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If a Tree Falls at Lunch Break
Kirsten's world is crumbling. Her parents are barely speaking to each other and her 'best friend' has fallen under the spell of queen bee, Brianna. For Walker the goal is simply to survive in his new private school. Then Kirsten discovers something that will affect both her and Walker.
224 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2007
89 people are currently reading
1568 people want to read
About the author
Gennifer Choldenko
43 books734 followersThere’s a Lego in my bum which fits with the Lego in my chair and when I sit down to write, I hear the satisfying snap of the two pieces fitting together. I love words, dictionaries, thesauruses, sharp pencils, the smell of book ink and the delicious art of carving out sentences on clean white paper. I love to slip into another person’s skin and feel what it’s like to live another life. I love when characters come to me out of nowhere and make me cry so hard my mascara runs or laugh until my stomach hurts. I love the crazy fun and infinite possibility of storytelling.
What prepared me for a life of writing fiction? Though I have a BA from Brandeis University in English and American Literature and a BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design, the true answer is probably genes. I come from a long line of Irish storytellers on my father’s side and theatre people on my mother’s. I always knew I loved to write, but it took me a long time to summon the courage to chase the dream. I finally went for it when I realized I would prefer to be a failure at something I wanted to do, then a success at something I didn’t.
While I was pretending I wasn’t a writer, trying to be a nice person with a nice quiet job somewhere, I sold lingerie, lipstick and lamp shades. I wrote junk mail. I taught visually and hearing-impaired kids horseback riding. I held a prestigious job in rubbish removal and I worked in a factory wearing a paper gown while wielding a large mallet on small serving packages of ketchup.
One Third Nerd, my funniest novel yet, is due out in January 2019. My most famous novel, Al Capone Does My Shirts, garnered 20 awards, one of which was the Newbery Honor. The Tales of Alcatraz series has sold more than 2 million copies. What will probably be the last book in the series: Al Capone Throws Me a Curve is the best of the fifteen books I’ve written so far.
I am a fitness fanatic; a book-obsessed, tennis-playing woman who thinks like a twelve-year-old. If I ever get the good fortune to meet you, offer me coffee and I will be your friend for life.
What prepared me for a life of writing fiction? Though I have a BA from Brandeis University in English and American Literature and a BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design, the true answer is probably genes. I come from a long line of Irish storytellers on my father’s side and theatre people on my mother’s. I always knew I loved to write, but it took me a long time to summon the courage to chase the dream. I finally went for it when I realized I would prefer to be a failure at something I wanted to do, then a success at something I didn’t.
While I was pretending I wasn’t a writer, trying to be a nice person with a nice quiet job somewhere, I sold lingerie, lipstick and lamp shades. I wrote junk mail. I taught visually and hearing-impaired kids horseback riding. I held a prestigious job in rubbish removal and I worked in a factory wearing a paper gown while wielding a large mallet on small serving packages of ketchup.
One Third Nerd, my funniest novel yet, is due out in January 2019. My most famous novel, Al Capone Does My Shirts, garnered 20 awards, one of which was the Newbery Honor. The Tales of Alcatraz series has sold more than 2 million copies. What will probably be the last book in the series: Al Capone Throws Me a Curve is the best of the fifteen books I’ve written so far.
I am a fitness fanatic; a book-obsessed, tennis-playing woman who thinks like a twelve-year-old. If I ever get the good fortune to meet you, offer me coffee and I will be your friend for life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 431 reviews
April 25, 2008
Yeah, no I did not like this one. Characters were bland stereotypes. I thought the major plot twist about 2/3 through would save it, but it only emphasized the incomplete ending. The author expects too much of her readers (think: what is my demographic?) with her abrupt ending. Perhaps she is crafting herself a sequel, but still. Also, the chapters are alternately narrated which is usually a technique that works... except in this novel. Kristen's chapters are in the 1st person while Walker's are in the 3rd person. I found that to be annoying, and I would think the intended audience might find it confusing.
