no matter what.
Profile Image for Marnie.
697 reviews12 followers
October 15, 2017
Great story about learning to understand one another.
Profile Image for Miriam.
665 reviews4 followers
December 4, 2018
I thought it was a really cute book with good discussion points. It allows kids to see what others with disabilities experience and how families cope with it.
Profile Image for Kate.
155 reviews4 followers
July 20, 2020
This book exceeded my expectations. I could have done without Jo. She was not at all interesting.
431 reviews
March 22, 2017
Appreciated the book more after the book group discussed it...could be an interesting choice for One Book, One School
Profile Image for Tuğçe Gökırmak.
Author 32 books97 followers
May 25, 2013
3,5 stars -

Kitap, tam olarak Beni Seç’in neredeyse bıraktığı yerden devam ediyor. Ama artık Beni Seç kadar tatlı ve yumuşak bir hikaye ile karşı karşıya değiliz. Kısaca, America Singer’in iki harika çocuk arasında bir seçim yapması lazım, ama zamanı azalııyor. İsyancılar iyice ön plana çıktı ve Seçim’i durdurmaya azimli gibiler.
Dediğim gibi, ilk kitaptakinden daha karanlık, daha sert bir hikaye var bu defa karşımızda. İlk kitapta, Aspen’in saraya gardiyan olarak girmesiyle birlikte işler America için karışmıştı ve bu kitapta America kendi seçim becerisini iyiden iyiye kaybediyor gibi, bir Maxon, bir Aspen derken kendisine bir hayli sinir olduğumu belirtmeden edemeyeceğim. Maxon’layken gönlü onunla ve onunla olmak istediğine gerçekten inanıyorsunuz, ama Aspen’le korkusuzca bir araya gelince bir parçasının onu hiç bırakamdığını görüyorsunuz. Ve bir de her an yakalanabilecekleri konusu var oraya hiç girmiyorum bile. Açıkçası bu tavrı ile America’yı ilk kitaptaki kadar sevilesi de bulmadığımı söyleyebilirim. Yine de hikaye açısından tabii ki, iyiydi. O her ne kadar karar verememiş olsun, ben hala Team Maxon’ım, ama onunda sınırları zorladığı yerler yok değil; bu kararsızlık hali bulaşıcı sanırım ;) – Hem Maxon, hem benim açımdan ;)
Gerçi itiraf etmem gerekir, her ne kadar Cass’ın özel bir yazım tarzı yoksa da, hikayenin bu iki kişi arasında gidip gelmesinde okura America, Aspen ve Maxon’ın durumlarını gayet güzel hissettirmiş; okurken yer yer midenizin düğümlendiğini hissediyorsunuz, biriyleyken diğeri için üzülüyor, kızıyorsunuz, zaman zaman America’nın karmaşasını anlıyor, zaman zaman anlam veremiyorsunuz, fakat hissettiği karmaşayı her iki koşulda da anlayabiliyorsunuz.



“Evet demenin, senin için nefes almak kadar kolay olmasını istiyorum.”
Diğer kızların da artık Maxon için daha fazla savaştıkları gerçeği ile birlikte, rekabette iyice artıyor ve yaptığı yanlış hamleler America için zamanı daha hızlı daraltıyor. Ve tam America kararını vermişken, korkunç bir olay ile her şey tepe taklak oluyor.

İkinci kitapla birlikte bir kaç karakteri daha iyi tanıma şansımız oluyor, kral ve kraliçe gibi. Ve kraliçe ne kadar tatlı ve iyi olarak sunulmuşsa, kralda o kadar zıttı, ikilemlere devam yani…
Ve tabii ki, giderek artan bir gizem hakim; isyancılar baskınları arttırıyor ve bir şeylerin peşinde olduklarına dair ipuçlarını görebiliyoruz, ama peki neyin peşindeler? Başlarında kim var? Bu gizemle birlikte macera da tabii ki, artıyor, fakat yine de ana odak noktası haline gelmiş bir macera ya da gizem durumu yok. Buna rağmen, aynen ilk kitap gibi bir çırpıda okunuyor.
Kitabın, daha doğrusu serinin güzel bir yanı, karakterlerin seri boyunca gelişmeye ve kendini bulmaya çabalamaya devam etmeleri. Henüz tam olarak oturmamış noktalarının olması ve hata yapmaktan çekinmemeleri, böylesine gerçek üstü bir hikaye için gerçekçi bir zemin hazırlıyor. Gerçi bu noktada en zayıf karakter Aspen sanırım, ilk kitapta nasılsa hemen hemen aynı, sadece America’nın sevgisi için biraz daha fazla çabalıyor diyebiliriz.



