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The Girl in the Well Is Me
Longing to be one of the popular girls in her new town, Kammie Summers has fallen into a well during a (fake) initiation into their club. Now Kammie’s trapped in the dark, counting the hours, waiting to be rescued. (The Girls have gone for help, haven’t they?)
As hours pass, Kammie’s real-life predicament mixes with memories of the best and worst moments of her life so far, including the awful reasons her family moved to this new town in the first place. And as she begins to feel hungry and thirsty and light-headed, Kammie starts to imagine she has company, including a French-speaking coyote and goats that just might be zombies.
Karen Rivers has created a unique narrator with an authentic, sympathetic, sharp, funny voice who will have readers laughing and crying and laugh-crying over the course of physically and emotionally suspenseful, utterly believable events.
As hours pass, Kammie’s real-life predicament mixes with memories of the best and worst moments of her life so far, including the awful reasons her family moved to this new town in the first place. And as she begins to feel hungry and thirsty and light-headed, Kammie starts to imagine she has company, including a French-speaking coyote and goats that just might be zombies.
Karen Rivers has created a unique narrator with an authentic, sympathetic, sharp, funny voice who will have readers laughing and crying and laugh-crying over the course of physically and emotionally suspenseful, utterly believable events.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2016
87 people are currently reading
1904 people want to read
About the author
Karen Rivers
28 books220 followersKaren Rivers is too thrown by the "Date of Death" drop down that has appeared below her name in the editing section of this page to actually write anything about her life. When she recovers, this box will be filled with imperative biographical information and may include SECRETS and probably also a few LIES. Now she is going to sit back and anxiously track that "Date of Death" box in case a date suddenly appears, foretelling her imminent doom.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 409 reviews
January 28, 2016
Honestly, it was the title that really got me interested in this book. I thought this was kind of like a dystopia or steampunk or mystery with those titles that begin with The Girl (The Girl in Iron Corset or The Girl On the Train or The Girl Who Kicked My Butt.... okay, the last one doesn't exist)
The Girl in the Well Is Me is mysterious indeed, but the topic dwells on a lot of matter including bullies, hallucinations and... zombies? Kammie fell down a well after three bullies (Sandy, Mandy & Kandy) told her to stand on top of it, believing that this was part of the girls' initiation so she could join their clique. Down the well, random thoughts filled her mind, like her father's incarceration, her mom and brother's struggles as they moved into a new town, her desire to be accepted by the community starting with the "Mean Girls", all the while shouting for help as the air inside the well depletes. Hallucinations about goats and zombies filled her mind as well, and I, the reader, is left guessing whether she'd be rescued or be left to die.
This book is dark and imploring, two factors I never thought would jive in a children's book. Countless times I asked, why aren't there any rescuers trying to save little Kammie in the well? And countless times I wondered if I am reading about Kammie's present dilemma or reading her thoughts about her past, or present company. I literally got lost in the book because of the tenses used. It was rather confusing reading what's happening around Kammie and then suddenly we're taken to another time in the past. I would have preferred it if there had been a prelude per chapter or something like that.
But overall, I loved the story. It made me cry a bit, made me deliriously angry with the three stupid mean girl and made me wish I was there to comfort the girl in the well. I loved her resilience, her positive demeanor, and most especially, her deeply profound and penetrating thoughts. If I were the one there in the well, I think I'd end up with tears in my eyes, face red and voice hoarse from shouting.
Karen Rivers writing was unique and promising. I think her novel offers so much more than what's on the surface. Readers will be able to relate and connect with the character and that's what really is important. One thing for sure, though. This book is clearly imaginative!
NOTE: I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Girl in the Well Is Me is mysterious indeed, but the topic dwells on a lot of matter including bullies, hallucinations and... zombies? Kammie fell down a well after three bullies (Sandy, Mandy & Kandy) told her to stand on top of it, believing that this was part of the girls' initiation so she could join their clique. Down the well, random thoughts filled her mind, like her father's incarceration, her mom and brother's struggles as they moved into a new town, her desire to be accepted by the community starting with the "Mean Girls", all the while shouting for help as the air inside the well depletes. Hallucinations about goats and zombies filled her mind as well, and I, the reader, is left guessing whether she'd be rescued or be left to die.
This book is dark and imploring, two factors I never thought would jive in a children's book. Countless times I asked, why aren't there any rescuers trying to save little Kammie in the well? And countless times I wondered if I am reading about Kammie's present dilemma or reading her thoughts about her past, or present company. I literally got lost in the book because of the tenses used. It was rather confusing reading what's happening around Kammie and then suddenly we're taken to another time in the past. I would have preferred it if there had been a prelude per chapter or something like that.
But overall, I loved the story. It made me cry a bit, made me deliriously angry with the three stupid mean girl and made me wish I was there to comfort the girl in the well. I loved her resilience, her positive demeanor, and most especially, her deeply profound and penetrating thoughts. If I were the one there in the well, I think I'd end up with tears in my eyes, face red and voice hoarse from shouting.
Karen Rivers writing was unique and promising. I think her novel offers so much more than what's on the surface. Readers will be able to relate and connect with the character and that's what really is important. One thing for sure, though. This book is clearly imaginative!
NOTE: I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2016
There are few perfect things in this world.
This book is one of them.
I picked up this book a little after midnight, looking for an insomnia cure. I'd forgotten that the reason I'd gotten the book in the first place was because the blurb on the cover from the legendary K.A. Applegate, "I dare you to pick up this riveting novel without reading straight through to it's heart-stopping conclusion." I finished it at 3am.
