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Grounded
A middle grade novel about a 12-year-old girl dealing with loss, who uncovers a rather grisly scam involving a crematorium.
After her brother, sister, and father die in a plane crash, Daralynn Oakland receives 237 dolls from well-wishers, resulting in her Dolly. But dolls are little comfort to a twelve-year-old girl whose world is rocked by the dramatic changes in her life, including her angry, grieving mother's new job as a hairstylist at the local funeral home.
Dolly gets a job, too, where she accidentally invents a fashionable new haircut. But in Grounded by Kate Klise, her real work begins when a crematorium comes to town, and someone has to save a dying business, solve a burning mystery, and resuscitate the broken hearts in Digginsville, Missouri, population 402.
After her brother, sister, and father die in a plane crash, Daralynn Oakland receives 237 dolls from well-wishers, resulting in her Dolly. But dolls are little comfort to a twelve-year-old girl whose world is rocked by the dramatic changes in her life, including her angry, grieving mother's new job as a hairstylist at the local funeral home.
Dolly gets a job, too, where she accidentally invents a fashionable new haircut. But in Grounded by Kate Klise, her real work begins when a crematorium comes to town, and someone has to save a dying business, solve a burning mystery, and resuscitate the broken hearts in Digginsville, Missouri, population 402.
224 pages, Paperback
First published November 9, 2010
28 people are currently reading
1017 people want to read
About the author
Kate Klise
67 books343 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
Catherine "Kate" Klise is an American author of children's literature. Many of her books are illustrated by her sister, M. Sarah Klise. Their popular Regarding series is presented in a scrapbook style format, with letters, journal entries, and related ephemera telling the story. She is also known for her picture books as well as the bestselling 43 Old Cemetery Road series. Kate Klise's first adult novel, In the Bag, was released in 2012.
Catherine "Kate" Klise is an American author of children's literature. Many of her books are illustrated by her sister, M. Sarah Klise. Their popular Regarding series is presented in a scrapbook style format, with letters, journal entries, and related ephemera telling the story. She is also known for her picture books as well as the bestselling 43 Old Cemetery Road series. Kate Klise's first adult novel, In the Bag, was released in 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
February 10, 2011
This is, by far, my favorite Kate Klise book. I really, really liked it. I was hooked by the first four sentences. Let me show you what I saw....
Opening sentence: "I'm alive today because I was grounded."
Fourth sentence: "That's the only reason I wasn't in Daddy's plane when it crashed and killed him, my brother, and my little sister."
And the two sentences in between aren't bad, either.
With most of her family suddenly gone, Daralynn is left with her mother, who seems to be getting angrier day by day, and Mamaw, who is regressing to the point of being childlike. The only bright spot in Daralynn's life is her father's sister, Aunt Josie, a vibrant, loving woman who consistently reaches out to help. But Daralynn's mother, Hattie, is so angry she cannot accept help or love, and regularly becomes infuriated with Aunt Josie's dress, manner, and choices.
Daralynn is caught in the middle. Without Aunt Josie, she has no one to talk to, and no one who makes her feel loved.
Although things begin to look up when her mother lands a new job at the funeral home grooming bodies for burial, the subsequent arrival of a crematorium in town threatens the funeral home's business, and Hattie's anger builds. It doesn't help that Aunt Josie is taken with Clem, the owner of the crematorium, giving Hattie one more reason to be furious with Josie, and one more reason to demand Daralynn stay nearby at all times.
Each of the main characters is vividly drawn. Klise has done an admirable job of seeing inside the mind of a 12-year-old girl who has been dealt an unspeakable blow. Daralynn is a real girl who lives with her memories (which she is so afraid of losing), her dreams, her anger, and her pain. Hattie reflects so many who are unable to manage the grief that comes with loss. Aunt Josie is wise, vivacious, flashy, sassy, and compassionate.
Supporting characters of Clem and Uncle Waldo have surprises in them, as well, rounding out a memorable cast.
Grounded made me smile, tear up, chuckle, and think. And I like that in a book.
Opening sentence: "I'm alive today because I was grounded."
Fourth sentence: "That's the only reason I wasn't in Daddy's plane when it crashed and killed him, my brother, and my little sister."
And the two sentences in between aren't bad, either.
With most of her family suddenly gone, Daralynn is left with her mother, who seems to be getting angrier day by day, and Mamaw, who is regressing to the point of being childlike. The only bright spot in Daralynn's life is her father's sister, Aunt Josie, a vibrant, loving woman who consistently reaches out to help. But Daralynn's mother, Hattie, is so angry she cannot accept help or love, and regularly becomes infuriated with Aunt Josie's dress, manner, and choices.
Daralynn is caught in the middle. Without Aunt Josie, she has no one to talk to, and no one who makes her feel loved.
Although things begin to look up when her mother lands a new job at the funeral home grooming bodies for burial, the subsequent arrival of a crematorium in town threatens the funeral home's business, and Hattie's anger builds. It doesn't help that Aunt Josie is taken with Clem, the owner of the crematorium, giving Hattie one more reason to be furious with Josie, and one more reason to demand Daralynn stay nearby at all times.
Each of the main characters is vividly drawn. Klise has done an admirable job of seeing inside the mind of a 12-year-old girl who has been dealt an unspeakable blow. Daralynn is a real girl who lives with her memories (which she is so afraid of losing), her dreams, her anger, and her pain. Hattie reflects so many who are unable to manage the grief that comes with loss. Aunt Josie is wise, vivacious, flashy, sassy, and compassionate.
Supporting characters of Clem and Uncle Waldo have surprises in them, as well, rounding out a memorable cast.
Grounded made me smile, tear up, chuckle, and think. And I like that in a book.
September 21, 2016
Ten Second Synopsis:
After Daralynn’s father, brother and sister are killed in a plane accident, she and her mother find it hard to relate to each other, despite providing hair styling in tandem at her mother’s new salon. Daralynn has enough trouble trying to hide the hundreds of dolls she received after the deaths from her Mamaw, who is sliding into dementia, without having to worry about the frosty atmosphere at home. Then the charming Mr Clem moves into town with his new crematorium, sweeping Aunt Josie off her feet and threatening Daralynn’s mother’s other job at the funeral home and Daralynn discovers that sometimes not even the grown-ups have all the answers.
This is an absolute gem of a middle grade read – historical fiction (set in the 60s – I think), dealing with grief and family cracks, with a strong female protagonist who is absolutely ordinary and relatable. The writing had a very mature feel about it for a middle grade novel, meaning that young readers won’t feel patronised while reading about difficult topics. Daralynn is a girl stood apart – unusually, she is the protagonist and only young character (apart from a few passing cameos) in the novel. No side kick, no bully, no nothing. This worked impressively well I thought and definitely sets this book apart from the common crowd
There is a twist and a mystery in the plot that I DID NOT SEE COMING. Nicely played, Klise.
Highly recommended.
After Daralynn’s father, brother and sister are killed in a plane accident, she and her mother find it hard to relate to each other, despite providing hair styling in tandem at her mother’s new salon. Daralynn has enough trouble trying to hide the hundreds of dolls she received after the deaths from her Mamaw, who is sliding into dementia, without having to worry about the frosty atmosphere at home. Then the charming Mr Clem moves into town with his new crematorium, sweeping Aunt Josie off her feet and threatening Daralynn’s mother’s other job at the funeral home and Daralynn discovers that sometimes not even the grown-ups have all the answers.
