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Тут, у реальному світі
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Middle Grade & Children's (2020)«Тут, у реальному світі» — зворушливий і щирий роман, ода всім інтровертам, фантазерам і мрійникам.
Вейр класно проводить канікули, витаючи у хмарах: уявляє себе середньовічним лицарем і вигадує різні історії. Та батьки записують сина в літній табір, щоб він спілкувався з «нормальними» — товариськими дітьми.
Уже першого дня Вейр утікає з ненависного табору до напівзруйнованої церкви неподалік — і зустрічає Джолін, таємничу саркастичну дівчинку, яка вирощує там папаї. Літні дні минають весело — Вейр допомагає Джолін і перетворює церкву на власний замок з магічною купіллю. Коли ж цю земельну ділянку виставляють на аукціон, хлопчик згадує правило з лицарського кодексу: «Завжди стій на захисті Правди та Добра і борися проти Несправедливості».
Чи вдасться друзям урятувати своє улюблене місце? Чи стане Вейр справжнім героєм — тут, у реальному світі?
Вейр класно проводить канікули, витаючи у хмарах: уявляє себе середньовічним лицарем і вигадує різні історії. Та батьки записують сина в літній табір, щоб він спілкувався з «нормальними» — товариськими дітьми.
Уже першого дня Вейр утікає з ненависного табору до напівзруйнованої церкви неподалік — і зустрічає Джолін, таємничу саркастичну дівчинку, яка вирощує там папаї. Літні дні минають весело — Вейр допомагає Джолін і перетворює церкву на власний замок з магічною купіллю. Коли ж цю земельну ділянку виставляють на аукціон, хлопчик згадує правило з лицарського кодексу: «Завжди стій на захисті Правди та Добра і борися проти Несправедливості».
Чи вдасться друзям урятувати своє улюблене місце? Чи стане Вейр справжнім героєм — тут, у реальному світі?
248 pages, Hardcover
First published February 4, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 888 reviews
February 9, 2020
This is such a good book. This is the kind of book you want every middle school student to read. It's a story about what it feels like to feel unaccepted for who you are and what it's like to feel lonely,...but it's also about understanding that sometimes we may find we want to be alone and what makes us happy isn't always what others may call "normal" and that's okay. It's about an unusual summer adventure and helping others and making friends in unlikely places. Let's put it this way, there's more than one unlikely hero in this novel, and I love them all. And this book gives us the best kind of magic - the kind you can truly find 'here in the real world'. :)
April 14, 2021
Heartwarming and quirky without being maudlin or precious, this is a charming story about family, friends, the Chivalric Code, and papayas. Some days I'd like to sit at a bar and have a ginger ale with a slice of orange and have someone listen to my "story."
June 1, 2025
Don’t really recommend. Negative outlook on Christianity, mocking of baptism, and a slightly uncomfortable (personally for me, disturbing) scene where the main character unloads his troubles to a bartender despite him being twelve
November 22, 2022
След вълнуващите приключения в „Пакс“ и „Пакс. Пътят към дома“ – две книги, които харесах страхотно много, нямаше как да не погледна и другата книга на авторката Сара Пенипакър.
В „Тук, в истинския свят“ историята се върти около 11-годишния Уеър, който е интроверт (да, да, онази тъмна половина на човечеството, от която и аз съм част 😅) и предпочита да прекара лятната си ваканция в усамотение и концентрация към вътрешния си свят. Лятото обаче не протича според неговите очаквания, когато родителите му решават да го изпратят в летен детски център за изграждане на „смислено общуване“ с деца на неговата възраст. Нещо, от което Уеър съвсем не е въодушевен.
В книгата се наблюдава класическата ситуация на неразбиране на детето от страна на родителите му. Двамата, изпълнени с нереалистични очаквания, постоянно съпоставят себе си със своя син и очакват от него да прави и да се вълнува от същите неща, които са били обект на интерес за тях, без да съобразят, че детето им е друга индивидуалност и неговите влечения може съвсем да не съвпадат с техните (грешка, която не спира да се повтаря и препредава през поколенията).
И тъй като е на 11 години Уеър все още не е напълно наясно със себе си, влиянието на родителите все още е голямо и в опит да не бъде разочарование за тях, започва да вярва, че ако се потопи в купел със светена вода в близката рушаща се църква, ще се прероди и ще стане напълно нов човек – „нормално дете“, каквото родителите му искат – разбира се, това няма как да се случи.