“Seni seçmem için bana bir şans ver.”
Tıpkı ilk kitapta olduğu gibi, keyifli ve ilgi çekici konusuna rağmen, fazlasıyla sıradan yazım kalitesi ve anlatım tarzında bu kitapta da bir değişiklik yok. Konunun akış hızı tam kararında, ne fazla hızlanıyor ne de sallanıyor, bu nedenle kitabın en önemli noktası hala konusu ve hikayenin akışı, gidişatı. Bu sebeple de sonunu nasıl getireceğini merakla bekliyorum.

Sonuç olarak, Beni Seç’in odaklandığı kızşar, güzellik ve seçim konusunun aksine, üçlemenin dünyasına, savaşa, isyancılara ve daha önemlisi tarihe odaklanan The Elite, üçlemelerdeki ikinci kitapların genelde yaşadığı ızdıraplı, vasat olma durumunu yaşamıyor diyebilirim. İlk kitapta sunulan dünyayı daha iyi anlamamızı, her şeyin göründüğü kadar pembe olmadığını fark etmemizi sağlıyor ve üçüncü kitap için merak uyandıran, güzel bir zemin hazırlayarak son buluyor. Neyse ki, yine bir bekleten son olmasına rağmen ilk kitaptaki kadar fena değildi. En azından feryatlarım duyulmadı ;) gerçi onları bol miktarda, kitap içerisinde America için sarfettim bu defa…
15 reviews
April 27, 2015
Intermediate Multicultural Book
2014 Dolly Gray Award Winner
Copyright 2013

I loved reading Remember Dippy by Shirley Reva Vernick and thought it had great educational value while being an extremely easy read. I think it is important for all students to understand that children with disabilities face challenges everyday but one challenge they should be able to completely avoid is not being able to make friends. I think no matter disability or no disability all children need to be able to experience friendship.

Text-to-text: For some reason, while I was reading Remember Dippy, I thought of the book "A Child Called It." I think this book was stuck in my head while reading Remember Dippy is because I know that Dippy was struggling to make friends. In the book A child Called It, David was in desperate need for someone to befriend him and for anyone to pay attention to him because he lacked that at home. Although this might not totally go hand-and-hand, it just reminds me that no matter the situation be nice and friendly to all you whom you encounter because you never know what you friendship could do for someone!

Text-to-self: This book really reminds me of a relationship I had with a peer of mine in high school. During lunch, a peer of mine who had disabilities would eat his lunch and then wonder around the lunch room talking to all of his friends, which happened to be students without disabilities. Our friend, Troy, was the sweetest boy I have ever met. I absolutely adored each day that I was able to spend my lunch with him because he constantly had a smile on his face and was so sweet. He would say things like "you are so beautiful" and we constantly had conversations about our day! It was the perfect friendship, and he was just the sweetest boy I have ever met. As soon as I started reading this book Remember reminded me of my sweet friend Troy!

Text-to-world: This book is a great book for upper elementary and middle school students to read. Those ages are tough for all students, it is the beginning of awkward life changes. One thing I think is most important for students of this age to remember is that no matter what a person is like or if they have disabilities or not, we need to be kind, loving, and friendly to them all. It is the best feeling to have friends, so if you can be a friend to everyone it might encourage others to befriend individuals they might not usually hang around.

Bloom's Taxonomy Questions:

Level 1: Remembering
What were the names of the main characters in Remember Dippy?

Level 2: Understanding
List three words to describe Remember?

Level 3: Applying
Do you think Johnny will care for his cousin in the coming summers?

Level 4: Analyzing
How are Remember and Johnny similar? How are they different?

Level 5: Evaluating
If you were in Johnny's situation, would you have risked your summer to help care for your cousin?

Level 6: Creating
What do you think the rest of Johnny's summer was like?
Profile Image for Karielle.
330 reviews98 followers
May 14, 2013
Remember Dippy is a cute, middle grade/young adult coming-of-age novel about the lovable and smart-alecky Johnny whose mother plucks him from his home and plops him at his aunt and cousin's during summer vacation. This is the ultimate injustice to the modern teenager—especially since Johnny has suddenly assumed the role of Remember, his autistic cousin's, caretaker—but soon, his own self-discoveries in tandem with his time with Mem and the things that happen around him, make it clear that this is one summer that Johnny will never forget.