This is an absolute gem of a middle grade read – historical fiction (set in the 60s – I think), dealing with grief and family cracks, with a strong female protagonist who is absolutely ordinary and relatable. The writing had a very mature feel about it for a middle grade novel, meaning that young readers won’t feel patronised while reading about difficult topics. Daralynn is a girl stood apart – unusually, she is the protagonist and only young character (apart from a few passing cameos) in the novel. No side kick, no bully, no nothing. This worked impressively well I thought and definitely sets this book apart from the common crowd
There is a twist and a mystery in the plot that I DID NOT SEE COMING. Nicely played, Klise.
Highly recommended.
June 18, 2015
This book is great and exciting to read. Kate Klise, the author, used some easy vocab in the story so that younger children can understand the story. It’s suitable for everyone, but it might be too easy for adults. There’s nothing bad about this story, but in the middle it could be boring. It depends on what kind of person you are, if you are a person that likes to read about people’s lives, the story in the middle might be enjoyable for you. If you are a person that does not like to read about people’s lives, it might be quite boring for you.
Daralynn Oakland was introduced in the first chapter. She’s a girl that lost her family. Her dad, brother and sister died in a plane crash. Daralynn and her mom are alive because they weren’t in the plane. The next day after this incident, she received 237 dolls from well-wishers. This is why she became known as “Dolly.” Dolly tried to cheer her mother up. They had a hair salon in the town, so Dolly decided to help her mom in the shop. One day, Dolly suggested an idea to her mother. The idea was about “throwing a living funeral,” which is a chance to attend your own funeral and hear all the nice things people say about you, while you’re still alive.
Each of the characters in this book are awesome, Kate Klise described all the characters very well. Dolly, her mum, and Aunt Josie were the 3 main characters of the story. Dolly is a great and intelligent girl. Her mom, Hattie, is a strong woman as she won’t give up on thing easily. Aunt Josie is a kind woman keeping old men in her house, because those old men don’t have any place to live.
The writing style of this book is splendid and easy to understand. I enjoy this book very much, so if you want me to rate this book, I will give this book 5 stars.
Daralynn Oakland was introduced in the first chapter. She’s a girl that lost her family. Her dad, brother and sister died in a plane crash. Daralynn and her mom are alive because they weren’t in the plane. The next day after this incident, she received 237 dolls from well-wishers. This is why she became known as “Dolly.” Dolly tried to cheer her mother up. They had a hair salon in the town, so Dolly decided to help her mom in the shop. One day, Dolly suggested an idea to her mother. The idea was about “throwing a living funeral,” which is a chance to attend your own funeral and hear all the nice things people say about you, while you’re still alive.
Each of the characters in this book are awesome, Kate Klise described all the characters very well. Dolly, her mum, and Aunt Josie were the 3 main characters of the story. Dolly is a great and intelligent girl. Her mom, Hattie, is a strong woman as she won’t give up on thing easily. Aunt Josie is a kind woman keeping old men in her house, because those old men don’t have any place to live.
The writing style of this book is splendid and easy to understand. I enjoy this book very much, so if you want me to rate this book, I will give this book 5 stars.
June 3, 2024
I felt like I was rushed back in time, to another part of the country, and this whole story, charmed the pants off me.
" What Im trying to say is that life is hard-for everybody. None of us gets out of here without getting our hearts broken in one way or another. You can try to make sense of it. You can try to find reasons and explanations for why these things happen. But when there's real pain, it's hard to find a good answer.
That's why we have to pull together and take care of one another. It's like my sister says in her newspaper ads: Everybody needs somebody to take care of them, and it's the taking care of that makes us sweet.' “
" What Im trying to say is that life is hard-for everybody. None of us gets out of here without getting our hearts broken in one way or another. You can try to make sense of it. You can try to find reasons and explanations for why these things happen. But when there's real pain, it's hard to find a good answer.
That's why we have to pull together and take care of one another. It's like my sister says in her newspaper ads: Everybody needs somebody to take care of them, and it's the taking care of that makes us sweet.' “
October 7, 2015
Personal response
I read the book “Grounded”. This was a pretty good book. The title made me wonder what the book was about. I liked this book because it was full of suspense and I never wanted to put it down. I felt like I could really connect to the main character.
Plot
Daralynn is a twelve year old girl who gets grounded because she went fishing without her mother’s permission. Little does she know that being grounded saved her life. Since she was grounded she wasn’t allowed to go on a plane ride with her daddy, older brother, Wayne Junior, and her little sister, Lilac Rose. The plane crashes and her dad and siblings die. It’s now just Daralynn and her mother, Hattie. Dolly and her mother are greatly impacted by the crash. Dolly thinks of her life as B.C (before the crash) and A.D. (after the crash). Her mother becomes hard hearted and doesn’t talk about the past with anyone. Daralynn begins to write in a journal to her dad, brother, and sister. She becomes afraid that she will start to forget little details about them. People from the town, Digginsville, give Daralynn dolls. Daralynn then gets the name Dolly. Dolly doesn’t like the dolls so she lets her grandmother, Mamaw, play with them. Hattie did Lilac Rose’s hair for the funeral. People started going to her to get their hair done. Hattie decides to open up a beauty salon. Daralynn does her own cutting on kids her age. The beauty salon helps Hattie pay the bills. However they still don’t have enough money. Daralynn comes up with an interesting idea. They do living funerals. A living funeral is a funeral for you while you're still alive. The living funeral business does really good. Aunt Josie meets a man named Clem Monroe. He is a young, rich man. He comes up with good ideas that improve the town. Some ideas include horse and wagons for transportation and a crematorium. He collects money to buy the horses and wagons. The crematorium makes the living funeral room go out of business. Aunt Josie is so in love with Clem. Hattie absolutely hates him. Daralynn is on a mission to figure out his secrets. In the end Daralynn discovers that Clem is a con man. He took the money that was for the town and ran off. Hattie finally hits her breaking point and lets it all out to Josie.
Characterization
Daralynn is the main character. She is a disobeying twelve year old. In B.C, she is always getting in trouble. She was an average girl school wise. After the crash Daralynn becomes more understanding of her mother. Her grades suffered majorly. Daralynn is a peacemaker between her mom and Aunt Josie. She doesn’t like it when those two fight with each other.
Hattie is Daralynn’s mother. In the beginning of the book she isn’t as strict. She was okay with talking about her emotions. After the crash, she becomes emotionless. Hattie becomes even more strict towards Daralynn.
Clem Monroe was Josie’s lover. He came into the town with great expectations. Before coming to Digginsville, Clem used three other names and was in relationships with other women. He seemed like a trustworthy person in the beginning, but I knew something wasn´t right with him.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to kids in middle school. I think both boys and girls would enjoy it, but girls might like it more. This book contains some swearing and violence. Girls can relate more because the main character is a twelve year old girl. High school students would also enjoy this book.
I read the book “Grounded”. This was a pretty good book. The title made me wonder what the book was about. I liked this book because it was full of suspense and I never wanted to put it down. I felt like I could really connect to the main character.