July 14, 2012
I hated this book, I had to read it for school and I love to read but when I read this only a few words came to mind, racist, non christian, bullying, bad behavior, foul language, literal. I didn't like it. Any kids that are out there, don't read this. All the boys going into 7th grade like me had to read this, and boy they will be asking questions about stuff now after reading this. My friend asked me which summer reading book she should read, I told her not this one then she said I was going to read this one, and I said well you should so you can get through it. Luckily its the shortest one we had so we can get through it quicker but the title has nothing to do with the book. I'm sorry I am never critical but this book was not my favorite. It was plain mean in some parts, and risky in some parts. I hope this is sorta helpful if you are wondering about this book.
July 9, 2008
I wasn't sure I was going to like this book so much, but it totally captured me, resulting in me staying up later than I should've because I had to read more.
One thing I really like about this book is that the author lets the little moments be. There are many times in the book where a character will do or say something that strikes you hard and leaves an imprint, but they aren't persued to death, which I found really nice.
The characters in this book are very well done. I actually got REALLY annoyed at Kirsten's mom whenever she did anything - I really couldn't stand her. And Brianna was just...oh my GOD, I couldn't stand her either. And I was so disappointed thay Rory didn't do anything, and I have to say, I don't think much of her either. This is a sign of a good writer, that her characters seem so real.
I think the tree in this book represents their family and how it was hurt and then managed to find a way to get better.
The title is very powerfull for me. I took it to mean two main things, but of course there are other interpretations.
What the title means to me:
a) The first is representing Kirsten and Walk's family, and how it seemed to fall and crash and what they do about it. Lunch period would kinda represent any normal time of day. Or it could specifically be their lunch period because many of the interactions that led up to the fall were during lunch period.
b) The second is more general. This book deals with screwed up "friendships" and racism and not feeling smart enough and family problems and people looking dumb on the outside when they're not on the inside and you name it, really. In some of the instances during lunch, and everywhere else as well, it seemed like nobody noticed the injustice and (here would be a nice place for a word that meant outrageous wrong stuff that sounded far more eloquent). It seemed to me that those moments were saying, "If a tree falls during lunch period...nobody's gonna notice." That's rather depressing, but that's how I took it. That the title was saying that moments like the ones in this book happen everywhere everyday, and they should be as obvious as a tree falling down right in the middle of things, but nobody seems to notice or care. Kinda like the elephant in the room or something.
So, this may be a book geared towards kids, but it's very powerfull and could speak to everyone.
Good day to you.
One thing I really like about this book is that the author lets the little moments be. There are many times in the book where a character will do or say something that strikes you hard and leaves an imprint, but they aren't persued to death, which I found really nice.
The characters in this book are very well done. I actually got REALLY annoyed at Kirsten's mom whenever she did anything - I really couldn't stand her. And Brianna was just...oh my GOD, I couldn't stand her either. And I was so disappointed thay Rory didn't do anything, and I have to say, I don't think much of her either. This is a sign of a good writer, that her characters seem so real.
I think the tree in this book represents their family and how it was hurt and then managed to find a way to get better.
The title is very powerfull for me. I took it to mean two main things, but of course there are other interpretations.
What the title means to me:
a) The first is representing Kirsten and Walk's family, and how it seemed to fall and crash and what they do about it. Lunch period would kinda represent any normal time of day. Or it could specifically be their lunch period because many of the interactions that led up to the fall were during lunch period.
b) The second is more general. This book deals with screwed up "friendships" and racism and not feeling smart enough and family problems and people looking dumb on the outside when they're not on the inside and you name it, really. In some of the instances during lunch, and everywhere else as well, it seemed like nobody noticed the injustice and (here would be a nice place for a word that meant outrageous wrong stuff that sounded far more eloquent). It seemed to me that those moments were saying, "If a tree falls during lunch period...nobody's gonna notice." That's rather depressing, but that's how I took it. That the title was saying that moments like the ones in this book happen everywhere everyday, and they should be as obvious as a tree falling down right in the middle of things, but nobody seems to notice or care. Kinda like the elephant in the room or something.
So, this may be a book geared towards kids, but it's very powerfull and could speak to everyone.
Good day to you.
February 13, 2017
I thought this was a very good book. I did enjoy reading from Kirsten's point of view better than Walk's perspective though. My favorite part was the end because it was very joyful.
June 15, 2017
This book was so good. I absolutely loved it. It definitely surprised me. I am not giving it away, you just have to read it.