14-year-old Johnny is good-natured and likable. He's such an honest, smart, and self-conscious character who captures teen spirit—and angst—accurately. I loved him as a narrator! Remember, our other protagonist, isn't explored as deeply because we never gain his perspective, but I warmed up to him immediately. He's definitely not perfect, and his lack of awareness and social direction sometimes get Johnny in trouble, but he's affectionate, and he's pure; with all these edgy books about forbidden romances and gangs and communist regimes and love triangles flooding the YA scene these days, a book like Remember Dippy is refreshing and enlightening because it actually has a message—a moral that everyone should take to heart.

This is the summer when Johnny grows up, gets real, and figures himself out. This is the summer when Remember shows Johnny what true friendship is about, as he becomes as much a friend to Johnny as Johnny is to Mem; the entire wholesome, heartfelt journey will stick with readers of all ages.

Pros
Lovable and real narrator // Sentimental // Demonstrates value of friendship and family // Parent- and child-friendly // Lots of plot action—never gets boring

Cons
Nothing phenomenal... overall everything—from the plot, characterization, style, and structure—is good, but not great

Verdict
Shirley Reva Vernick's Remember Dippy is a slow journey of embracing family, friends, and identity—exactly the type of book parents will want their kids (ages 9-13) to read. With beautifully crafted sentiments, heart-wrenching twists and turns, and an emotional, triumphant finish, young readers will be glued to this one, and guaranteed to be cheering by the last page.

Rating: 7 out of 10 hearts (4 stars): Not perfect, but overall enjoyable.

Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review for the Books Complete Me virtual book tour (thank you!).
Profile Image for Brooke Newberry.
46 reviews13 followers
May 30, 2013
Johnny is ready for a very boring summer in Vermont. He's about to enter high school and is preparing himself for a lot of gaming, sleeping, and eating. All of those plans come to a screeching halt when Johnny's mother informs him he has to go live with his cousin and aunt for the ENTIRE summer.

Johnny is a little excited though. His aunt works at the local 7-11 and gives him free slushies whenever he wants. The summer is starting to look pretty promising. Then, his mom drops the bomb. He has a JOB! He has to basically babysit his older cousin, Remember, while his aunt is at work every day.

Remember is not your normal 15 year old boy. As Johnny describes him, "He's what polite people call different. I call him weird. He doesn't have friends. He looks the wrong way when you speak to him. He either talks a mile a minute or not at all. He's stubborn and high-strung. I could go on and on."

Is this going to be the worst summer of Johnny's life?

I really enjoyed this book. It is a subject that has been touched on by many, but never quite as well as Shirley Vernick portrays it. Johnny is an average 13 year old boy. He's selfish, in love with a girl, and doesn't want to be stuck with his weird cousin all summer. Johnny is also a character that is easy to relate to. His love for his family shows on every page, even the ones where they are arguing with each other.

This book has plenty of angles to keep middle grade readers intrigued. There is some mystery involving a lost engagement ring, romance involving a best friend's sister, and bullying from the neighbor next door. However, the overall theme in this book is friendship. By the end of this book, you'll be yelling at Johnny to make the right decisions, yelling at Remember to hold it together, and you will absolutely love how much the characters have developed throughout this book.

This is a wonderful book that I would recommend to anyone that came in asking for a good summer read. Fans of books such as Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, or The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger will love this addition to your library shelves.

Review copy provided by author.
Profile Image for Stephanie Ward.
1,224 reviews116 followers
May 23, 2013
'Remember Dippy' is a light-hearted book that follows Johnny throughout his summer before high school, which was supposed to be nothing but fun with his friends. After Johnny's mom gets a big project out of state, Johnny is sent to stay with his aunt and his autistic cousin, Remember. Not only does he have to spend the summer with them, but he has to help his aunt watch over Remember while she's at work. Johnny's summer plans have gone straight down the drain as the days seem to loom ahead. As the days quickly fly by, Johnny and Remember, "Mem," bond over their adventures together including saving a bully, crushing on girls, and reviving the local pizzeria owner's romance. Not only has his summer turned out very differently than he expected, Johnny finds himself growing closer to his cousin and having the time of his life.

This was a really light and fun book that also deals with common issues with teens. Johnny is a good main character - he's an average teenage kid who loves summer break and intends on hanging with his friends. But he loves his mom and doesn't want to mess up her chance at a big project. He is loyal to his friends and family and stands up for what matters to him. I also really loved the character of Remember. There aren't many autistic characters in books, and I found that the author did a fantastic and realistic job at portraying autism and the way it effects others throughout the book. Remember is a truly unique and fascinating character and I ended up really loving him by the end of the book. I loved watching the relationship between Johnny and his cousin develop throughout the story as Johnny begins to understand Mem and his problems a bit better and even figures out ways to help with his autistic issues. The plot was fun and had some action/adventure thrown in. There was even a little romance as the boys had crushes and girl problems. The story was well written with a good pace and an easy flow. Overall, this was a quick and easy read that fans of contemporary YA fiction will be sure to enjoy.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Will.
14 reviews
April 24, 2015
Sorry to anyone who reads this review, I'm writing this for a class I am taking.