Plot
Daralynn is a twelve year old girl who gets grounded because she went fishing without her mother’s permission. Little does she know that being grounded saved her life. Since she was grounded she wasn’t allowed to go on a plane ride with her daddy, older brother, Wayne Junior, and her little sister, Lilac Rose. The plane crashes and her dad and siblings die. It’s now just Daralynn and her mother, Hattie. Dolly and her mother are greatly impacted by the crash. Dolly thinks of her life as B.C (before the crash) and A.D. (after the crash). Her mother becomes hard hearted and doesn’t talk about the past with anyone. Daralynn begins to write in a journal to her dad, brother, and sister. She becomes afraid that she will start to forget little details about them. People from the town, Digginsville, give Daralynn dolls. Daralynn then gets the name Dolly. Dolly doesn’t like the dolls so she lets her grandmother, Mamaw, play with them. Hattie did Lilac Rose’s hair for the funeral. People started going to her to get their hair done. Hattie decides to open up a beauty salon. Daralynn does her own cutting on kids her age. The beauty salon helps Hattie pay the bills. However they still don’t have enough money. Daralynn comes up with an interesting idea. They do living funerals. A living funeral is a funeral for you while you're still alive. The living funeral business does really good. Aunt Josie meets a man named Clem Monroe. He is a young, rich man. He comes up with good ideas that improve the town. Some ideas include horse and wagons for transportation and a crematorium. He collects money to buy the horses and wagons. The crematorium makes the living funeral room go out of business. Aunt Josie is so in love with Clem. Hattie absolutely hates him. Daralynn is on a mission to figure out his secrets. In the end Daralynn discovers that Clem is a con man. He took the money that was for the town and ran off. Hattie finally hits her breaking point and lets it all out to Josie.
Characterization
Daralynn is the main character. She is a disobeying twelve year old. In B.C, she is always getting in trouble. She was an average girl school wise. After the crash Daralynn becomes more understanding of her mother. Her grades suffered majorly. Daralynn is a peacemaker between her mom and Aunt Josie. She doesn’t like it when those two fight with each other.
Hattie is Daralynn’s mother. In the beginning of the book she isn’t as strict. She was okay with talking about her emotions. After the crash, she becomes emotionless. Hattie becomes even more strict towards Daralynn.
Clem Monroe was Josie’s lover. He came into the town with great expectations. Before coming to Digginsville, Clem used three other names and was in relationships with other women. He seemed like a trustworthy person in the beginning, but I knew something wasn´t right with him.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to kids in middle school. I think both boys and girls would enjoy it, but girls might like it more. This book contains some swearing and violence. Girls can relate more because the main character is a twelve year old girl. High school students would also enjoy this book.
May 3, 2013
I just finished the book "Grounded" by: Kate Klise. I decided to write my report on the main character, Daralynn, also known as Dolly. She got the nickname when her dad, little sister, and big brother died in a plane crash and so many people gave her dolls to attempt to comfort her. Daralynn hates the dolls although her grandmother, Mamaw loves them. So basically, she's left with her grumpy mother, gaudy Aunt Josie, shy Uncle Wayne, and her grandmother, Mamaw! Well, and the mysterious cremation guy, Clem who's new in town. There's something suspicious about him, but she can't put her finger on it! Dolly is having a hard time right now, there's no support from her mom, her grandma's completely out of her mind, her aunt's too busy going head over heels over the new cremation man, and her uncle, well she doesn't know her uncle that well. Daralynn usually turns to her big brother or dad for comfort, but well, they're gone now... Sometimes Dolly wishes she was on that plane (she would've been if she wasn't grounded) and not here in little Digginsville. Dolly's an intelligent, great girl, but she has lots of problems.
February 1, 2013
I think that theme of this book is you should be optimistic when something bad happens because it may turn out to be better. I think this because a girl named Daralynn is grounded for going fishing without permission so her brother and sister get to go on a plane ride with her dad while Daralynn stays home with her mother. The plane crashes and kills her brother, Wayne Jr., sister, Lilac Rose and dad. I found this on the first page first sentence, 'I'm alive today because i was grounded.' I found out her siblings names later in the book. This is probably the saddest and most touching book I have ever read because now she refers to her life as B. C. and A. D. B.C. meaning before the crash and A.D. as after the deaths. I cant even begin to imagine what it would be like to lose a brother, a sister, and your dad all in one day? Even this book is so sad I would give it a five star rating.*****
February 4, 2011
This is my favorite of all Kate Klise's books so far! Daralynn's father, sister and brother are killed in a plane crash that she would have been on if she had not been grounded. She and her mother are left behind in their small town to start their life without the rest of their family. Mom starts working on hair at the funeral home, which leads to a new job at the local beauty shop. While Mom is wrapped up in the loss of her family, Daralynn struggles to understand the changes that have happened in her life and the ones that continue to take place around her. A great story!
October 22, 2012
So many great children's books deal with death (Out of the Dust, Sounder, etc.) but this one starts with the heavy subject and blossoms into a story about life and carrying on. I'm not sure how many kids I could recommend this book to, but I think adults looking for a light, nostalgic read would enjoy it. The time period is hazy (sometime post-Vietnam war, but before this decade--maybe early 80s?) and the small town setting might be a turn off. Might work as a readalike for Because of Winn Dixie.
March 29, 2011
Great read - so similar to Each Little Bird That Sings- Daralyn is such a great character, just like Comfort. It was also a little heart-wrenching, and Klise handles the family's loss tenderly. The ending was rather expected, but great for middle schoolers. It won't eclipse ELBTS in my heart, but it was definitely enjoyable.
March 1, 2012
AWESOME. It's all I can say, really. Just really awesome. Want to know more? READ IT! MAN this is a good book! So many good books now that I personally dont have a favourite book! WONDERFUL STORY! But dont like what the book is about, BC AND AD!
January 27, 2021
I was going through my books the other day, and I found this. I remember reading it in like the fifth grade, but I didn't really remember anything so I decided to re-read it. This was a cute book about a 12-year-old girl struggling with loss, who finds herself through writing. I really just wish the book had been longer and we had been able to see more into Daralynn's mind.
January 24, 2021
Review to come!
January 31, 2012
Sometimes it pays to misbehave. Or does it? Daralynn is grounded the day her daddy goes up in his air-o-plane with her older brother and younger sister. Now after their deaths, she is still left behind with her motion-sick mother and the small community of Digginsville in the Missouri Ozarks (of the 1970s). As Daralynn sorts out the differences between Before the Crash (BC) and After the Deaths (AD), she learns what it means to be grounded in every aspect of the word.
Grounded, as a novel surrounding a significant loss, has a charm all its own. I say this and I am going to reference Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo in a minute. Kate Klise has drawn colorful characters that aren’t so outlandish as to be unrecognizable. It took a while for post-Vietnam and 70′s fashion to click in, and even still the story and its characters felt (and continue to feel) contemporary. Klise also brings to life the angry grieving widow, which is so beautifully convincing. But it is her first person protagonist that makes the story smile and tear-up.
I couldn’t help but think about DiCamillo’s India Opal Buloni when meeting Daralynn Oakland. She is a bit tom-boyish, too. And independent, inventive, and curious, and set adrift on her own. Except neither are really alone as the community comes to life about them in all its quirky wonder.
“Why did people think giving me dead dolls would make me feel better about my dead family? It didn’t make sense. All the strange things people did and said when other people died: None of it made sense.” (127).
Klise doesn’t try to make complete sense of why people respond to death the way they do. She does offer some contextual insight, enough to make responses seem more plausible (like the mother’s), but little more than that. The presence of another provides the anchor, not hard-won band-aid explanations. Kate Klise summarizes, “In my mind it’s always, always about the search for someone to keep us grounded in love.”*She creates a persuasive argument with Grounded.
Little makes sense, but that doesn’t stop Daralynn from wondering about why that is. And in some situations, when things don’t add up, they deserve a second or third look. Like the things that happen after the crematorium man comes to town. Daralynn (and the Reader) are rewarded for being observant, for questioning why things are the way they are.
