The Great Upending

by Beth Kephart

When a troubled children’s book author moves to their farm, two kids with troubles of their own hatch a scheme to swipe the ending of the final book in a bestselling series to get a reward from the book’s publisher.

Twelve-year-old Sara and her brother Hawk are told that they are not to bother the man—The Mister—who just moved into the silo apartment on their farm. It doesn’t matter that they know nothing about him and they think they ought to know something. It doesn’t matter that he’s always riding that unicycle around. Mama told them no way, no how are they to bother The Mister unless they want to be in a mess of trouble.

Trouble is the last thing Sara and her brother need. Sara’s got a condition, you see. Marfan syndrome. And that Marfan syndrome is causing her heart to have problems, the kind of problems that require surgery. But the family already has problems: The drought has dried up their crops and their funds, which means they can’t afford any more problems, let alone a surgery to fix those problems. Sara can feel the weight of her family’s worry, and the weight of her time running out, but what can a pair of kids do?

Well, it all starts with…bothering The Mister.

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade, Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Childrens

272 pages, Hardcover

First published March 31, 2020

About the author

I'm the award-winning writer of more than two-dozen books in multiple genres—memoir, middle grade and young adult fiction, picture books, history, corporate fable, and books on the making of memoir.

I'm also an award-winning teacher at the University of Pennsylvania, co-founder of Juncture Workshops, and an essayist and critic with work appearing in The New York Times, Life magazine, Ninth Letter, Catapult, The Millions, The Rumpus, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and elsewhere.

Please visit me at junctureworkshops.com or bethkephartbooks.com.

Reviews

[Alyson Hagy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautiful, soulful novel for middle grade readers from Beth Kephart. Brother and sister, Hawk and Sara, carry this tightly-plotted tale set on a struggling farm in Pennsylvania to its glorious, inventive end. The writing is vivid; it wraps itself around you like a favorite blanket. And Hawk--reader of books, wielder of the Spyglass, devoted younger brother--is one of my favorite fictional characters ever.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Country life on a struggling Pennsylvania farm with all of its heartbreak and happiness is stunningly depicted in this middle grade novel--pig town, "phooey" the chicken who lays odd colored eggs, severe drought, a scary fire and a debilitating disease--and then there's . . . "the mister." The writing rockets this book to the top of the charts for me. Somehow the author caused me to see, feel, hear and almost taste my way through this novel. (There was something delicious about a marshmallow peach pie, as I recall.) If you can help it, try not to read the description of this book. "The Mister" totally surprised me.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a story about a struggling farm in PA, where one of the children has Marfan's syndrome, a disease that has, among other things, left her with an enlarged aorta that could burst at any moment. She and her younger brother are best friends and home schooled on their farm, in part because her condition prevents her from an active and normal life. From the beginning you can tell that the drought is threatening to destroy their farm, but her condition also puts a drain on their family. Into all of this comes a mysterious man "The Mister" who rents a little silo apartment and just wants to be left alone. Although this book is not at all To Kill a Mockingbird, the way Sara and Hawk spy on "The Mister" to try and find out what he's up to reminds me a little bit of Jem and Scout as they made up stories about Boo Radley. I absolutely loved Hawk's fierce loyalty to and protective instincts towards his sister, and his love of Treasure Island and of reading in general were wonderful to read about. Hearing him talk about stories made them come alive. I loved how the author portrayed Sara's Marfan's as just a small part of who she was (other than the very real impact it had on her life). Her intelligence, love of growing things, and her museum of seeds were wonderful to read about, and it really brought her alive for me.

The only thing that I had trouble with was that the style of writing took getting used to. I mean there were some really beautifully-written passages, but the story is told from the point-of-view of Sara and are told in short sentences that describes what she is hearing and sensing. The whole story is told that way with her recounting conversations that she either hears or is part of. I don't remember my grammar but the tense of the story feels like I'm reading one of those "choose your own adventure" stories. "I creak up. Put my feet on the floor. Crouch so my hair won't snag on the low rafters, so my head won't scrape." After finishing the story, I think I can see what the author was trying to do (put myself in her shoes), but it definitely took me time to get used to it. Also, it's apparent to me that her vision is not that great and that she often imagines what she sees based on what she hears and feels. But throughout the book, I can't quite figure out if she really is visually impaired in a big way or if she really just sees shadows. By the end (no spoilers), I'm really left guessing and that part just confused me.