Rivers has created a story that is suspenseful, insightful, heartbreaking and- thankfully- hilarious. If Kammie was not such and funny character, this book would be unreadable; it be just too intense for children and even adults.
This novel deserves the 2016 Newbery Award. Brava, Rivers, BRAVA!
This book is one of them.
I picked up this book a little after midnight, looking for an insomnia cure. I'd forgotten that the reason I'd gotten the book in the first place was because the blurb on the cover from the legendary K.A. Applegate, "I dare you to pick up this riveting novel without reading straight through to it's heart-stopping conclusion." I finished it at 3am.
Rivers has created a story that is suspenseful, insightful, heartbreaking and- thankfully- hilarious. If Kammie was not such and funny character, this book would be unreadable; it be just too intense for children and even adults.
This novel deserves the 2016 Newbery Award. Brava, Rivers, BRAVA!
March 11, 2017
I try not to panic. The first thing everyone says to do in emergencies—earthquakes or house fires or if, say, you fall down an abandoned well out in the wasteland behind town—is to stay calm
I had really high hopes for this book. But I couldn't get anything out of it except for boredom.
Feeling very sorry that it couldn't work for me! (-_-)
I had really high hopes for this book. But I couldn't get anything out of it except for boredom.
Feeling very sorry that it couldn't work for me! (-_-)
March 29, 2016
I wasn't moved throughout this entire book. In fact, the only thing I felt was boredom. I guess it sort of picked up towards the end, but at that point I was far too sick of the main character's rambling that I sped-read through it.
April 15, 2017
Has some important middle grade themes like bullying. Overall, it was a dark read, especially given the grade level. But I really liked the protagonist's voice and appreciated her view of the world.
February 3, 2017
Kammie and her family moved to a new town and Kammie is doing her best to be part of the group of popular girls at school. It seems to be going well until the initiation process. Kammie discovers they didn't really plan to make her part of their group and set her up. She is now stuck in a well and she isn't even sure the girls are looking for help to get her out of it again. While she's being on her own for hours Kammie thinks about the recent changes in her life and the awful time before the move. She's alone in the dark without knowing if someone will come for her and Kammie feels lightheaded, thirsty and famished and to make matters worse she thinks something is hungry for her. Will she be rescued on time?
The Girl in the Well Is Me is a beautiful heartbreaking story. Kammie's family moved because of something her father has done. While Kammie was used to having a lot of friends she has to start over at a new school and that isn't easy, especially since she finds out how mean the popular girls actually are the hard way. I had tears in my eyes when I read about her predicament, but Kammie is strong and she doesn't give up easily. I loved her from the start, she's a sweet girl with too much on her plate and at a young age she's already learned so much about life. That was interesting, but at the same time very difficult to read about. Kammie is being bullied and she's lonely, but she doesn't despair, which is quite admirable. Even though being in a well is scary she acknowledges she's afraid and tries to distract herself, which makes her incredibly brave. She's a fabulous heroine for a book because she is such a versatile and sympathetic person.
Not every child has it easy and The Girl in the Well Is Me is an example of that. It's an honest emotional story with plenty of sadness, but also hope. Karen Rivers has a wonderful descriptive writing style, it's both vivid and smooth. Most of the story is set in the same space, the well, and she's cleverly managed to turn this small confined location into something really big with unlimited possibilities. It's never gruesome, but it is a bit creepy and it definitely made my imagination run wild. Karen Rivers is a creative writer with a great imagination and I loved this amazing nerve-racking story.
The Girl in the Well Is Me is a beautiful heartbreaking story. Kammie's family moved because of something her father has done. While Kammie was used to having a lot of friends she has to start over at a new school and that isn't easy, especially since she finds out how mean the popular girls actually are the hard way. I had tears in my eyes when I read about her predicament, but Kammie is strong and she doesn't give up easily. I loved her from the start, she's a sweet girl with too much on her plate and at a young age she's already learned so much about life. That was interesting, but at the same time very difficult to read about. Kammie is being bullied and she's lonely, but she doesn't despair, which is quite admirable. Even though being in a well is scary she acknowledges she's afraid and tries to distract herself, which makes her incredibly brave. She's a fabulous heroine for a book because she is such a versatile and sympathetic person.
Not every child has it easy and The Girl in the Well Is Me is an example of that. It's an honest emotional story with plenty of sadness, but also hope. Karen Rivers has a wonderful descriptive writing style, it's both vivid and smooth. Most of the story is set in the same space, the well, and she's cleverly managed to turn this small confined location into something really big with unlimited possibilities. It's never gruesome, but it is a bit creepy and it definitely made my imagination run wild. Karen Rivers is a creative writer with a great imagination and I loved this amazing nerve-racking story.
July 11, 2016
Being the new kid in town, eleven-year-old Kammie Summer is perhaps just trying to impress the popular girls at her new school when she accepts their dare and ends up in a deep abandoned well. It’s wet, smelly, cold, dark and scary and it hurts being cramped in there with her arms and body wedged against the sides of the well. Where are her so called new "friends"? They don’t even appear to be eager to try to rescue her, if they are even still there. Will she live or die and why did she do it anyway? Our likable narrator has a lot of time to examine her life so far and discover what is most important in this compelling novel for tweens.
Sharyn H. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.
February 26, 2016
Originally Posted: https://twentythreepages.wordpress.co...