Nothing feels more real than the weirdness of human behavior; which complicates the story considerably and creates mysteries that are natural in effect. Who is being true to themselves, and what happens when they are or are not? How do we survive our own grief, let alone someone else’s? Are the two even separable? and What will become of that disastrous haircut?
Klise writes a good story. Her voice is so smooth, so effortless. I thought to read a short bit before bed and had to force myself to set the book down. It isn’t a really long read, and all the ribbons slide into a quietly pretty little bow. Using a writerly narrator who is telling the story from some point in the future is used subtly (after the least subtle signal on page 37) and intentionally, allowing metaphors and early observations their continual relevance, and allowing for a very tidy, well-crafted story.
—————————————————————
recommendations: 9-13; boys and girls; those who like: humor, southern charm, (non-fantasy) Kate DiCamillo, wordplay, a bit of peril and mystery, who struggle with grief, who like non-message-y/non-therapy-driven books.
of note: I am rarely one to pitch a story for filming, but I would love to see this one adapted to screen.
——————————————————————–
*Kate Klise posts “Grounded in Real Life” (Nov 2010) for Macmillan Children’s Publishing “MacKids” blog about the inspiration behind writing Grounded. do read it.
L @ omphaloskepsis
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/20...
Grounded, as a novel surrounding a significant loss, has a charm all its own. I say this and I am going to reference Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo in a minute. Kate Klise has drawn colorful characters that aren’t so outlandish as to be unrecognizable. It took a while for post-Vietnam and 70′s fashion to click in, and even still the story and its characters felt (and continue to feel) contemporary. Klise also brings to life the angry grieving widow, which is so beautifully convincing. But it is her first person protagonist that makes the story smile and tear-up.
I couldn’t help but think about DiCamillo’s India Opal Buloni when meeting Daralynn Oakland. She is a bit tom-boyish, too. And independent, inventive, and curious, and set adrift on her own. Except neither are really alone as the community comes to life about them in all its quirky wonder.
“Why did people think giving me dead dolls would make me feel better about my dead family? It didn’t make sense. All the strange things people did and said when other people died: None of it made sense.” (127).
Klise doesn’t try to make complete sense of why people respond to death the way they do. She does offer some contextual insight, enough to make responses seem more plausible (like the mother’s), but little more than that. The presence of another provides the anchor, not hard-won band-aid explanations. Kate Klise summarizes, “In my mind it’s always, always about the search for someone to keep us grounded in love.”*She creates a persuasive argument with Grounded.
Little makes sense, but that doesn’t stop Daralynn from wondering about why that is. And in some situations, when things don’t add up, they deserve a second or third look. Like the things that happen after the crematorium man comes to town. Daralynn (and the Reader) are rewarded for being observant, for questioning why things are the way they are.
Nothing feels more real than the weirdness of human behavior; which complicates the story considerably and creates mysteries that are natural in effect. Who is being true to themselves, and what happens when they are or are not? How do we survive our own grief, let alone someone else’s? Are the two even separable? and What will become of that disastrous haircut?
Klise writes a good story. Her voice is so smooth, so effortless. I thought to read a short bit before bed and had to force myself to set the book down. It isn’t a really long read, and all the ribbons slide into a quietly pretty little bow. Using a writerly narrator who is telling the story from some point in the future is used subtly (after the least subtle signal on page 37) and intentionally, allowing metaphors and early observations their continual relevance, and allowing for a very tidy, well-crafted story.
—————————————————————
recommendations: 9-13; boys and girls; those who like: humor, southern charm, (non-fantasy) Kate DiCamillo, wordplay, a bit of peril and mystery, who struggle with grief, who like non-message-y/non-therapy-driven books.
of note: I am rarely one to pitch a story for filming, but I would love to see this one adapted to screen.
——————————————————————–
*Kate Klise posts “Grounded in Real Life” (Nov 2010) for Macmillan Children’s Publishing “MacKids” blog about the inspiration behind writing Grounded. do read it.
L @ omphaloskepsis
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/20...
June 27, 2011
Who would ever guess that a story about a young girl losing her father, brother and sister to a horrible plane crash could be so full of laughs? Yes, Grounded explores the aftermath of a horrible loss, but by its end, you realize that it is not really a story about death. It's a story about what it means to be alive. It's about the people who are left behind when tragedy strikes (Daralynn and her mother, in this case) and how they have to drag themselves up and back into life no matter how much the hurt drags them down.
Daralynn Oakland is a twelve-year-old tomboy living in the tiny southern town of Digginsville (population 402!). The story begins when she and her tough-as-nails mother Hattie find out that Daralynn's father, 16-year-old brother and 7-year-old sister have all been killed in a plane crash. The only reason Daralynn wasn't along for the ride was because she was (as the title hints) grounded. Daralynn and her mother--a proud and reserved woman--have always butted heads, and Daralynn had been grounded that day because she had run off to the lake to fish without letting her mother know where she was going. Daralynn already thought her mother's leash was short before her father, brother and sister's death, but once Daralynn is the only child left, her mother won't let her out of her sight.
At first, I had a bit of a hard time warming up to Grounded. I wasn't sure what to make of the casual tone used for such a sad situation. Also, many of the characters of Digginsville felt a bit like caricatures--Daralynn's flashy Aunt Josie, for example, in her too-tight clothing and too-bright lipstick. But Daralynn's genuine and straight-forward voice kept me reading. Soon I began to realize that Daralynn's seemingly emotionless tone when talking about the deaths was not bad writing--it was part of Daralynn's character. Much like her mother, Daralynn is not one to wear her heart on her sleeve. She and her mother are proud and not about to make a slobbery, blubbering mess of themselves in front of everyone. Daralynn and her mother cope with their tragedy in their own way.
For Daralynn, this means throwing herself into investigating Digginsville's mysterious newcomer, Mr. Clem. Mr. Clem has opened the town's first crematorium--that's right, a place where they cremate people. He cozies up to Daralynn's beloved Aunt Josie awfully quick and Daralynn decides she needs to figure this guy out. Through her investigation, which she journals about in letters addressed to her dead family members, Daralynn slowly starts to face the sad reality of her "A.C." life, as she calls it (life "After the Crash").
Daralynn is tough and observant, and she describes the oddball characters of her town with the serious tone of a news reporter. This provides a lot of humor since so many of the people of Digginsville are so quirky.
But while Daralynn's "investigation" provides humor and suspense, this story is really about a mother and daughter trying to find each other through the fog of a deeply tragic loss. I am a sucker for mother-daughter stories. Hattie just doesn't seem to understand her daughter, and what's worse is that for much of the book, she doesn't seem interested in trying to. This story is about the danger of letting a sad event harden your heart. As I read on, I found myself willing Hattie to open her eyes and see her daughter there in front of her, needing her. Losing those we love can so easily make us want to never take the risk of loving again, but as wacky Aunt Josie says, "Everybody needs somebody to take care of them, and it's the taking care of that makes us sweet" (p. 30). Grounded shows that no matter how many times your heart gets broken, it's always worth letting yourself care again.
Daralynn Oakland is a twelve-year-old tomboy living in the tiny southern town of Digginsville (population 402!). The story begins when she and her tough-as-nails mother Hattie find out that Daralynn's father, 16-year-old brother and 7-year-old sister have all been killed in a plane crash. The only reason Daralynn wasn't along for the ride was because she was (as the title hints) grounded. Daralynn and her mother--a proud and reserved woman--have always butted heads, and Daralynn had been grounded that day because she had run off to the lake to fish without letting her mother know where she was going. Daralynn already thought her mother's leash was short before her father, brother and sister's death, but once Daralynn is the only child left, her mother won't let her out of her sight.