Отделно и една неадекватна психоложка от центъра с коментарите си и липсата на каквото и да било положително подкрепление допълнително го потиска – включително и с рисунката му.
Но съдействие в създадената ситуация му оказва неговият вуйчо, който също като него е интроверт и му помага да разбере, че в това всъщност няма нищо сбъркано.
През лятото Уеър успява да завърже две приятелства, да даде тласък на творческия си потенциал и дори частично да изпълни поставената си мисия, да помогне в начинанието на новата си приятелка Джолийн.
Докато в предишните две книги авторката разглеждаше войната и последиците за живота ни от нея, тук се е посветила на аспектите в общуването, творческия потенциал, екстроверти vs. интроверти. За своите скромни 240 страници тази книга казва много и важни неща. И затова я намирам за не по-малко ценна от предишните. Впечатлен съм силно.
Вероятно историята ще се усети по-добре от хората, които са интроверти. А също смятам, че би била и от голяма полза на родители екстроверти, които имат дете интроверт, за да го разберат по-добре и да не търсят проблеми там, където ги няма.
5.0 ⭐
💡 Цитати:
🎨 „Понякога забравям, че Уеър е в моя клас!“.
Какъв е този учител, който забравя дете само защото не вдига шум?
🎭 – Е, тревожа се. Защото… – Тя вдигна салфетката от скута си и я сгъна на спретнат триъгълник. – Когато бях малка, бях…
– Знам. Председателка на класа с милион приятели. А татко е тренирал три вида спорт. Знам.
– Просто искам да си щастлив.
Той понечи да ѝ каже, че понякога се чувства щастлив и сам. Колкото и да опитваше да ѝ обясни, тя нямаше да го разбере никога.
👓 – Е, ако това е болест, аз боледувам от нея цял живот.
Момчето се изпълни с надежда и не успя да отговори.
– Да – кимна вуйчо Сай. – Сякаш описваш мен. Всъщност сякаш описваш хората, с които работя – музиканти, кинаджии, сценаристи. Ей такива хора. Сякаш описваш творец.
В „Тук, в истинския свят“ историята се върти около 11-годишния Уеър, който е интроверт (да, да, онази тъмна половина на човечеството, от която и аз съм част 😅) и предпочита да прекара лятната си ваканция в усамотение и концентрация към вътрешния си свят. Лятото обаче не протича според неговите очаквания, когато родителите му решават да го изпратят в летен детски център за изграждане на „смислено общуване“ с деца на неговата възраст. Нещо, от което Уеър съвсем не е въодушевен.
В книгата се наблюдава класическата ситуация на неразбиране на детето от страна на родителите му. Двамата, изпълнени с нереалистични очаквания, постоянно съпоставят себе си със своя син и очакват от него да прави и да се вълнува от същите неща, които са били обект на интерес за тях, без да съобразят, че детето им е друга индивидуалност и неговите влечения може съвсем да не съвпадат с техните (грешка, която не спира да се повтаря и препредава през поколенията).
И тъй като е на 11 години Уеър все още не е напълно наясно със себе си, влиянието на родителите все още е голямо и в опит да не бъде разочарование за тях, започва да вярва, че ако се потопи в купел със светена вода в близката рушаща се църква, ще се прероди и ще стане напълно нов човек – „нормално дете“, каквото родителите му искат – разбира се, това няма как да се случи.
Отделно и една неадекватна психоложка от центъра с коментарите си и липсата на каквото и да било положително подкрепление допълнително го потиска – включително и с рисунката му.
Но съдействие в създадената ситуация му оказва неговият вуйчо, който също като него е интроверт и му помага да разбере, че в това всъщност няма нищо сбъркано.
През лятото Уеър успява да завърже две приятелства, да даде тласък на творческия си потенциал и дори частично да изпълни поставената си мисия, да помогне в начинанието на новата си приятелка Джолийн.
Докато в предишните две книги авторката разглеждаше войната и последиците за живота ни от нея, тук се е посветила на аспектите в общуването, творческия потенциал, екстроверти vs. интроверти. За своите скромни 240 страници тази книга казва много и важни неща. И затова я намирам за не по-малко ценна от предишните. Впечатлен съм силно.
Вероятно историята ще се усети по-добре от хората, които са интроверти. А също смятам, че би била и от голяма полза на родители екстроверти, които имат дете интроверт, за да го разберат по-добре и да не търсят проблеми там, където ги няма.