*This book was given to me to read and review by the publishers but all opinions are mine*
This was honestly such a unique and refreshing book. I mean how often do you get to hear the life story of a girl who is literally stuck in an actual well in the middle of Nowheresville? Not often that's for sure.
Plot
So okay let's start with the plot. I loved the plot. I loved how fast paced it was and I thought it was very cute. The book was a little crazy though in that it jumped all over the place and was a little odd at some points but I actually found that to be quite okay.
I think a lot of readers thought that the book was a bit too jumpy but in my point of view, she could barely breathe. She was about to die. Cut the girl some slack!
Characters
Kammie
I'm just going to talk about Kammie in this review because in my head, she was the only relevant character. Everyone else was secondary. So I loved Kammie. I thought she was an extremely well-developed character. I especially loved the fact that she was mature yet not mature enough that she started to act older then she actually was. You get what I mean right?
I also really loved that her stream of consciousness was all over the place. I really enjoyed hearing about everything that was going through her head while she was stuck even if that meant that I had to hear about phantom zombie goats at the bottom of the well. I loved it because it was honest. I mean it just had this element of authenticity you know?
Like no one thinks coherently. Everybody has spaghetti thoughts. Thoughts that are messy and jumbled and that never have direction. But I've never read a book that showed that human side of the brain if you will.
Overall
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It made me angry and sad and happy and I really enjoyed the rollercoaster. I don't have much to say about it because its not really a book that you can summarise and trivialise. It's the kind of book that you just really have to experience. But I can say that you won't regret it if you pick it up when it gets published.
*This book was given to me to read and review by the publishers but all opinions are mine*
This was honestly such a unique and refreshing book. I mean how often do you get to hear the life story of a girl who is literally stuck in an actual well in the middle of Nowheresville? Not often that's for sure.
Plot
So okay let's start with the plot. I loved the plot. I loved how fast paced it was and I thought it was very cute. The book was a little crazy though in that it jumped all over the place and was a little odd at some points but I actually found that to be quite okay.
I think a lot of readers thought that the book was a bit too jumpy but in my point of view, she could barely breathe. She was about to die. Cut the girl some slack!
Characters
Kammie
I'm just going to talk about Kammie in this review because in my head, she was the only relevant character. Everyone else was secondary. So I loved Kammie. I thought she was an extremely well-developed character. I especially loved the fact that she was mature yet not mature enough that she started to act older then she actually was. You get what I mean right?
I also really loved that her stream of consciousness was all over the place. I really enjoyed hearing about everything that was going through her head while she was stuck even if that meant that I had to hear about phantom zombie goats at the bottom of the well. I loved it because it was honest. I mean it just had this element of authenticity you know?
Like no one thinks coherently. Everybody has spaghetti thoughts. Thoughts that are messy and jumbled and that never have direction. But I've never read a book that showed that human side of the brain if you will.
Overall
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It made me angry and sad and happy and I really enjoyed the rollercoaster. I don't have much to say about it because its not really a book that you can summarise and trivialise. It's the kind of book that you just really have to experience. But I can say that you won't regret it if you pick it up when it gets published.
March 3, 2016
Wow, I'm not sure what to say here. I'm still a bit caught up in the story. It was very captivating.
But yeah, I'm gonna give my head a good shake and organize my thoughts. Or at least try to. Here goes nothing.
This was a really short read. Took me about 4-5 hours and I'm not even a fast reader. It was a very easy-to-read book with a likable protagonist. The pace was also good despite the fact that you might feel that it's dragging at time. All that "dragging" is part of getting to know Kammie and how she ended up in the well.
There were a lot of things that led up to it and you'd be surprized by many of the things that happened in Kammie's life. It makes her even more admirable. She's an incerdibly strong girl, not for falling in a well. She was plenty strong before. But the resiliance and optimism she showed in the well was amazing.
I thing the narrative is the most important part of this book. You see, it takes place in a very short period of time and if it weren't for the humourous, imaginative and interesting narrative, finishing the book would have been a chore, short book or not.
But Kammie's perpective was so great and getting to know her family and her life was interesting because of her. She made you feel connected.
Some might complain that since it's pretty onvious Kammie isn't going to die in the well, it takes away from the story. It doesn't; not in the least. This story wasn't really about the well. It was about what happened before it, how it and the well affected her and the changes that were brought in her. It was about the person she would become.
And in that department, the character development one, the book excelled. Kammie realized so many things in that well and though so much about her life, her family and what she wanted. She discovered herself while stuck in a well and beyond dazed.
Overall, this book was a short, sweet and yet deep book with a great protagonist. I loved it.
P.S. I know I didn't give a reason for not giving it 5 stars. I do have one, but I strangely don't want to write it. I don't want to write anything bad about this book.
I recieved an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
But yeah, I'm gonna give my head a good shake and organize my thoughts. Or at least try to. Here goes nothing.
This was a really short read. Took me about 4-5 hours and I'm not even a fast reader. It was a very easy-to-read book with a likable protagonist. The pace was also good despite the fact that you might feel that it's dragging at time. All that "dragging" is part of getting to know Kammie and how she ended up in the well.
There were a lot of things that led up to it and you'd be surprized by many of the things that happened in Kammie's life. It makes her even more admirable. She's an incerdibly strong girl, not for falling in a well. She was plenty strong before. But the resiliance and optimism she showed in the well was amazing.