At first, I had a bit of a hard time warming up to Grounded. I wasn't sure what to make of the casual tone used for such a sad situation. Also, many of the characters of Digginsville felt a bit like caricatures--Daralynn's flashy Aunt Josie, for example, in her too-tight clothing and too-bright lipstick. But Daralynn's genuine and straight-forward voice kept me reading. Soon I began to realize that Daralynn's seemingly emotionless tone when talking about the deaths was not bad writing--it was part of Daralynn's character. Much like her mother, Daralynn is not one to wear her heart on her sleeve. She and her mother are proud and not about to make a slobbery, blubbering mess of themselves in front of everyone. Daralynn and her mother cope with their tragedy in their own way.
For Daralynn, this means throwing herself into investigating Digginsville's mysterious newcomer, Mr. Clem. Mr. Clem has opened the town's first crematorium--that's right, a place where they cremate people. He cozies up to Daralynn's beloved Aunt Josie awfully quick and Daralynn decides she needs to figure this guy out. Through her investigation, which she journals about in letters addressed to her dead family members, Daralynn slowly starts to face the sad reality of her "A.C." life, as she calls it (life "After the Crash").
Daralynn is tough and observant, and she describes the oddball characters of her town with the serious tone of a news reporter. This provides a lot of humor since so many of the people of Digginsville are so quirky.
But while Daralynn's "investigation" provides humor and suspense, this story is really about a mother and daughter trying to find each other through the fog of a deeply tragic loss. I am a sucker for mother-daughter stories. Hattie just doesn't seem to understand her daughter, and what's worse is that for much of the book, she doesn't seem interested in trying to. This story is about the danger of letting a sad event harden your heart. As I read on, I found myself willing Hattie to open her eyes and see her daughter there in front of her, needing her. Losing those we love can so easily make us want to never take the risk of loving again, but as wacky Aunt Josie says, "Everybody needs somebody to take care of them, and it's the taking care of that makes us sweet" (p. 30). Grounded shows that no matter how many times your heart gets broken, it's always worth letting yourself care again.
June 24, 2014
book: Grounded] by Kate Klise follows Daralynn Oakland after three family members die in a plane crash, and her world is rocked. Her story becomes about life and carrying on in a town filled with quirky characters. Can Daralynn save a dying business, solve a burning mystery, and resuscitate the broken hearts in Digginsville, MO, population 402?
A gift of a blank journal from her teacher gives Daralynn a place to write letters to her dead father, sister and brother. In her letters she reports what she's discovered about the mysterious Mr. Clem, who comes into town and starts a crematorium, and gets usually supportive Aunt Josie to fall in love with him.
Daralynn has to deal with her angry, greiving mom who keeps her close at work in the hair salon she's bought after being hired to do hair at the local funeral parlor. Her mom's inability to understand her daughter, or even try to, and Daralynn's need is severe. Worse, her gandmother is out of her mind, playing with dolls, and Aunt Josie has gone crazy over new fiance/boyfriend Mr Clem. Klise gives us great characters, especially Daralynn, who is intelligent, tough, and observant as she tries to absorb her shocking loss.
Her mother Hattie gets angry after the accident and her heart becomes hardened to life. Shy Uncle Waldo suddenly moves in next door. Worried over losing business to the crematorium, Daralynn comes up with Living Funerals as idea to save the funeral home, but Clem just copies idea. Clem seems willing to do anything for money, but remains mysterious, and Daralynn is determined to investigate him further.
Though Daralynn's tone may seems odd to readers at first it turns out to mainly be a coping mechanism. Underneath her humor and reporter-like writing style, Daralynn is terrible worried about forgetting all her memories of her father, sister and brother. She also thinks that her mother would have preferred that she was on the plane instead of one of her siblings. Solving the mystery of Mr. Clem gives her something new to concentrate on.
Klise creates a fine backdrop for a mystery in this closeknit Missouri town. Three town names referenced later in the tale struck personal chords with me. One is a city where my grandmother ran a small business, another was the hometown of my aunt's husband, and the third is the home of my favorite baseball team, who are mentioned in the course of this story.
I really enjoyed Grounded, and give it four stars. I'm not sure how popular this will be with Young Adults, but I feel that many adults would enjoy this dark tale brightened by humor and interesting characters. For ages 11 and up, mystery, death and dying, funerals, family, cremation, historical fiction, humor, coping with tragedy, forgiveness, living, and fans of Kate Klise.
A gift of a blank journal from her teacher gives Daralynn a place to write letters to her dead father, sister and brother. In her letters she reports what she's discovered about the mysterious Mr. Clem, who comes into town and starts a crematorium, and gets usually supportive Aunt Josie to fall in love with him.
Daralynn has to deal with her angry, greiving mom who keeps her close at work in the hair salon she's bought after being hired to do hair at the local funeral parlor. Her mom's inability to understand her daughter, or even try to, and Daralynn's need is severe. Worse, her gandmother is out of her mind, playing with dolls, and Aunt Josie has gone crazy over new fiance/boyfriend Mr Clem. Klise gives us great characters, especially Daralynn, who is intelligent, tough, and observant as she tries to absorb her shocking loss.
Her mother Hattie gets angry after the accident and her heart becomes hardened to life. Shy Uncle Waldo suddenly moves in next door. Worried over losing business to the crematorium, Daralynn comes up with Living Funerals as idea to save the funeral home, but Clem just copies idea. Clem seems willing to do anything for money, but remains mysterious, and Daralynn is determined to investigate him further.
Though Daralynn's tone may seems odd to readers at first it turns out to mainly be a coping mechanism. Underneath her humor and reporter-like writing style, Daralynn is terrible worried about forgetting all her memories of her father, sister and brother. She also thinks that her mother would have preferred that she was on the plane instead of one of her siblings. Solving the mystery of Mr. Clem gives her something new to concentrate on.
Klise creates a fine backdrop for a mystery in this closeknit Missouri town. Three town names referenced later in the tale struck personal chords with me. One is a city where my grandmother ran a small business, another was the hometown of my aunt's husband, and the third is the home of my favorite baseball team, who are mentioned in the course of this story.
I really enjoyed Grounded, and give it four stars. I'm not sure how popular this will be with Young Adults, but I feel that many adults would enjoy this dark tale brightened by humor and interesting characters. For ages 11 and up, mystery, death and dying, funerals, family, cremation, historical fiction, humor, coping with tragedy, forgiveness, living, and fans of Kate Klise.
June 1, 2017
While I did enjoy this book from one of my favorite authors, it was a very heavy read. I felt very drained reading Grounded, but I'm glad I did. Not all books are an escape, but rather a smudged mirror of the reality some people have to withstand.
Grounded is about 12-year-old tomboy Daralynn who was grounded by her mother because she went fishing in the local pond without her permission. As punishment, she was not allowed to go on a flight with her siblings as her father pilots the plane. Horrifically, the plane crashes. Daralynn, her mother, and her hinted-Alzheimer's grandmother are all left to grieve. She is sent hundreds of baby dolls by well-wishers and regrettably earns the nickname Dolly. Her mother, Hattie, arranged her family so beautifully for their coffins that she becomes a hair stylist for the town while Dolly helps clean.
This book dropped hints throughout that it took place during the seventies: Perry Mason, Vietnam War, radio shows. I believe this is a reference to the author's childhood. It's a very immersive reading experience and I think that's why I was so connected emotionally.