September 10, 2014
The book is about this girl that is having a tough time during her first year of high school. She is being picked on and she has a problem with food. The important characters are: Walker and Kirsten. Walker is a tall guy and his mother is very protective over her new car and she makes sure it doesn't get a single dent or scratch every time she gets in and out of the car. Kirsten, her family is a normal family she has a sister named Kippy, she lives with her mom and dad and they consistently fight and they talk through there daughters to talk to each other. I think the place the book takes place is in a home and a school, and the book is in modern time. The conflict is Kirsten keeps eating so much her mom and dad are getting worried and every day after school instead of having an apple or orange or any type of fruit she goes straight for her dads ice cream. I liked everything about the book. I loved how it related to teenagers lives today and the problems that they have in high school. I disliked how the book just left you hanging because it was so interesting until the book ended and it just stopped and it was really upsetting and I wish the book would have went on just a little longer so I could enjoy more of the book.
August 23, 2019
was not expecting that twist in the story. a good one though.
May 9, 2014
I was browsing the audiobooks section of the library and happened upon this book, by the author of another book I've been interested in reading for a few years now: Al Capone does my Shirts. I hadn't heard of this one, but it also seemed to have an interesting title, so I thought I'd give it a try. Unfortunately, this whole story was really messed up, in my opinion. There are plenty of periods in my life that are nostalgic for me. I remember them with fondness and sometimes feel a wish to return to those stages of my life. Junior high, however, has never been one of those stages. Ever. Does anybody wish to relive their junior high years, in all their awkward, melodramatic glory? Yet that is just what this story forces you to do. Maybe I'm just getting too old for this, but I took no pleasure in listening to the drama created by a bunch of students in the early throes of teenage brain damage, with all their cliques, manipulation, gossiping, etc. I couldn't understand a lot of the characters' choices. Why on earth, for example, don't the students tell on mean girl Brianna, even when having a private conversation with a teacher who totally gives them a huge opportunity in which to do so? It just frustrates me to no end.
I listened to the audiobook version of this story. One weird thing about the writing here that is even more evident in listening to it is the switching from first to third person. Kirsten's perspective is first person, Walk's is in third. The audiobook emphasizes the weirdness of that by having a different reader for each of the two characters. It sounds fine when the woman reading Kirsten's part speaks in first person (she also nails the whiny teenage-girl voice), but when the male reader does Walk's part, it sounds like Walk habitually refers to himself in third person. That was not only weird to hear, but could also be confusing when I was only listening to the story.
One of the main problems with this book was the lack of characters that didn't make me either roll my eyes or want to tear my hair out because of their general delinquency. That extends not only to the teenagers in the story, but also to the adults. They often seem to act like overgrown adolescents the way they carry on. Kirsten's mother, in particular, made me crazy. Seriously, can she hear herself? Walk seemed to be the one rational character through most of the book (aside from his habit of talking about himself in third person, of course), but then he spoils that forever when he has a moment near the end of the book where he behaves in a way that is annoyingly incomprehensible and ridiculously dramatic. In an instant, all his credibility vanished.
The ending of this book left me even more unimpressed. Kirsten and Walk's discovery of the "secret that shakes them both to the core" as the back cover promises, is again another crazy, way-too-coincidental melodramatic plot device. The morality of this story left me feeling absolutely disgusted, and it made me wonder if I had somehow been tricked into reading a novel-length tabloid. What was the point of all this? What did the author hope to accomplish with the telling of this story? I honestly don't know. Maybe I need to rethink my interest in trying the Al Capone series now too. I've had enough drama now to last me for quite a while.
I listened to the audiobook version of this story. One weird thing about the writing here that is even more evident in listening to it is the switching from first to third person. Kirsten's perspective is first person, Walk's is in third. The audiobook emphasizes the weirdness of that by having a different reader for each of the two characters. It sounds fine when the woman reading Kirsten's part speaks in first person (she also nails the whiny teenage-girl voice), but when the male reader does Walk's part, it sounds like Walk habitually refers to himself in third person. That was not only weird to hear, but could also be confusing when I was only listening to the story.