5.0 ⭐
💡 Цитати:
🎨 „Понякога забравям, че Уеър е в моя клас!“.
Какъв е този учител, който забравя дете само защото не вдига шум?
🎭 – Е, тревожа се. Защото… – Тя вдигна салфетката от скута си и я сгъна на спретнат триъгълник. – Когато бях малка, бях…
– Знам. Председателка на класа с милион приятели. А татко е тренирал три вида спорт. Знам.
– Просто искам да си щастлив.
Той понечи да ѝ каже, че понякога се чувства щастлив и сам. Колкото и да опитваше да ѝ обясни, тя нямаше да го разбере никога.
👓 – Е, ако това е болест, аз боледувам от нея цял живот.
Момчето се изпълни с надежда и не успя да отговори.
– Да – кимна вуйчо Сай. – Сякаш описваш мен. Всъщност сякаш описваш хората, с които работя – музиканти, кинаджии, сценаристи. Ей такива хора. Сякаш описваш творец.
June 1, 2021
Несподівано прекрасна історія 💔
Я думала, це буде щось миле про хлопчика-інтроверта. Але це набагато більше, ніж просто «мило» 🥰
Історія, об яку можна зцілити внутрішню дитину, яка була колись не зрозумілою іншим, інакшою.
А також нагадування дорослим, що варто не змінюватись заради когось, а бути собою, бо ти вже такий як є і цінувати цю особливість ☺️
Я думала, це буде щось миле про хлопчика-інтроверта. Але це набагато більше, ніж просто «мило» 🥰
Історія, об яку можна зцілити внутрішню дитину, яка була колись не зрозумілою іншим, інакшою.
А також нагадування дорослим, що варто не змінюватись заради когось, а бути собою, бо ти вже такий як є і цінувати цю особливість ☺️
July 27, 2023
Чудесна книжка: добра, людяна і несподівано глибока.
Сара Пенніпакер бере історію, яка під пером когось менш обдарованого могла б стати банальною і нудною, і робить її справді надзвичайною.
Двоє (+1) дітей протягом одного літа невпинно працюють, щоб створити і захистити своє особливе місце, але тут, у реальному світі, життя далеко не завжди справедливе. Так, нам не під силу змінити все, проте ми завжди можемо змінити щось, бо ми — це теж частина реального світу. Вейр, який витає у хмарах і хоче віддано служити благородній справі, Джолін, яка вирощує папаї і дуже палко ставиться до теми сортування сміття, Ешлі, яка хоче захистити диких птахів від людей — це герої, які западають у самісіньке серце.
Наприкінці є місце, де Вейр каже Джолін, що там, де всі інші бачили лише підгнилий фрукт, вона побачила плантацію, — я аж просльозилася.
Сара Пенніпакер бере історію, яка під пером когось менш обдарованого могла б стати банальною і нудною, і робить її справді надзвичайною.
Двоє (+1) дітей протягом одного літа невпинно працюють, щоб створити і захистити своє особливе місце, але тут, у реальному світі, життя далеко не завжди справедливе. Так, нам не під силу змінити все, проте ми завжди можемо змінити щось, бо ми — це теж частина реального світу. Вейр, який витає у хмарах і хоче віддано служити благородній справі, Джолін, яка вирощує папаї і дуже палко ставиться до теми сортування сміття, Ешлі, яка хоче захистити диких птахів від людей — це герої, які западають у самісіньке серце.
Наприкінці є місце, де Вейр каже Джолін, що там, де всі інші бачили лише підгнилий фрукт, вона побачила плантацію, — я аж просльозилася.
April 12, 2020
My heart just got bigger. Because it has to make room for Ware. He’s going to set up camp next to Salamanca Tree Hiddle and Calpurnia Tate and Jane Eyre, and he is never leaving. This story is honestly good, but I will likely forget a good chunk of its details over time. I will not lose Ware. He is me 30 years ago and I needed this book, 30 years ago.
This is a testament to the rich inner life of a quiet, deceptively disengaged child. It’s a call to arms for fairness and justice and giving everyone and everything a chance to find its way, to become what it needs to be, a chance to be new. It’s for the kids who can’t stand to walk away and give up. How is that ever an option? Oh yes, I know, 30 years will teach you the how and the when on giving up. But I forget sometimes. Or maybe refuse to remember. And that is the place where Ware gets to reign in a full throne room in my inner literary world.