Dolly was a character easy to like and relate. She felt bereft without her family and struggling to fight the numbness. Her Aunt Josie and Uncle Waldo helped the family get back on their feet. They provided wonderful side characters and a caring environment.
In every Kate Klise book, you need to have a mystery with a smart kid to solve it. Some sneaky snake charming man named Clem rolls into town with a mobile crematorium. He is starting to take away the local funeral home's customers and has Aunt Josie wrapped around his little finger. It's up to Dolly to find his real motives and the suspicious new business. It leads her back to her fishing hole, Lake Doc, where everything began.
The mystery was easy to guess, but not in the way I imagined. Grounded is a wonderful story about loss, family, kindness, and honesty. It is classified as young adult, but wonderful for all ages.
Grounded is about 12-year-old tomboy Daralynn who was grounded by her mother because she went fishing in the local pond without her permission. As punishment, she was not allowed to go on a flight with her siblings as her father pilots the plane. Horrifically, the plane crashes. Daralynn, her mother, and her hinted-Alzheimer's grandmother are all left to grieve. She is sent hundreds of baby dolls by well-wishers and regrettably earns the nickname Dolly. Her mother, Hattie, arranged her family so beautifully for their coffins that she becomes a hair stylist for the town while Dolly helps clean.
This book dropped hints throughout that it took place during the seventies: Perry Mason, Vietnam War, radio shows. I believe this is a reference to the author's childhood. It's a very immersive reading experience and I think that's why I was so connected emotionally.
Dolly was a character easy to like and relate. She felt bereft without her family and struggling to fight the numbness. Her Aunt Josie and Uncle Waldo helped the family get back on their feet. They provided wonderful side characters and a caring environment.
In every Kate Klise book, you need to have a mystery with a smart kid to solve it. Some sneaky snake charming man named Clem rolls into town with a mobile crematorium. He is starting to take away the local funeral home's customers and has Aunt Josie wrapped around his little finger. It's up to Dolly to find his real motives and the suspicious new business. It leads her back to her fishing hole, Lake Doc, where everything began.
The mystery was easy to guess, but not in the way I imagined. Grounded is a wonderful story about loss, family, kindness, and honesty. It is classified as young adult, but wonderful for all ages.
November 18, 2013
"I'm alive today because I was grounded." Daralynn otherwise known as Dolly, is a twelve year old girl who was grounded from going on the plane that killed her dad, little sister, and older brother, so now she is trying to get used to it but then something happens that changes her."Grounded" by Kate Klise is one of my most favorite books I've ever read!
Daralynn is a twelve year old girl whose dad,sister,and brother died in a plane crash. She is very brave and couragous. So now she is left with her mom and her grandma, who is having some mental problems. The setting of this book probably takes place in the country. The type of conflict is person vs society because, Daralynn is having problems with her family and with the people in her town.
In my opinion, this book is one of the best books I’ve ever read, I absolutely loved it! I liked to way the author described how Daralynn stood up to her angry mom, because in the story Daralynn never really got into a big fight with her mom. Since her mom didn’t get over about what happened. Daralynn, the main character r of this book sort of reminds me of another main character in the book “Almost Home” by Joan Bauer, because they are both very brave. A major event that changed the character was when her father and siblings died.
I was satisfied about how the book ended, it was very good. A theme of this book is it’s ok to be grounded sometimes. This book sort of reminds me of my friend; it reminds me of my friend because she has problems with her mom sometimes. The character’s problem was that she had to get use to life without her family members. I’d compare this author to Joan Bauer, because they both write about a character who is brave.
In conclusion I believe that this book was amazing, I couldn’t out it down. From a 1-10, I would give it a 10. I’d give it a 10 because, it was really interesting and very descriptive, once I started I couldn’t stop reading! I would recommend this book to whoever is looking for a funny, interesting, and easy to read book. Sometimes it’s ok to be grounded.
Daralynn is a twelve year old girl whose dad,sister,and brother died in a plane crash. She is very brave and couragous. So now she is left with her mom and her grandma, who is having some mental problems. The setting of this book probably takes place in the country. The type of conflict is person vs society because, Daralynn is having problems with her family and with the people in her town.
In my opinion, this book is one of the best books I’ve ever read, I absolutely loved it! I liked to way the author described how Daralynn stood up to her angry mom, because in the story Daralynn never really got into a big fight with her mom. Since her mom didn’t get over about what happened. Daralynn, the main character r of this book sort of reminds me of another main character in the book “Almost Home” by Joan Bauer, because they are both very brave. A major event that changed the character was when her father and siblings died.
I was satisfied about how the book ended, it was very good. A theme of this book is it’s ok to be grounded sometimes. This book sort of reminds me of my friend; it reminds me of my friend because she has problems with her mom sometimes. The character’s problem was that she had to get use to life without her family members. I’d compare this author to Joan Bauer, because they both write about a character who is brave.
In conclusion I believe that this book was amazing, I couldn’t out it down. From a 1-10, I would give it a 10. I’d give it a 10 because, it was really interesting and very descriptive, once I started I couldn’t stop reading! I would recommend this book to whoever is looking for a funny, interesting, and easy to read book. Sometimes it’s ok to be grounded.
January 5, 2011
Daralynn Oakland should have been in her father's plane that day. Instead, she was sitting at home, grounded by her mother, when a state trooper arrived to tell them that the plane's engine failed, and that Daralynn's father, older brother, and younger sister died in the crash. After that, nothing can be the same. Her homemaker mother stops cooking meals and takes a job preparing bodies at the local funeral home. Her grandmother loses interest in anything except playing with the 237 dolls well-wishers sent Daralynn. And her single, sophisticated Aunt Josie becomes infatuated with Mr. Clem, a new man in town with some awfully big ideas. Daralynn is just beginning to cope with her grief and the changes in her life when she stumbles on a mystery to solve.
The tiny town of Digginsville comes alive through carefully selected details, such as the K-12 school that is home to the "Mighty Moles" and Doc Lake, where Daralynn enjoys fishing for catfish stocked by the Department of Conservation. The year is left vague, but it is clearly a few decades ago, indicated by the fact that Uncle Waldo has been home from Vietnam for just six years before the crash, and a mention late in the book of events "twenty-two years after" that year. The voice of the first-person narrator, who sounds like an adult recalling her childhood, rather than a current sixth- or seventh-grader, reflects this perspective without calling too much attention to it.
There is some heavy material here, but Klise uses a gentle touch with her quirky characters. Their journey from life B.C. ("Before Crash") to A.D. ("After Death") is not without humor or adventure. Recommend to fans of Wiles' Each Little Bird That Sings and LaFleur's Love, Aubrey.
The tiny town of Digginsville comes alive through carefully selected details, such as the K-12 school that is home to the "Mighty Moles" and Doc Lake, where Daralynn enjoys fishing for catfish stocked by the Department of Conservation. The year is left vague, but it is clearly a few decades ago, indicated by the fact that Uncle Waldo has been home from Vietnam for just six years before the crash, and a mention late in the book of events "twenty-two years after" that year. The voice of the first-person narrator, who sounds like an adult recalling her childhood, rather than a current sixth- or seventh-grader, reflects this perspective without calling too much attention to it.
There is some heavy material here, but Klise uses a gentle touch with her quirky characters. Their journey from life B.C. ("Before Crash") to A.D. ("After Death") is not without humor or adventure. Recommend to fans of Wiles' Each Little Bird That Sings and LaFleur's Love, Aubrey.