I thing the narrative is the most important part of this book. You see, it takes place in a very short period of time and if it weren't for the humourous, imaginative and interesting narrative, finishing the book would have been a chore, short book or not.
But Kammie's perpective was so great and getting to know her family and her life was interesting because of her. She made you feel connected.
Some might complain that since it's pretty onvious Kammie isn't going to die in the well, it takes away from the story. It doesn't; not in the least. This story wasn't really about the well. It was about what happened before it, how it and the well affected her and the changes that were brought in her. It was about the person she would become.
And in that department, the character development one, the book excelled. Kammie realized so many things in that well and though so much about her life, her family and what she wanted. She discovered herself while stuck in a well and beyond dazed.
Overall, this book was a short, sweet and yet deep book with a great protagonist. I loved it.
P.S. I know I didn't give a reason for not giving it 5 stars. I do have one, but I strangely don't want to write it. I don't want to write anything bad about this book.
I recieved an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2016
One of the best books I have read this year! From start to finish! Powerful.
October 27, 2017
The Girl In The Well Is Me is unlike anything I've ever read before. It's a poignant, moving story-almost poetic in a way-while also being funny and downright weird at times.
It's a story told by an 11-year old girl who happens to get stuck in a well at the wasteland behind town (or nowheresille as Kammie calls it).
I know what you're thinking: how can a book about a girl stuck in a well be any good? How would it not become repetitive and boring? But, let me assure you, it's so much more than that. The well is what brings her to remember everyone and everything that has wronged her in her past. This is a story of past memories, regrets, wishes, and MAYBE even a confrontation with death (you'll have to read it to find out). Heartwarming and darkly humorous at times, this is a book you won't soon forget.
It just so manages in having the most realistic voice of an 11-year old character that I had to remind myself that it wasn't written by a child Kammie's age. And Kammie is one of the most gentlest, kindest characters I've read about in a while. She see's all that's wrong with the world, things that so many people are quick to ignore: the wildness of human beings, the damage of lies, the hate and judgement that we show towards certain people, even when we don't know them at all.
I will be very disappointed if this book doesn't win as the finalist in the state of Florida's nominated books for grades 6-8 in the 2017-2018 school year. Will definitely be voting!
It's a story told by an 11-year old girl who happens to get stuck in a well at the wasteland behind town (or nowheresille as Kammie calls it).
I know what you're thinking: how can a book about a girl stuck in a well be any good? How would it not become repetitive and boring? But, let me assure you, it's so much more than that. The well is what brings her to remember everyone and everything that has wronged her in her past. This is a story of past memories, regrets, wishes, and MAYBE even a confrontation with death (you'll have to read it to find out). Heartwarming and darkly humorous at times, this is a book you won't soon forget.
It just so manages in having the most realistic voice of an 11-year old character that I had to remind myself that it wasn't written by a child Kammie's age. And Kammie is one of the most gentlest, kindest characters I've read about in a while. She see's all that's wrong with the world, things that so many people are quick to ignore: the wildness of human beings, the damage of lies, the hate and judgement that we show towards certain people, even when we don't know them at all.
I will be very disappointed if this book doesn't win as the finalist in the state of Florida's nominated books for grades 6-8 in the 2017-2018 school year. Will definitely be voting!
May 5, 2016
This is an incredibly well done story about a girl who falls into an old well during a mean club initiation orchestrated by girls at her new school. Once Kammie is in the well, she has a lot of time to think about her life, and Rivers balances what is happening in the now with flashbacks Kammie has to what brought her to the place she now finds herself. The plot is definitely not linear and jumps around a lot. This could be confusing but it should be because it is a perfect reflection of Kammie's turmoil as she waits for a rescue that may not come. It is a short read and I think it will be an easy sell with its target audience.
October 6, 2016
This book is about a 11-year-old name Kammie. She was waiting to be rescued from a well she fell into while trying to impress some mean girls. She begins to feel hungry and light-headed. I like this book because the author does a great job transcribing the inner dialogue of a preteen.
August 9, 2015
A book that will be loved by many readers for many different reasons.
May 21, 2016
Lots in this book - lots about the ugliness of middle school relationships, the vulnerability of children, our inner voices and introspection . . . .
January 15, 2018
This is a fabulous, gripping read. Karen Rivers is a powerful, talented writer. I spent this weekend down in a well with my arms pressed to my sides, unable to move in any direction except, occasionally, down. The writing was so exceptional, I truly felt what the main character felt. Her thoughts were artfully written. Loved how we were fed the backstory bit by bit. I hung on each word. The content is a bit darker than the cartoon cover implies. This book reminded me of Ouida Sebestyen's harrowing novel, The Girl in the Box. It had the same intensity and so much was at stake. I highly recommend The Girl in the Well is Me for a fast-paced, well-written and unique read.
March 12, 2016
I received an advanced electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Almost thirty years ago the world was enthralled by “Baby Jessica,” who was then only 18 months old and who fell into a well in her aunt’s backyard. She remained for two days until she was saved, and the media circus was over-ish. If Jessica was 9-and-a-half years older and at a new school, THE GIRL IN THE WELL IS ME could well (pun intended) be her story. This novel for young readers by Karen Rivers simultaneously reminded me of Mean Girls and of Crime and Punishment, which is about as strange of a combination as you can get.