This is a thoughtful and sometimes patient read about two kids who tether themselves to each other over the course of one transformative, moat-building summer, while each standing in different realms: the real world and “magic fairness land” (I would only ever use this phrase in a nudge/wink to Jolene and never to Ware’s face). It’s a coming of age/ seeing and owning yourself kind of story while also learning to see and love someone else, just as they are.
This is a testament to the rich inner life of a quiet, deceptively disengaged child. It’s a call to arms for fairness and justice and giving everyone and everything a chance to find its way, to become what it needs to be, a chance to be new. It’s for the kids who can’t stand to walk away and give up. How is that ever an option? Oh yes, I know, 30 years will teach you the how and the when on giving up. But I forget sometimes. Or maybe refuse to remember. And that is the place where Ware gets to reign in a full throne room in my inner literary world.
This is a thoughtful and sometimes patient read about two kids who tether themselves to each other over the course of one transformative, moat-building summer, while each standing in different realms: the real world and “magic fairness land” (I would only ever use this phrase in a nudge/wink to Jolene and never to Ware’s face). It’s a coming of age/ seeing and owning yourself kind of story while also learning to see and love someone else, just as they are.
January 21, 2020
I received a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
While there are definitely some poignant moments throughout the story, I don't see this book having a lot of appeal for its target audience. I liked the overall theme of accepting that it's okay to not be like everyone else, but it was presented in a way that seemed to miss the mark somehow. It's a quick read, and certainly not intolerable by any means, but I did not find it overly memorable.
While there are definitely some poignant moments throughout the story, I don't see this book having a lot of appeal for its target audience. I liked the overall theme of accepting that it's okay to not be like everyone else, but it was presented in a way that seemed to miss the mark somehow. It's a quick read, and certainly not intolerable by any means, but I did not find it overly memorable.
June 24, 2021
3.5/5 stars.
A sweet, summery story. I loved the themes of identity, courage, and doing what's right. I loved how the main character, Wade, was trying to understand who he was and learned not to fit into others' expectations for how he should be.
There weren't that many characters present in the story, and I felt like a lot of the story seemed to drag—we only see how everything came together closer to the end—but I read this book over the span of multiple days, so that could have something to do with the fact that it seemed to drag to me.
Overall, I'd recommend this book for middle-grade and YA readers—or pretty much anyone looking for an interesting read with heartfelt themes.
A sweet, summery story. I loved the themes of identity, courage, and doing what's right. I loved how the main character, Wade, was trying to understand who he was and learned not to fit into others' expectations for how he should be.
There weren't that many characters present in the story, and I felt like a lot of the story seemed to drag—we only see how everything came together closer to the end—but I read this book over the span of multiple days, so that could have something to do with the fact that it seemed to drag to me.
Overall, I'd recommend this book for middle-grade and YA readers—or pretty much anyone looking for an interesting read with heartfelt themes.
November 2, 2020
Książki tak pięknej i wzruszającej w swojej prostocie nie czytałam już dawno. Ta historia poruszyła mnie od pierwszych stron i urzekła, do tego stopnia, że długo o niej nie zapomnę.
„Realny świat” to niezwykle wartościowa powieść, która pokaże wam jak ważne jest to, aby być sobą. Jest to książka przede wszystkim o dorastaniu, o szukaniu prawdy o sobie. Autorka kolejny raz zachwyciła mnie swoim wręcz magicznym językiem, a także wspaniałymi bohaterami. Ware to postać, którą w wielu momentach bardzo dobrze rozumiałam, a z każdą stroną kibicowałam mu jeszcze bardziej. Jest on bardzo wrażliwym, nieprzepadającym za towarzystwem chłopcem, przez co często czuje się niezrozumiały, niedoceniony. Zarówno on jak i Jolene to bohaterowie pięknie nakreśleni i nie sposób, nie przejąć się ich losami. „Realny świat” to książka, która chwyci za serce nie tylko młodszego czytelnika. To książka, która wywoła w was wiele emocji, a także da nadzieje.