Hmm...now that I'm thinking about it, I'm wondering if the narrative voice was deliberately chosen by the author so that I WOULD put myself in Sara's shoes. Which, thinking about the ending, is kind of a neat little circle (again, no spoilers). Perhaps. Either way, I'm really glad I picked up this book. It was definitely worth reading!

Special thanks to #BethKephart, #SimonandSchusterChildrensPublishing, and #NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Brigitte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't appreciate the style here. In the first twenty pages, there were so many sentence fragments that I was confused. I realize this was intentional and meant to serve as a way to help the reader get deep inside the protagonist's internal thoughts; however, it was very distracting. And, if the writing confused me as an adult, I can't imagine what the style would do for a child trying to read the novel.

[Leonard Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

3 things here: 1) a protagonist with Marfan syndrome living on an idyllic though not prosperous farm and a "how do we pay for the operation" plot -- this was well-done; 2) a mysterious renter on the farm -- this plot hijacks the second half of the book and was, to me, far less enjoyable and sympathetic; 3) a writing style that seems better-fitted to a verse novel and so didn't quite work for me at least on audiobook.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Great Upending
by Beth Kephart
Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing

Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Children's Fiction


Pub Date 01 Apr 2020


I am reviewing a copy of The Great Upending through Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing/Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books:


Twelve year old Sara has Marafan syndrome, and when she was ten and started getting tired all the time her Mother decided it would be best to homeschool her, but she tells her Mom it would be more fun if her younger brother Hawk was homeschooled as well.



Now at twelve, Sara and her brother are told not to bother the man, the Mister that moved into the apartment on the farm. It doesn't matter that they feel they want to know something about this strange man that rides a Unicycle around, and if they do bother this man they will be in a whole mess of trouble, but Sara has bigger troubles now. Marafan is causing issues with her heart, and she needs surgery to fix the problem, unfortunately they are not bringing in much money from the farm, due to a drought, and no one wants to loan them the money for the operation.


But when they discover The Mister is a well loved author of Children books, Hawk cooks up a scheme.



I give The Great Upending five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

[Cathy Lentes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Beth Kephart’s writing. Her use of language makes me appreciate each word, the unexpected twists, the words rushing forward and then doubling back. Though written in prose, her writing does what the best novels in verse do, focusing the action and emotion on particular points of light. If for no other scene in the book, I would recommend this story to readers for the description of the day rain finally comes to the farm. But there is so much more: a farm family in trouble, a girl whose genes don’t work as they should, a brother who lives/loves stories, and a literary mystery which requires a quest to resolve. And, if you are a book cover lover, one who gains pleasure from the texture of just the right weight of paper, raised words, and art you want to fall into, then the hard cover edition delivers. Art by Levente Szabo

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This tells the story of Sara, a tween living with Marfan syndrome. Her family lives on a farm, and a fire brings them even closer to financial despair. She's in need of surgery to repair her heart, but her parents are struggling to figure out where the money will come from. Meanwhile, a mysterious author is renting a room on their property and Sara and her brother Hawk are dying to find out what he's up to.

I liked a lot of this book. Sara and Hawk were sympathetic characters but I felt a lot of time was spent on things that didn't move the story, and the ending blew by too fast.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really impressed by The Great Upending! Gorgeous writing, engaging setting, nice sibling relationship. Sara and Hawk are well-developed characters you just have to root for, and the Treasure Island references are fun! And on top of all that, this is a really sensitive portrayal of a rare disability. I was not familiar with Marfan Syndrome prior to reading this book, but Kephart's well-researched depiction made it easy to understand Sara's experience. Her thoughts about disability ring true. Highly recommended!