The story begins with Kammie Summers thinking that she gets to join a group of (really annoying) girls at her new school if she just goes through some silly initiation that involves her standing on some wood. Unbeknownst to Kammie and her Mean Girl friends, the wood would give way to a deep well. On the pointless advice of the other 11-year-old girls who hatch a rescue plan, Kammie tries to “climb” out and ends up falling even further. This happens within the first few page and follows Kammie’s next many hours where she is stuck.
Over time, Kammie begins her descent (pun intended) into near madness--perhaps it is due to shock, pain, or sheer boredom, but Kammie does a lot of thinking and eventually begins to hallucinate as she falls in and out of consciousness. The author does a great job getting into the thoughts of an 11-year-old falling into a well. Considering the constant stimulation that kids get these days, the hours without a cell phone can be enough (one study of college students found that most would rather shock themselves than sit quietly for about ten minutes!). Kammie is also terrified and in serious pain.
The author does a nice job of carrying the reader across Kammie’s life, past and present, through flashbacks that aren’t the sitcom variety but instead are clearly just thoughts Kammie has as she is passing the time. Kammie becomes a complex character, and the reader can easily understand why she would have let these mean girls get to her. What I found most engaging, however, was the psychological toll being in the well was taking on Kammie. Anyone who has never been stuck in a well (so...most people) probably cannot really imagine what that would be like. I know I surely can’t. Kammie’s experiences seem pretty close, though. I am somewhat claustrophobic, and although the descriptions were not gory by any stretch, they were enough to provoke some anxiety. I read this book in one sitting (well, lying down) because I go so into it. It was not without its humorous parts (see the Mean Girls comparison), but this book is much deeper (pun!) than I would expect for tween books. In spite of its depth (okay, I did that pun already), it still seems age appropriate.
Without spoiling the ending, Baby Jessica’s media circus lives on in THE GIRL IN THE WELL IS ME.
Almost thirty years ago the world was enthralled by “Baby Jessica,” who was then only 18 months old and who fell into a well in her aunt’s backyard. She remained for two days until she was saved, and the media circus was over-ish. If Jessica was 9-and-a-half years older and at a new school, THE GIRL IN THE WELL IS ME could well (pun intended) be her story. This novel for young readers by Karen Rivers simultaneously reminded me of Mean Girls and of Crime and Punishment, which is about as strange of a combination as you can get.
The story begins with Kammie Summers thinking that she gets to join a group of (really annoying) girls at her new school if she just goes through some silly initiation that involves her standing on some wood. Unbeknownst to Kammie and her Mean Girl friends, the wood would give way to a deep well. On the pointless advice of the other 11-year-old girls who hatch a rescue plan, Kammie tries to “climb” out and ends up falling even further. This happens within the first few page and follows Kammie’s next many hours where she is stuck.
Over time, Kammie begins her descent (pun intended) into near madness--perhaps it is due to shock, pain, or sheer boredom, but Kammie does a lot of thinking and eventually begins to hallucinate as she falls in and out of consciousness. The author does a great job getting into the thoughts of an 11-year-old falling into a well. Considering the constant stimulation that kids get these days, the hours without a cell phone can be enough (one study of college students found that most would rather shock themselves than sit quietly for about ten minutes!). Kammie is also terrified and in serious pain.
The author does a nice job of carrying the reader across Kammie’s life, past and present, through flashbacks that aren’t the sitcom variety but instead are clearly just thoughts Kammie has as she is passing the time. Kammie becomes a complex character, and the reader can easily understand why she would have let these mean girls get to her. What I found most engaging, however, was the psychological toll being in the well was taking on Kammie. Anyone who has never been stuck in a well (so...most people) probably cannot really imagine what that would be like. I know I surely can’t. Kammie’s experiences seem pretty close, though. I am somewhat claustrophobic, and although the descriptions were not gory by any stretch, they were enough to provoke some anxiety. I read this book in one sitting (well, lying down) because I go so into it. It was not without its humorous parts (see the Mean Girls comparison), but this book is much deeper (pun!) than I would expect for tween books. In spite of its depth (okay, I did that pun already), it still seems age appropriate.
Without spoiling the ending, Baby Jessica’s media circus lives on in THE GIRL IN THE WELL IS ME.
July 29, 2016
The Girl in the Well is Me by Karen Rivers is a middle grade novel. Longing to be one of the popular girls in her new town, Kammie Summers has fallen into a well during a (fake) initiation into their club. Now Kammie’s trapped in the dark, counting the hours, waiting to be rescued. As hours pass, Kammie’s real-life predicament mixes with memories of the best and worst moments of her life so far, including the awful reasons her family moved to this new town in the first place. And as she begins to feel hungry and thirsty and light-headed, Kammie starts to imagine she has company, including a French-speaking coyote and goats that just might be zombies.
The Girl in the Well is Me starts just after Kammie has fallen into a well due to a stunt the girls she desperately want to fit in with ask her to perform. As she sits stuck in the well, waiting for help and hoping the girls will either do something to get her out or find someone who can, she thinks about how she ended up there. She remembers her desperation to fit in, and how she should have tried to make real friends rather than trying to be accepted by the popular clique. She thinks about why her family moved for her home, why they are no longer rich, and what has separated them from her father. She thinks about some of the worst moments in her life, which all seem to be recent. She thinks about the good things, like the record store and the cat she likes best at home. Thoughts of suicide are included and is parental incarceration, so if those are anxiety triggers for you then you might want to skip the read. However, I think it is handled very well to make the reader feel less alone and better understood. I will admit to tears, and more than a few moments when I had to put the book down and take a moment. Thankfully, there was also a good amount of witty or otherwise amusing moments to balance the read out a little. A very good read, but not for a light read or an escape.