July 4, 2011
"I'm alive today because I was grounded." So starts 12-year-old Daralynn's story of why she remains alive after her father, sister and brother were killed when a plane piloted by her father crashed. The loss has transformed her mother into a bitter, angry woman who begins her own business as a hair stylist for the local funeral home after everyone admires the wonderful job she's done on her children and husband for their funerals. When Mr. Clem, a stranger with plans to build a crematorium, appears in town, the funeral home's continued success -- and Mother's job there -- is threatened, and Daralynn decides to take action. Her idea to host "living funerals" is successful, but only results in more competition for the funeral home and a growing distrust of Mr. Clem, who is as successful at courting Daralynn's aunt as he is in convincing the town folk that cremation is the wave of the future.
Daralynn's voice is wonderful and convincing, and Klise's setting and storytelling are reminiscent of Richard Peck's wonderful books about small towns and the characters who populate them. I loved this book and read it in one setting. Klise has created a fully-formed town, charming and engaging characters and a story full of humor, mystery and good, old-fashioned storytelling. For a book about the death of one young girl's parent and siblings, Klise manages to keep the reader engaged in Daralynn's loneliness, development and growth with humor and wit. I think this is Klise's best book so far, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys storytelling on par with "A Long Way from Chicago" and "Moon Over Manifest."
Daralynn's voice is wonderful and convincing, and Klise's setting and storytelling are reminiscent of Richard Peck's wonderful books about small towns and the characters who populate them. I loved this book and read it in one setting. Klise has created a fully-formed town, charming and engaging characters and a story full of humor, mystery and good, old-fashioned storytelling. For a book about the death of one young girl's parent and siblings, Klise manages to keep the reader engaged in Daralynn's loneliness, development and growth with humor and wit. I think this is Klise's best book so far, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys storytelling on par with "A Long Way from Chicago" and "Moon Over Manifest."
July 31, 2011
Twelve-year-old Daralynn Oakland was grounded for going out alone fishing in their Ozark town of Digginsville, Missouri, so she wasn't on the plane that crashed and killed her dad, brother, and sister. Now it's just her and her mom struggling with their loss. The 237 dolls that people have given her don't really help her much, and even worse, she's getting called Dolly because of them, which she hates, as would any self-respecting tomboy. Her new nickname isn't the only change, of course. Her mom gets a job; first she's styling hair for dead people at the funeral home and then she buys the town's beauty parlor after the owner dies. Daralynn's mom will hardly let her out of her sight now, so Daralynn ends up learning how to style hair, too, and even makes money doing it. Then newcomer Clem Munroe opens a crematorium, which is not a ice cream parlor as Daralynn initially believes. The crematorium threatens the funeral home's business, and her mom's sideline. Daralynn comes up with the idea of Living Funerals, but then the crematorium owner starts a similar service. Worse, Daralynn's Aunt Josie falls in love with the nefarious newcomer. Daralynn's quest to discredit him leads her into a dangerous mystery that teaches her about everything that anchors her life.
A poignant situation and quirky characters make this historical novel, set in the 1970s, an excellent read. Daralynn is spunky yet soulful as she deals with her own grief and tries to understand her mother's seemingly unfeeling behavior as well. A fine mystery plus a nuanced examination of the many meanings of grounding round out this superb novel. Highly recommended for ages 9 and up.
A poignant situation and quirky characters make this historical novel, set in the 1970s, an excellent read. Daralynn is spunky yet soulful as she deals with her own grief and tries to understand her mother's seemingly unfeeling behavior as well. A fine mystery plus a nuanced examination of the many meanings of grounding round out this superb novel. Highly recommended for ages 9 and up.
September 11, 2014
Daralynn Oakland survived because she was grounded. She had gone fishing at Doc Lake without permission so her mom grounded her and she didn't get on the plane that crashed and killed her dad, sister and brother. After the funeral, her mom starts doing hair at the funeral home and takes over the local hair salon. Her mom becomes more and more withdrawn as time goes by and everything seems to irritate her. The biggest irritant is Aunt Josie. Aunt Josie runs the Summer Sunset Retirement Home for Distinguished Gentlemen out of her home and is always taking care of old men with no family. Her new beau is Mr. Clem who has just opened the new crematorium in town. Daralynn and her mom are unhappy because Mr. Clem steals their idea for living funerals and they are afraid he will put the funeral home out of business.
This book contains an interesting case of characters. They are all eccentric and just a little bit different. The story is a bit over the top but it is fun and definitely keeps you interested. I thought the reveal about Mr. Clem was easy to spot and just a bit predictable but kids might not be able to spot it. I did like the glimpse into how people deal with grief in different ways. It would bring up several good discussion points for parents and kids to talk about. I think my favorite moment in the book was when Daralynn was talking about her brother and his love of peanut butter and tomato sandwiches. I had no idea anyone outside of my family ate such a thing! Guess it must be a Missouri thing.
This book contains an interesting case of characters. They are all eccentric and just a little bit different. The story is a bit over the top but it is fun and definitely keeps you interested. I thought the reveal about Mr. Clem was easy to spot and just a bit predictable but kids might not be able to spot it. I did like the glimpse into how people deal with grief in different ways. It would bring up several good discussion points for parents and kids to talk about. I think my favorite moment in the book was when Daralynn was talking about her brother and his love of peanut butter and tomato sandwiches. I had no idea anyone outside of my family ate such a thing! Guess it must be a Missouri thing.
June 4, 2014
Daralynn Oakland, age 12, hates dolls. Especially since people started calling her Dolly, on account of all the dolls. She doesn’t even want them, but doesn’t want to see Mamaw playing with them either, so she secrets the dolls away in hide-away spots, only to be unearthed and doted on by Mamaw the next day. The dolls were all presents, thoughts of kindness, from neighbors trying to help. But how can a few dolls replace almost your entire family? Daralynn’s father and older siblings died in a plane crash, and now she’s left in the large vacant home with her strict, reserved Mother and demented grandmother, Mamaw. Mother wasn’t so icy before the crash, and Daralynn can’t help but feel that her mother secretly wishes Daralynn had been on that plane in place of Lilac Rose or Wayne Junior, now resting peacefully in their caskets. With death all around, Daralynn comes up with the idea of the Living Funeral, a way to celebrate one’s life and say nice things to people before you die, and a chance to say goodbye to loved ones before it’s too late. The word “grounded” takes on many meanings – punishment for misbehaving kids, being connected to the earth, feeling at peace, and the inability to fly. Grounded explores the many ways people grieve, the pain of loss, and the bonds of motherhood. Highly recommended for tweens, age 9-13.
Rebecca Jung, Teen Librarian
Belvedere-Tiburon Library
Rebecca Jung, Teen Librarian
Belvedere-Tiburon Library
July 4, 2013
Grounded by Kate Klise was so darn cute. Before I started reading, Grounded struck me as one of those books that is bizarre in the best way possible and it totally was. I loved the wacky characters Kate Klise has created and the story of growth they have to share.
Daralynn is such a great main character - she is a character that everyone can connect with. She is not the beauty of the family nor the favorite and she would rather be fishing than playing with dolls or doing girly things. Guys have something to share with her, as does girls who pick up Grounded. Aunt Josie is an absolute hoot - I loved her witty comments and her very free lifestyle.
Despite what you would assume would be a very morbid book given the death that happens at the beginning and the frequenting of funeral homes in the novel, this book was super fun! Mixed in among the humor, Grounded is really a story of growth and healing.
For me, Grounded was an absolute hit. The best middle grade novels have that special quality that make me just fall in love with them and only fall more in love as the characters grow, and Grounded did just that. For my first Kate Klise novel and certainly not my last, I was very pleased with Grounded.