One of the main problems with this book was the lack of characters that didn't make me either roll my eyes or want to tear my hair out because of their general delinquency. That extends not only to the teenagers in the story, but also to the adults. They often seem to act like overgrown adolescents the way they carry on. Kirsten's mother, in particular, made me crazy. Seriously, can she hear herself? Walk seemed to be the one rational character through most of the book (aside from his habit of talking about himself in third person, of course), but then he spoils that forever when he has a moment near the end of the book where he behaves in a way that is annoyingly incomprehensible and ridiculously dramatic. In an instant, all his credibility vanished.
The ending of this book left me even more unimpressed. Kirsten and Walk's discovery of the "secret that shakes them both to the core" as the back cover promises, is again another crazy, way-too-coincidental melodramatic plot device. The morality of this story left me feeling absolutely disgusted, and it made me wonder if I had somehow been tricked into reading a novel-length tabloid. What was the point of all this? What did the author hope to accomplish with the telling of this story? I honestly don't know. Maybe I need to rethink my interest in trying the Al Capone series now too. I've had enough drama now to last me for quite a while.
July 30, 2016
I liked it! Nothing Earth shattering, but enjoyable story with wide array of characters. Some mature themes featured in the book.
June 15, 2017
Really good book, I can't believe some of the stuff that happened.
March 8, 2019
This book was not what I was hoping. It was boring to me and the only thing that was surprising was such a quick reveal. I didn't like the characters and just found it to be a blah story. Not for me.
May 28, 2020
Hard to like anyone in this book which ruins the story for me.
April 13, 2017
I'm not getting the ending. :\
April 23, 2018
This book was about Kirsten and Walk. They are 2 middle or high schoolers (the book doesn't say which), that are friends. The books chapters express each characters points of view,and tells how each character became, friends, classmates and things I wouldn't want to reveal.
Theme: A true story of heartache, friendship, and how the past can come back to the future.
Character Strengths: Walk: Social Intelligence, Kirsten: Kindness, any many more character express their strengths.
Theme: A true story of heartache, friendship, and how the past can come back to the future.
Character Strengths: Walk: Social Intelligence, Kirsten: Kindness, any many more character express their strengths.
August 5, 2011
This book frustrates me. I wanted to really like it. The characters were likable, and unfortunately for me, easy to relate to. I was the fat kid in school, too. (granted, now I am the fat adult, but that is another story.) So I understood what Kristy was going through. But the story was awkward and frustrating. Like, why choose to write in 2 voices (Kristy's story and Walk's story) but have one speak in first person, but the other not? It was weird. Also the end felt like she just picked a random part to stop writing, or had a lunch break and never came back to it but published it anyway. NO closure at all.
June 1, 2019
As with all the other books I read by this author, the story is told with humor and respect for young people and the issues they face. This story deals with girl bullies, eating disorders, race relations, illegitimacy, and parental marital issues. The characters are fully realized students at an exclusive Bay Area private school where the the students are mostly rich with a few that are scholarship students and classified as "poor". This divide causes problems for the two main characters, who tell the story from their own highly individual points of view. Great story for middle-school and older readers.
May 6, 2015
All Kirsten wants is for things to go back to the way they were before summer started, but now her parents are hardly on speaking terms, and something fishy's going on with her best friend Rory and school queen bee, Brianna. Kirsten meets a new student named Walker, and together, they find out something that their parents have always tried to hide. If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period is a story of truth, acceptance and friendship.
January 5, 2008
I grabbed this one at the library since it was written by Gennifer and I really liked Al Capone, but I was somewhat disappointed. She pulled plot points out of no where.
April 18, 2018
This book is a great book for people who like a nice book to read. The characters are funny they are great. IT is a great book for 5th-7th graders to read.
February 16, 2018
If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko is about a new year at Mountain middle school. It’s new for Walk, the only African American kid in seventh grade, and for Kirsten, who is losing the brightness of her school days. The friendship between Walk and Kirsten grows strong, but when she comes across a dark secret, it could change not only her friendship, but the whole of their lives. This was an okay book. It was very interesting, and read it in 2 hours, but I didn’t get how the title connected to the story. I would recommend this book to other middle/upper elementary because you can understand what is silently there in between the lines. Also, this book is for those who like realistic fiction, because it would probably be boring for someone who only reads fantasy.