The Girl in the Well is Me is an emotional read that actually had me in tears a few times. I think any reader that has faced family problems, depression, or even just fears about fitting in will find something to relate to here- and the knowledge that they are not alone.
The Girl in the Well is Me starts just after Kammie has fallen into a well due to a stunt the girls she desperately want to fit in with ask her to perform. As she sits stuck in the well, waiting for help and hoping the girls will either do something to get her out or find someone who can, she thinks about how she ended up there. She remembers her desperation to fit in, and how she should have tried to make real friends rather than trying to be accepted by the popular clique. She thinks about why her family moved for her home, why they are no longer rich, and what has separated them from her father. She thinks about some of the worst moments in her life, which all seem to be recent. She thinks about the good things, like the record store and the cat she likes best at home. Thoughts of suicide are included and is parental incarceration, so if those are anxiety triggers for you then you might want to skip the read. However, I think it is handled very well to make the reader feel less alone and better understood. I will admit to tears, and more than a few moments when I had to put the book down and take a moment. Thankfully, there was also a good amount of witty or otherwise amusing moments to balance the read out a little. A very good read, but not for a light read or an escape.
The Girl in the Well is Me is an emotional read that actually had me in tears a few times. I think any reader that has faced family problems, depression, or even just fears about fitting in will find something to relate to here- and the knowledge that they are not alone.
July 27, 2016
Eleven-year-old Kammie Summers has fallen down a well in Nowheresville (her term) for her new home-state Texas. She remains stuck there while the three mean girls she was trying to impress humiliate her from above. As the reader, we only see what Kammie sees, hear what she hears, and bear witness to the thoughts that swirl through her preteen head, such as: “I wonder if heaven is real? I hope so. If it’s not, this whole life thing is going to have felt like a major ripoff.” All Kammie longed for was a group of friends at her new school- especially since her life at home was in shambles. The author of the novel, Karen Rivers does an excellent job of using imagery to paint vivid images in the readers mind. She uses a descriptive language to describe the main characters and the well in which Kammie is now trapped in. As awful as Kammie’s situation down there is, Karen River's use of the story element flashback helps to generate many honest and forthcoming moments that Kammie can't help but think about as she is trapped all alone in the well. This was an excellent young adult novel, appropriate for children ages 10 years old and up. This novel is a great example of rich, high quality-literature and I recommend it! Other books I might pair with this book would relate to the topic of bullying, exploration of courage, the will to live, and the importance of being true to oneself. Other books I might pair with this book might include: Wish Girl and The Truth About Twinkie Pie. The book, The Girl in the Well is Me, by Karen Rivers could be used as a mentor text for writing about the harmful effects of bullying. This text could also be used in writer's workshop in order to help children understand imagery and show students how this could be used within their own writing.
March 22, 2016
Originally reviewed at Minnesota Reads.
Taking place almost entirely inside the well where Kammie Summers is stuck, The Girl in the Well Is Me by Karen Rivers is a great middle grade novel about bullying, family, friends, and being true to oneself.
11-year-old Kammie and her family moved to be closer to her dad, who is in prison. We don’t see this, but we learn about it after Kammie gets stuck in a well as part of an initiation gone wrong. Kammie falls deep into an abandoned well and is completely stuck, her arms pinned at her sides. The girls that got her into this mess take their sweet time to get her some help, and during that time we’re entirely in Kammie’s head, and she’s got a lot on her mind. We learn about the cool girls she was trying to be friends with, about Kammie and her family, and about her dad and how they’ve been coping without him.
I realize that description might sound kind of boring, but it’s not. Kammie is an extremely likeable character, she tells a great story, and she has a wonderful sense of humor. Even while being trapped in a well, this girl is funny, like when she starts questioning where Lassie is in times like these and ponders whether cats would ever help someone in this situation. (The answer is no, they would not.)
But it’s more than her sense of humor. We learn all about Kammie and how she longs to belong, how she misses her grandma, how she knew these girls were trouble, and through it all, her mind jumps all over the place, just like our mind does. She quickly moves from one thing to the next, all while trying to forget about snakes, rats, and bugs down in the disgusting well. She’s immensely relatable and delightful and this quick read was really entertaining, which is hard to do with a character stuck in one place the whole time. Nicely done.
Taking place almost entirely inside the well where Kammie Summers is stuck, The Girl in the Well Is Me by Karen Rivers is a great middle grade novel about bullying, family, friends, and being true to oneself.
11-year-old Kammie and her family moved to be closer to her dad, who is in prison. We don’t see this, but we learn about it after Kammie gets stuck in a well as part of an initiation gone wrong. Kammie falls deep into an abandoned well and is completely stuck, her arms pinned at her sides. The girls that got her into this mess take their sweet time to get her some help, and during that time we’re entirely in Kammie’s head, and she’s got a lot on her mind. We learn about the cool girls she was trying to be friends with, about Kammie and her family, and about her dad and how they’ve been coping without him.
I realize that description might sound kind of boring, but it’s not. Kammie is an extremely likeable character, she tells a great story, and she has a wonderful sense of humor. Even while being trapped in a well, this girl is funny, like when she starts questioning where Lassie is in times like these and ponders whether cats would ever help someone in this situation. (The answer is no, they would not.)