Remembering: What was Johnny’s dad doing this summer? Answer: Johnny’s dad was going on a cruise with his new girlfriend.

Understanding: Explain why Aunt Collette leaves her parking tickets on her windshield. Answer: Aunt Collette believes that people are caught doing the worst things, so if the worst thing she does is a bad parking job, then she must not be that bad.

Applying: How do you think Johnny might spend his future summers? Answer: He may volunteer to watch over his cousin, or at least spend more time with him.

Analyzing: How are Johnny and his Cousin alike? How are they different? Give two examples for each question. Answer: Both like video games, and both do a lot to make other people happy, even at their own expense. Johnny likes Jo as more than just a friend, and Johnny also preforms pranks on Dirk, where his cousin is friendly to everyone.

Evaluating: Would you risk something important to yourself, for a chance at helping someone else? If so, write about a time that you have; if no, then write why not. Answer: No, and that makes me feel kind of bad. I cannot recall anytime that I have had the opportunity to do so, though I do remember when I was younger, there were time when someone was getting picked on and I did not do anything to help. I was afraid of being picked on instead.

Creating: How do you think the rest of Johnny’s summer went? Write a short summary. Answer: I think Johnny’s summer went great. HE and his cousin continued to bon, and Jonny got to know all of the people he meet better. And I think they all had a big pizza party at Nico’s where they invited Mr. Boots and Leesha, and Nico even lets in Mr. Boots faithful dog Millie have a slice of pizza. Patsy will also bring Dirk and Johnny and Dirk will get along, even making plans to hang out and play videogames together. Also, Aunt Collette and TJ will be there and TJ and Mo will talk about the golf course that Tj is opening up. Everyone will be very happy.
15 reviews
April 13, 2015
This was an amazing book that is not only entertaining, but educational as well. Although the book did not specifically mention Remember's disability, it explained his characteristics and how misunderstood many disabled children are. (Text-to-Self) This book made me think about my own cousin with a disability very similar to Remember's. My cousin displays many of the same characteristics as Remember and I could relate tremendously with the main character's misunderstandings that become love and affection for his cousin. (Text-to-World) I think this is a wonderful book for young students to read and learn that just because someone is different from you does not mean they are not good people or someone that can become a good friend. Upper Elementary school and Middle school are such tough times for students that can be classified as "different" and this book can help to educate them on the importance of treating everyone fairly and politely...even if you don't understand the difference between them. (Text-to-text) This book made me think about "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs. I thought of this book because it is also about children that are different or misunderstood and the main character gets to know them and love and care about them. I really enjoyed "Remember Dippy" and look forward to recommending this to students in the future.

Bloom's questions:
1. Remembering
Who were the main characters of "Remember Dippy"?

2. Understanding:
How would you characterize Remember?

3. Applying:
How is Remember similar to Johnny?

4. Analyzing:
What is the relationship between Remember and Johnny?

5. Evaluating:
What choice would you have made if you were in Johnny's situation of choosing between going and seeing the girl he likes, or helping Remember to go and meet Leesha?

6. Creating:
What do you predict will happen between Jo and Johnny, Aunt Collette and TJ, or with Leesha and her family?
Profile Image for Jenna.
170 reviews47 followers
May 3, 2015
Remember Dippy is a story of two teen cousins, one with autism, the summer they spend together and the trials both young men must face.

Reading Remember Dippy was a refreshing change of pace for me. Although I haven’t read many fiction stories where one of the main characters has autism, I know real life children/adults with it. So the thing I liked most about this book was it’s realistic look at the effects of autism. Remember (or Mem, as Johnny calls him) is higher functioning on the autism scale in that he can talk and read, but his understanding of things, social interactions, etc., are affected by the autism.

I really really liked the main character, Johnny. He resents being stuck with Mem for the summer and really just wants to be able to hang out with his friends. But with Mem in the picture, this changes how Johnny spends his summer, and by the end of the book, it has changed his perspective a lot.

While readers don’t get to hear from Remember directly, I think his character, as told through the eyes of Johnny, is very true to real-life autism. I like how he made an impact on Johnny, most likely unknowingly, during the summer the two spent together. Their time together changes Johnny for the better and it also solidifies his relationship with Mem as not just a family member, but as a true friend as well.