March 16, 2018
I think the theme of this story is too never let hard times get you down and to respect the people who have your back and respect you.
March 14, 2025
This book means well, but unlike her later books, has flimsy characters and extreme levels of bullying that aren’t well resolved. I wouldn’t recommend it
April 17, 2023
I've read some critical reviews. I thought I'd give it a chance anyway. I liked it. I'm teaching in a middle school right now. Our demographic is different. I've never been rich or popular, so I wondered if rich people are really this shallow. Maybe they are.
I did not see the plot twist coming. Well, I did a little. I just think that once the secret was revealed, the book ended quickly.
I did not see the plot twist coming. Well, I did a little. I just think that once the secret was revealed, the book ended quickly.
October 13, 2018
If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko was a amazing book. It’s about this academic competition, if your not rich, you are nothing. Friends were also good to have. The main Characters are Walker and Kirsten, luckily they had each other. How they met was when they were both late for class. Walk was a good fancy man. Kirsten was a overweight girl. She wanted to look her best friend Rory. I thought this was a good story because it was funny. I recommend if you like funny books.
June 1, 2020
This book was, in fact, really good. The characters and the plot were what let me down. It started off really well, and then my love for the book slowly declined as I got further in to the book.
October 22, 2011
Kirsten McKenna begins seventh grade with some problems. Her parents are fighting all of the time, her relationship with her best friend, Rory, is strained for reasons that she cannot fathom, add to that the 30 pounds that she gained over the summer…and you can understand why she is a bit unsettled by the start of the new school year. As Kirsten struggles to make sense of it all, she gets advice from her mom on how to fit in. The only problem is that her mom’s advise run contrary to everything Kristen believes in. Kristen does not want to change who she is so that people will accept her. She’d rather find people to accept her for who she is.
Enter Walker Jones. He is the newest student to enroll in Kristen’s exclusive prep school. He is also one of the only African-Americans in the student body. As Kristen befriends him the stress-level in her house boils over. While eavesdropping on her parents arguing , Kristen discovers that the reason why her parents are fighting is because it has just come to light that Kristen’s father had a child out of wedlock some 14 years earlier. (It just so happens that this illegitimate child is Walker Jones)
Eventually Kristen and Walker are able to figure out a way to deal with their unique situation. They join forces to fend off the taunts and insults of the “popular people”. As they narrate their alternating chapters in the book, we see the daily struggles of the middle school student. They navigate the rough waters of changing friendships, peer pressure, discrimination and familial turmoil. They remain true to themselves and form a bond based on compassion and friendship.
This book was a bit slow in the beginning. But after a couple of chapters I was rooting for Kristen and Walker. I wish their characters were a bit better developed. I think this would have added a great contrast between the shallow members of their families and “friends”. But that being said, I gave these book 4 stars. The subplots of high school drama and family dysfunction added to my interest. It was short (215 pages) and entertaining. I have heard great things about Gennifer Choldenko’s Al Capone Does My Shirts. After reading this I might pick that one up too.
If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period
Enter Walker Jones. He is the newest student to enroll in Kristen’s exclusive prep school. He is also one of the only African-Americans in the student body. As Kristen befriends him the stress-level in her house boils over. While eavesdropping on her parents arguing , Kristen discovers that the reason why her parents are fighting is because it has just come to light that Kristen’s father had a child out of wedlock some 14 years earlier. (It just so happens that this illegitimate child is Walker Jones)
Eventually Kristen and Walker are able to figure out a way to deal with their unique situation. They join forces to fend off the taunts and insults of the “popular people”. As they narrate their alternating chapters in the book, we see the daily struggles of the middle school student. They navigate the rough waters of changing friendships, peer pressure, discrimination and familial turmoil. They remain true to themselves and form a bond based on compassion and friendship.
This book was a bit slow in the beginning. But after a couple of chapters I was rooting for Kristen and Walker. I wish their characters were a bit better developed. I think this would have added a great contrast between the shallow members of their families and “friends”. But that being said, I gave these book 4 stars. The subplots of high school drama and family dysfunction added to my interest. It was short (215 pages) and entertaining. I have heard great things about Gennifer Choldenko’s Al Capone Does My Shirts. After reading this I might pick that one up too.