But it’s more than her sense of humor. We learn all about Kammie and how she longs to belong, how she misses her grandma, how she knew these girls were trouble, and through it all, her mind jumps all over the place, just like our mind does. She quickly moves from one thing to the next, all while trying to forget about snakes, rats, and bugs down in the disgusting well. She’s immensely relatable and delightful and this quick read was really entertaining, which is hard to do with a character stuck in one place the whole time. Nicely done.
March 6, 2016
*This book was given to me to read and review by the publishers but all opinions are mine*
When I first started reading this book, I was put off. The narrator's voice seemed at once too immature and too precocious for her age and felt false. But then I stopped and said, "wait" and thought about what *I* was like at the protagonist's age...and I would have sounded just like her.
The thing was, Karen Rivers did such an incredible job of shoving aside the trope of how kids are "supposed" to sound in literature and creating a real, authentic pre-teen that my pretentious lit saturated brain at first mistook it for a bad voice. In all actuality, it's the most real voice I've seen in literature in a very long time. Our internal voices aren't smooth or consistent or pretty. We make jokes with ourselves, have random thoughts, and make associations that don't always make sense.
That, too, is why I jokingly (and affectionately) referred to this as "Baby's First Stream of Consciousness." I think, in all honesty, this book is a great starting point for people who want to "get" writers like Joyce (disclaimer, I get Joyce but still don't like him much). Because the protagonist is young and the writing style is stripped down for a younger reader, you can see the machinery of post-modern stream of consciousness, study how it works, and put it back together.
So anyway. This review has been incredibly pretentious. Despite how I made it sound, this book is NOT incredibly pretentious. Rivers stays just this side of the thin line between "smart" and "pretentious" with her deceptively simple prose. When it does cross over into self-congratulatory, it's clearly calculated as further development of our very intelligent but emotionally immature narrator. Let the promise of an interesting concept bring you in, but stay for the solid, deceptively complex writing.
When I first started reading this book, I was put off. The narrator's voice seemed at once too immature and too precocious for her age and felt false. But then I stopped and said, "wait" and thought about what *I* was like at the protagonist's age...and I would have sounded just like her.
The thing was, Karen Rivers did such an incredible job of shoving aside the trope of how kids are "supposed" to sound in literature and creating a real, authentic pre-teen that my pretentious lit saturated brain at first mistook it for a bad voice. In all actuality, it's the most real voice I've seen in literature in a very long time. Our internal voices aren't smooth or consistent or pretty. We make jokes with ourselves, have random thoughts, and make associations that don't always make sense.
That, too, is why I jokingly (and affectionately) referred to this as "Baby's First Stream of Consciousness." I think, in all honesty, this book is a great starting point for people who want to "get" writers like Joyce (disclaimer, I get Joyce but still don't like him much). Because the protagonist is young and the writing style is stripped down for a younger reader, you can see the machinery of post-modern stream of consciousness, study how it works, and put it back together.
So anyway. This review has been incredibly pretentious. Despite how I made it sound, this book is NOT incredibly pretentious. Rivers stays just this side of the thin line between "smart" and "pretentious" with her deceptively simple prose. When it does cross over into self-congratulatory, it's clearly calculated as further development of our very intelligent but emotionally immature narrator. Let the promise of an interesting concept bring you in, but stay for the solid, deceptively complex writing.
March 21, 2016
I think the description of this book does it a disservice. I'm not exactly sure why they claim it is "hilarious" (while there are some parts that may elicit a smile, I wouldn't say it is even "funny," never mind "hilarious" ... but it shouldn't be, either). Also, I'm not sure I get why they are comparing this book to Rain Reign or Flora & Ulysses. The books don't seem all that similar to me.
I have seen a lot of reviews for this book that complain about the protagonist's voice and how annoying the stream of consciousness is. I felt it to be very believable and raw. Kammie is scared and low on oxygen...it makes sense that she would be getting lost in her own thoughts. And I thought the tact of letting parts of her backstory come out a little at a time throughout her time in the well was effective.
To me, the story was compelling, and I'll be very interested to see what kids think of it. It definitely has a catchy title and an appealing title, and will be easy to booktalk.
Something to keep in mind: the swear word that begins with "s" makes two appearances, which may turn off some parents. Kammie says it in part because of her situation but also because, as she acknowledges, she is not allowed to swear at home.
I have seen a lot of reviews for this book that complain about the protagonist's voice and how annoying the stream of consciousness is. I felt it to be very believable and raw. Kammie is scared and low on oxygen...it makes sense that she would be getting lost in her own thoughts. And I thought the tact of letting parts of her backstory come out a little at a time throughout her time in the well was effective.
To me, the story was compelling, and I'll be very interested to see what kids think of it. It definitely has a catchy title and an appealing title, and will be easy to booktalk.
Something to keep in mind: the swear word that begins with "s" makes two appearances, which may turn off some parents. Kammie says it in part because of her situation but also because, as she acknowledges, she is not allowed to swear at home.
July 22, 2016
Karen Rivers has written a truly unique and quirky novel with lots of dark twists and turns. Imagine you suddenly fall into a well one day. How would you feel? Terrified? Shocked? Desperate? That is exactly how 11 year old Kammie Summers feels when she falls down a well. Kammie is the new girl in Nowheresville, Texas and she longs to be one of the popular girls at her new middle school. During an initiation ceremony into the popular girls club, Kammie falls into a well. Kammie waits in the dark, ominous well and hopes that the mean girls have gone to get help. As the hours pass, Kammie slips deeper into the well and her feverish mind starts to wander. Soon, Kammie starts hallucinating and finds herself accompanied by zombie goats and a French-speaking coyote as she reflects upon old memories and abandons any hope of rescue. Will Kammie ever be saved from the gaping maw of the well?