Daralynn is such a great main character - she is a character that everyone can connect with. She is not the beauty of the family nor the favorite and she would rather be fishing than playing with dolls or doing girly things. Guys have something to share with her, as does girls who pick up Grounded. Aunt Josie is an absolute hoot - I loved her witty comments and her very free lifestyle.
Despite what you would assume would be a very morbid book given the death that happens at the beginning and the frequenting of funeral homes in the novel, this book was super fun! Mixed in among the humor, Grounded is really a story of growth and healing.
For me, Grounded was an absolute hit. The best middle grade novels have that special quality that make me just fall in love with them and only fall more in love as the characters grow, and Grounded did just that. For my first Kate Klise novel and certainly not my last, I was very pleased with Grounded.
January 27, 2014
For years, the six Oakland's have put down roots in their small community. A plane crash tears up their family leaving twelve year old Daralynn and her mother behind. They stumble. Loose their footing. They balance life differently. Daralynn roots down seeing life events as "BC"(before the crash) and "AD"(After the deaths) often writing letters to her deceased father and siblings in her Pertinent Facts & Information handbook while her mother rises up and throws herself into a new job working as a hairdresser for the local funeral home and leaving Daralynn by herself. Ashes aren't the only thing being divided across the area. When a new crematorium opens up and the mysterious Mr. Clem sweeps up Daralynn's Aunt Josie, it divides the town and the family. Left to her own devices, Daryalynn unearths a mystery, accidentally discovers a new hairstyle, and creates plans to save the family business.
Grounded provides something to sink your feet into with clever plot twists and newly seeded ideas like Living Funerals. The characters are endearing and you can't help but attach to everyone of them especially Daralynn. Kate Klise has penned a story which seeps into the cracks of your heart so the words can make their way inside.
Grounded provides something to sink your feet into with clever plot twists and newly seeded ideas like Living Funerals. The characters are endearing and you can't help but attach to everyone of them especially Daralynn. Kate Klise has penned a story which seeps into the cracks of your heart so the words can make their way inside.
January 31, 2011
Ages 9-12. Daralynn divides her life between B.C. (before the crash) and A.D. (after the deaths), after her father, brother and sister are killed in an airplane crash. Now it's just her and her mother, and her mother has turned to stone. The only way she can pay the bills is to style the hair of the corpses at the funeral home. But when Clem Monroe breezes into town, bringing a crematorium to Digginsville, it threatens her mother's livelihood. Daralynn dreams up the "living funeral", where living people can celebrate their lives, and the idea is a hit. Until Clem steals that, too. Daralynn thinks Clem is a little too slick, especially after her aunt Josie tells her they are going to be married, and begins an investigation to see what he's up to. What she finds is horrifying. But in the aftermath, her mother's heart ultimately unfreezes, and together they find a way to deal with what they've lost. While the story never reveals a definite time setting, it has an early 70's feel to it (kids may not get the references to Twiggy and Julie Christie). Told with sensitivity and humor in typical Kate Klise style.
November 13, 2013
Not the typical Kate Klise book, Grounded finds its way into your heart as you read about DaraLynn Oakland and her tragedy. Her father, brother, and sister were killed in a plane crash piloted by her father. She was left out of the trip because she was grounded at the time. Now, DaraLynn and her mother must come to terms with their loss and grief.
DaraLynn's mom becomes employed as a hairdresser to the recently dead, but finding that business is not booming (thank goodness), she branches out of her comfort zone and styles the heads of the living. DaraLynn comes up with a new idea, though, and suggests that they hold "living funerals"...that way, people can hear the nice things people say about the recently dead (before they die), AND her mom is sure to get more business (because everyone has their hair done for funerals!).
Time passes, shady characters come to town to rip off the good people of this sleepy little town (and make a big fool of DaraLynn's Aunt Josie), grief comes to a head, and DaraLynn and her mom find a way to stay Grounded as the new, smaller family of just the two of them takes root.
DaraLynn's mom becomes employed as a hairdresser to the recently dead, but finding that business is not booming (thank goodness), she branches out of her comfort zone and styles the heads of the living. DaraLynn comes up with a new idea, though, and suggests that they hold "living funerals"...that way, people can hear the nice things people say about the recently dead (before they die), AND her mom is sure to get more business (because everyone has their hair done for funerals!).
Time passes, shady characters come to town to rip off the good people of this sleepy little town (and make a big fool of DaraLynn's Aunt Josie), grief comes to a head, and DaraLynn and her mom find a way to stay Grounded as the new, smaller family of just the two of them takes root.
May 27, 2011
I must admit that I only added this book to my pile at the library because the cover caught my eye. Once I got it home, though, I moved it to the top of the stack because the premise sounded so interesting.
Now that I'm done, I have that today I have to put a check in the "impulse book decisions" column. This book was excellent! Despite the somewhat macabre subject matter, the story never felt heavy handed or overly depressing. There was just the right amount of humor to lighten up the mood, but not so much that the book felt wacky or inappropriate. In fact, this novel felt somewhat like Southern Gothic light. The characters were well-developed, but there was definitely a wink and nod to the tropes of gothic literature, and the somewhat dark story line definitely played into that feeling.
I would recommend this book to practically anyone. I can see it having appeal to boys or girls, and while it's definitely J FIC, I think it's engaging enough for older students who are looking for some easier material or adults looking for a quick and satisfying read.
Now that I'm done, I have that today I have to put a check in the "impulse book decisions" column. This book was excellent! Despite the somewhat macabre subject matter, the story never felt heavy handed or overly depressing. There was just the right amount of humor to lighten up the mood, but not so much that the book felt wacky or inappropriate. In fact, this novel felt somewhat like Southern Gothic light. The characters were well-developed, but there was definitely a wink and nod to the tropes of gothic literature, and the somewhat dark story line definitely played into that feeling.
I would recommend this book to practically anyone. I can see it having appeal to boys or girls, and while it's definitely J FIC, I think it's engaging enough for older students who are looking for some easier material or adults looking for a quick and satisfying read.
March 5, 2013
Daralynn loses her father, older brother, and younger sister in a plane crash and gains 237 dolls and a new nickname:Dolly. To make ends meet, her mother takes over ownership of a beauty parlor after she shows her skills with preparing her family's bodies for their funerals.
The first summer after the unfortunate deaths is a hard one for Daralynn. Her mother uses anger to push down her own feelings of grief while Daralynn turns to writing letters to her lost loved ones in a journal given to her by her teacher.
Meanwhile, the whole small town is caught up in the business schemes of the local funeral parlor and the soon-to-debut Crematorium. Both businesses introduce living funerals as a way for residents to celebrate their lives before their time is up. The owner of the Crematorium isn't who he says he is though and Daralynn discovers his dirty secrets while fishing when she starts pulling mysterious items from the water.
A sad story, but one with rich characterization and setting. I'd recommend this book to grades 5-8.
The first summer after the unfortunate deaths is a hard one for Daralynn. Her mother uses anger to push down her own feelings of grief while Daralynn turns to writing letters to her lost loved ones in a journal given to her by her teacher.
Meanwhile, the whole small town is caught up in the business schemes of the local funeral parlor and the soon-to-debut Crematorium. Both businesses introduce living funerals as a way for residents to celebrate their lives before their time is up. The owner of the Crematorium isn't who he says he is though and Daralynn discovers his dirty secrets while fishing when she starts pulling mysterious items from the water.
A sad story, but one with rich characterization and setting. I'd recommend this book to grades 5-8.
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