Remember Dippy is a great middle grade/young adult crossover book. It’s an engaging story about a young man spending the summer with his autistic cousin and the adventures and hardships they face. The family relationships expressed are genuine and well developed. The message and moral of the story is something all tweens/teens should be exposed to, yet it is not shoved down the throat of the reader.

Remember Dippy is a story that I will not soon forget and I recommend it as something parents should read with their children.
Profile Image for Ruth B.
676 reviews37 followers
May 17, 2013
Johnny is a fourteen-year-old boy who has to spend his summer taking care of his cousin Remember, a sixteen-year-old autistic boy who will teach him about friendship and seeing the world with different eyes.

This book is a fast read, with simple language story with two nice and likeable boys and good adventures.

Remember (yes, that’s his name) or Mem to friends, is just an incredible character. Not only is well built but his whole personality is awesome, one of the good things about him is that his condition of autistic person is not the main focus of the book. There are some passages that describe attitudes and behavior which are a clear evidence of him being autistic but there’s never a complete diagnosis, he is just a special kid.

Johnny at first seems like a selfish or self-center kid but you have to remember that here is a teenage boy who will stay all summer vacation at his aunt’s house, babysitting his older cousin. He is bit obnoxious at times but then again he is just a boy who wants to have fun. Luckily, he discovers a great friend a companion in Remember. I’m glad how things work out for them and how good and tolerant Johnny is with the different sides of Mem’s personality.

The story in general is entertaining and engaging, specially the dynamic between the two boys it what makes it interesting.

The rest of the secondary characters are ok, I like Johnny’s friends they are great kids and his aunt is a lovely lady. There is one character I didn’t like at all is Jo. Johnny is like in love with her but I don’t know why she ends up being a really annoying.

Overall, a nice YA with nice characters and a good plot.

*** I received an ecopy from the author in exchange of an honest review. ***
38 reviews
November 17, 2023
This book showed greatness in the face of adversity. Even though Remember is autistic, he proves to be kind, protective, and more "normal" than Johnny originally thought. I love that the ending includes them having a fun summer together as it just shows that even though someone may not be "normal," they can still have fun and be a good person all the same.
15 reviews1 follower
April 30, 2015
"Remember Dippy" is a Dolly Gray Award winner that it is an intermediate level book. The story is about a boy who has to go live with his aunt and cousin for the summer. This cousin's name is Remember Dippy, and he has autism. He has quirks, such as repeating himself and constantly watching the weather channel. After saving a bully from drowning and sharing girl troubles, the boys bond and end up having a great summer. This book was published in 2013.

Levels of Blooms Taxonomy: I would give the students a worksheet about the story.

Remembering- I would give the students a worksheet that includes five questions about what happened in the story to test their memory.

Understanding- I would have a question that asks them to write a three sentence summary about the book.

Applying- I would have the students discuss similar experiences to having a friend or relative who has quirks, but then I would have them state something positive about them instead of something negative.

Analyzing-When analyzing the students on this story, I would make sure that they understand the main theme and plot of the story.

Evaluating- I would grade based on whether they read and understand the story. This would kind of end up being more of an effort grade as long as they are active in the conversation.

Creating- I would have the students write a short paper about what their dream summer would be like.
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17 reviews
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March 30, 2016
Multicultural Intermediate Book
Copyright: 2013
Genre: Realistic Fiction. This is a fictional story about a 14-year-old boy named Johnny who finds out he has to spend the summer looking after his 16-year-old cousin, Remember, who has autism. At first, Johnny dreads the upcoming summer months he will be spending as a babysitter, but it turns out to be like nothing he expected. The characters and the events are made up, but are all realistic.
Bloom’s Taxonomy Questions
1. Knowledge: What was Remember’s favorite thing to watch on television?
2. Comprehension: How would you compare and contrast the characters of Johnny and Dirk?
3. Application: Throughout the story, there are various events that cause Remember to have tantrums and Johnny is often able to calm him down. How would you handle a situation like this if you were the one witnessing someone you knew in this type of distress?
4. Analysis: What were some of the events that caused Johnny to think, “I had to wonder who was taking care of who this summer” (Ch. 8) and what did he mean by that?
5. Synthesis: Select any relationship from the story between two characters. What do you think the relationships between these characters will be like by the next summer and why?
6. Evaluation: What choice would you have made if you were in a situation like Johnny when he had to choose between ditching Jo again or joining Leesha and Mem on their mysterious plan, and why?
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