This book is suited for older and more mature readers since some scenes are overwhelming and may upset sensitive people. At times Kammie has long flashbacks about her past that can be confusing. This book also has some very funny and humorous scenes which will have the reader laughing. Overall, this book is a deep and captivating read.
Roksanna K, age 11, Broward County Mensa
This book is suited for older and more mature readers since some scenes are overwhelming and may upset sensitive people. At times Kammie has long flashbacks about her past that can be confusing. This book also has some very funny and humorous scenes which will have the reader laughing. Overall, this book is a deep and captivating read.
Roksanna K, age 11, Broward County Mensa
May 13, 2016
I loved this book! It reminds me of June b Jones (just how the girl talks). This book got me from the beginning and kept me wondering the whole way threw.
I do have to say it is an older kids book and not a kids book, i may be wrong but I found some of the content a bit older.
I do understand why other reviews gave it lower stars, as they didn't like the constant ramblings of the character, but you guys, she's stuck in a well. What else is the story going to be about besides a girl reflecting on her life and thinking she's going to die.
I liked the back story and the characters in her head.
I found it funny, quirky, and tense. The description in this novel is great, it is HIGHLY descriptive, so like descriptions of descriptions.
I would totally recommend it because it's a super quick read.
Also the ending was cute.
This just shows how scary it is to be stuck in a well.
I do have to say it is an older kids book and not a kids book, i may be wrong but I found some of the content a bit older.
I do understand why other reviews gave it lower stars, as they didn't like the constant ramblings of the character, but you guys, she's stuck in a well. What else is the story going to be about besides a girl reflecting on her life and thinking she's going to die.
I liked the back story and the characters in her head.
I found it funny, quirky, and tense. The description in this novel is great, it is HIGHLY descriptive, so like descriptions of descriptions.
I would totally recommend it because it's a super quick read.
Also the ending was cute.
This just shows how scary it is to be stuck in a well.
August 19, 2016
This is a really good mid-grade book. Kammie is stuck in a well after being vaguely tricked into standing on its unstable covering by the 3 "-Andy's" - Kandy, Mandy, and Sandy. Starting after the fact, you learn how this happened - how Kammie ended up in this new town, why she's with these three "mean girls", and how her family life crumbled. The author does justice to being a young girl wanting to reinvent herself, and also one just trying to fit in and get through.
I read this in a few hours, but it was really excellent. I recommend it to both grown ups who need a quick read, and mom's who need something to recommend to their 10-13 year old daughters.
I read this in a few hours, but it was really excellent. I recommend it to both grown ups who need a quick read, and mom's who need something to recommend to their 10-13 year old daughters.
November 11, 2018
What an amazing book! I just loved this story and it brought out so many feelings. The story follows Kammie and how she is going through an initiation to be "in" with the popular girls. After having her hair cut off, she is told to stand on a rotten board over a well and she falls in. The popular girls, Kandy, Mandy and Sandy mock her, spit gum on her and laugh as Kammie is hurt hanging on hangway down the well. As a reader, I just wanted to scream! I don't want to go into the story more as to not spoil it but I highly recommend it! This is great for kids of all ages.
May 11, 2018
What a beautifully written and thought provoking middle grade read.
I normally don't like child narrators as often they don't write age appropriately. However this is spot on. Was recommended this book by Akossiwa K as she loved Kammie the girl narrator. Full of love,hope and how to cope when scarier things get scarier # middlegrademay
I normally don't like child narrators as often they don't write age appropriately. However this is spot on. Was recommended this book by Akossiwa K as she loved Kammie the girl narrator. Full of love,hope and how to cope when scarier things get scarier # middlegrademay
April 17, 2018
LOVE this. Brought me back to my 6th grade self and how I thought fitting in was the only way.
June 5, 2017
I think the theme of this book is always stay positive. Kammie isn't sure if she is going to make it out of the well. She thinks people are coming for her but it's been really quiet. Yet she waits for people to come to her rescue. She is also looking down on her life with the incident that happened in her home town. She had to move and tried to make things work with living in a trailer. But she keeps feeling like her world is ending. There is still hope inside of her though when she is stuck in a well and pondering her mind.
September 30, 2017
Eh, interesting but problematic premise. The eleven-year-old heroine is tricked by mean (popular) girls, and as a direct result is trapped in a well, arms pinned to her sides. She passes the time by reliving re-examining her family's recent financial disgrace and ensuing miseries.
None of this self-searching amounts to much, and the moral lessons are pretty heavy-handed: the heroine realizes she was SO wrong to admire the popular girls. She resolves to make friends with (literally) the disabled.
Hard to see who this was written for. Younger readers would most likely be creeped out by the claustrophobic descriptions and the main character's hallucinations. Older kids would be annoyed by the cardboard-thin characters.
None of this self-searching amounts to much, and the moral lessons are pretty heavy-handed: the heroine realizes she was SO wrong to admire the popular girls. She resolves to make friends with (literally) the disabled.
Hard to see who this was written for. Younger readers would most likely be creeped out by the claustrophobic descriptions and the main character's hallucinations. Older kids would be annoyed by the cardboard-thin characters.
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