[Meghan Hunt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked learning about Marfen Syndrome, but I just couldn't connect with the rest of the book. I do recognize that I am not the book's target audience. The hardest part for me was that I never got a strong sense of time or place. The lighthouse through me off for a long time. I was thinking is the farm on the ocean? It's pretty late in the story when you find out that the lighthouse is really a silo converted into an apartment. I still don't have a strong sense of the time period either. I just did not care about illustrator's subplot either.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the premise of this story (a girl with Marfan syndrome can't afford a costly, life-saving operation), but found the execution lacking. Maybe it's the predictability of the plot? Slim characterization of The Mister? Unlikely situations? Lack of an emotional connection? Muddled character motivations? The way two kids stole artwork from their neighbor for prize money? I'm not totally sure why this didn't resonate with me. Perhaps I'm just not the reader for this one.

[Kendall]

Wow! I really enjoyed this book! I knew nothing about Marfan Syndrome, so I learned a lot from Sara and her family as they learn to understand what Sara's condition means. I love when Hawk learns about her situation that he turns it from being devastating and confusing news to feeling like Sara is lucky and unique. I wasn't sure how I would like this book, but I am really glad I decided to read it!

[Brook-Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn’t a clue this book would mean so much to me when I first signed up for it, through #litreviewcrew. I am so deeply grateful I had the opportunity to read such a beautifully written, and surprisingly relatable novel. I highly recommend this to all, especially those who could use a few happy tears.

[Karen McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ode to farm life and a hardworking family filled with love working together to save the farm from a drought. A glimpse at the challenges that those with Marfan face. A best friendship between a brother and sister. A mystery that turns out to be a celebration of creativity, art, and choosing your own ending. This is a beautiful, lyrical story told with hope and heart. #LitReviewCrew

[Jennifer Fenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Kephart's writing so much that I pre-order her books immediately. Don't even need to know the premise! What a wonderful, hopeful story! I love how she portrays sibling relationships and I love the beauty of her prose. Around page 200, I had a feeling this book was indeed going to surprise me, and it did, pleasantly. Bravo!

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was a great story about struggle on a small family farm, family itself and the close ties that bind, coming home in its myriad forms, community that is truly tight-knit and siblings who are closer than two peas in a pod.
A main character has an unusual medical issue but it does not define who she is, it only lends scope to the story.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the style of writing in this book. I would describe it as somewhat lyrical and unique. The time period can come across as a bit confusing and I feel that there are a few small issues I had.

Great brother/sister relationship.

[Hope Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was exceedingly interesting to me because it was about 2 kids, a girl and a boy, brother and sister. I also like that “The Mister” as they call him, is actually an author named M.B. I also like that Sara gets the operation and does not have to worry about dying.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is lovely, but it had a long exposition, a few gaps in the plot, and a deus ex machina ending that didn’t satisfy. I also had trouble placing it historically. However, those who like Lauren Wolk will love the writing and get lost in the setting. (Clean)

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Maybe when you’re a kid you think the biggest stories are your own.”

Really, really loved Hawk. What a character.

3.5 stars

[Karen Moulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very touching children's book. I cried near the beginning. It has an air of mystery about it as well. I think it would help tweens and teens develop empathy.

[Cody Pelletier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This very well written book captured my attention and held it right to the end. The beautiful writing style, engaging plot, and unexpected twists make this a great read for all ages. Very well done.

[Danielle Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I hadn’t had such a hard time getting into this book. The characters really were lovely. I wanted more though - I felt like it ended abruptly!

[Sara Abrams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beginnings, endings, and Hope are at the heart of this novel.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit hard to follow at times, especially for a middle grades book. The ending also felt extremely rushed in comparison to the slow buildup.

[Christinalovesreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful story, poetic on its etiting but that doesn't stall the story, it propels it.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I could somewhat relate to Sarah and Hawk living in a rural area on a farm (I grew up in small-town Pennsylvania surrounded by farms). The writing was great. The author painted a nice picture of the setting as well as great character development. I loved the relationship between the siblings. You could feel the camaraderie and the love. The inter character added an element of mystery and the drought added drama. I had never heard of Marfan syndrome so it was interesting to see a character with it and learn a little about it. There is a lot left unknown at the end of the book but you are let with a hopeful feeling. I'd hand his to children looking for slight mystery and drama, with great characters. #Netgalley

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Realistic Fiction!

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audio.