If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2020
The 5-star article, “If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period” written by author Gennifer Choldenko is a great read. The story is about 2 kids in the 7th grade, at a school where popularity is everything. But luckily, Walker and Kirsten have each other’s back. All seems well when all of a sudden, Kirsten stumbles across a secret that can disrupt the friendship not only with Walker but their entire lives. This is the first book I've read from Gennifer Choldenko, and judging from the book, she is very humorous. Gennifer, in my opinion, is great at putting the reader in the book. It makes the adventure that much more thrilling.
I can imagine being in either the position of Walk/Kirsten. I recommend you to read this book if you’re a middle school kid. There are so many relations you can make as a kid their age. Once you pick up the book, there’s no way you’ll put it back down until you finish it.
I can imagine being in either the position of Walk/Kirsten. I recommend you to read this book if you’re a middle school kid. There are so many relations you can make as a kid their age. Once you pick up the book, there’s no way you’ll put it back down until you finish it.
February 9, 2008
In my magical journey through children's literature, I rarely come across much writing dealing with the other end of an eating disorder. In this here book, the author of the acclaimed, (but unread, at least by me) Al Capone Does My Shirts touches on the emotional roots of overeating. Kristen is a sheltered & affluent kid, but of course that doesn't mean she won't have problems. Sadly, food becomes her means of dealing with her parent's obviously dissolving relationship.
Kristen's mantra at the opening of the book is I'm awkward and my butt is too big and nobody likes me everybody hates me I guess I'll go eat worms (or in this case potato chips). It became a bit much for me. It's hard to be empathetic when you're already annoyed by a character's self-deprecation. Then again the nagging mother and crappy friends began to overshadow this and made me hope for bluer skies.
Oh wait, I totally forgot to mention that this book is co-narrated by Walk! He's just beginning his first year on scholarship at a $$$ private school. This brings the dual experience of being the token African American student at an upper class all white school shamelessly touting how diverse it is(n't).
His widowed mother has taken much care in raising Walk so that he crosses all his t's and dots every i. This does little to prevent the elitist jerks at school from occasionally acting out from their inner racist.
Although Walk doesn't understand why Kristen lets the mean girls trample all over her self-respect, they nonetheless team up and form an outsider lunch posse.
Wow, so that's race, class, obesity, betrayel, divorce, teenage cruelty, and death of a parent all within just over 200 pages!
The story ends with a like whoa, I didn't foresee that rather improbable resolution coming AT ALL. Okay, I was maybe a teensy bit on the right track. But not really. Surprises in children's books are fun, and rare so yay!
Kristen's mantra at the opening of the book is I'm awkward and my butt is too big and nobody likes me everybody hates me I guess I'll go eat worms (or in this case potato chips). It became a bit much for me. It's hard to be empathetic when you're already annoyed by a character's self-deprecation. Then again the nagging mother and crappy friends began to overshadow this and made me hope for bluer skies.
Oh wait, I totally forgot to mention that this book is co-narrated by Walk! He's just beginning his first year on scholarship at a $$$ private school. This brings the dual experience of being the token African American student at an upper class all white school shamelessly touting how diverse it is(n't).
His widowed mother has taken much care in raising Walk so that he crosses all his t's and dots every i. This does little to prevent the elitist jerks at school from occasionally acting out from their inner racist.
Although Walk doesn't understand why Kristen lets the mean girls trample all over her self-respect, they nonetheless team up and form an outsider lunch posse.
Wow, so that's race, class, obesity, betrayel, divorce, teenage cruelty, and death of a parent all within just over 200 pages!
The story ends with a like whoa, I didn't foresee that rather improbable resolution coming AT ALL. Okay, I was maybe a teensy bit on the right track. But not really. Surprises in children's books are fun, and rare so yay!
February 7, 2018
it was really good,and inspiring,about who you are on the inside. RECOMMENDED
March 18, 2022
this was decent, but i didn't like how they made kirsten question if she was black.. that threw me off a ton. girl no.. both your parents are white.... (this was a class read, thats why it took me so long)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 431 reviews