„Realny świat” to niezwykle wartościowa powieść, która pokaże wam jak ważne jest to, aby być sobą. Jest to książka przede wszystkim o dorastaniu, o szukaniu prawdy o sobie. Autorka kolejny raz zachwyciła mnie swoim wręcz magicznym językiem, a także wspaniałymi bohaterami. Ware to postać, którą w wielu momentach bardzo dobrze rozumiałam, a z każdą stroną kibicowałam mu jeszcze bardziej. Jest on bardzo wrażliwym, nieprzepadającym za towarzystwem chłopcem, przez co często czuje się niezrozumiały, niedoceniony. Zarówno on jak i Jolene to bohaterowie pięknie nakreśleni i nie sposób, nie przejąć się ich losami. „Realny świat” to książka, która chwyci za serce nie tylko młodszego czytelnika. To książka, która wywoła w was wiele emocji, a także da nadzieje.
April 8, 2021
Спомняте ли си прекрасния илюстрован роман „Пакс” на Сара Пенипаркър? Иска ли питане, ако сте го чели едва ли бихте го забравили лесно. Благодарение на изд. „Лабиринт” и родните читатели имаха удоволствието да се докоснат до творчеството на американската писателка. Сега отново благодарение на същото издателство на български се появява и последната й книга – „Тук, в истинския свят”. Това само по себе си е достатъчно добра новина, за да зарадва и детската аудитория, и по-възрастните ценители на топли, задушевни и живи истории. Но за да е всичко още по-хубаво, ще добавим, че за илюстрациите отново е отговорен талантливият канадски художник Джон Класен. Прочетете ревюто на „Книжни Криле”: https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/202...
March 21, 2020
Sara Pennypacker is a great writer. Clementine is a modern classic, in my opinion, and Pax is still one of my personal all-time favorites. Parts of this book, Here in the Real World, are beautifully written. There are quite a few strong but quiet moments. It takes a long time for the plot of the story to take shape though and by the time it did, I wasn’t as invested in the characters as I would have liked to have been. Ware is a thinker, an artist, an introvert, someone I could relate to as a kid, but he doesn’t make the most engaging main character. Jolene could have. I feel like this could have been more effective if Pennypacker would have alternated chapters like she did with Pax, and focused half of the story from Jolene’s perspective. But I understand that Jolene’s life and Ware peeling back her layers was part of the mystery of the book.
December 23, 2019
“Thou shalt be always the champion of the Right and the Good, against Injustice.” But what if in the real world, bad things happen? Ware is a misfit introvert who enjoys being alone. But when his parents sign him up for summer rec and try to normalize him, he meets Joleen. Together they begin transforming an abandoned church and lot into a magical medieval world. Somehow this refuge will become the center of their rebirth. What a great summer adventure! I would have loved to have lived out this kind of summer.
November 15, 2021
an empathetic story that highlights the power in accepting what makes you ‘different’ and following your heart and passions.
September 1, 2020
What a lovely book! If you are searching for a great class read aloud, for a heart warming story with great messages which don't clout you over the head, this is that book.
The story of Wade, whose parents are not attentive enough and his quest to save a piece of land with a demolished church on it, is great. Wade is a young man who is kind, he is a thinker and at times his real world bleeds into his fantasy life. His passion for knights and life in medieval times fires his imagination, when he encounters the Joleen he finds someone else who can't be doing with people. Even Wade, despite his best efforts.
This is a complex, quiet book. One that will fill your heart with joy and make you feel good about the world.
The story of Wade, whose parents are not attentive enough and his quest to save a piece of land with a demolished church on it, is great. Wade is a young man who is kind, he is a thinker and at times his real world bleeds into his fantasy life. His passion for knights and life in medieval times fires his imagination, when he encounters the Joleen he finds someone else who can't be doing with people. Even Wade, despite his best efforts.
This is a complex, quiet book. One that will fill your heart with joy and make you feel good about the world.
March 22, 2020
I struggled to stay engaged at the beginning of this book, but by the end I appreciated all it had to offer. Ware is a kid who demands the world be fair and is ready to go to battle as a knight errant against the unfair. His new summer acquaintance Jolene keeps reminding him that, "Here in the real world nothing is ever fair." In the end the book acknowledges that in a world that is supremely unfair all anyone can do is make some part of it better." A lovely message to hand a child in this world of March 2020.
April 18, 2021
وقتی توی کتاب فروشی،عنوان کتاب و طرح جلد قشنگش رو دیدم و نوشته ی پشتش رو خوندم در جا خریدمش و خودم رو آماده کردم که دو سه ساعته بخونم و تمومش کنم.
ولی این اتفاق نیوفتاد.
توصیفاتش اینقدر زیاد بود که حوصلمو سر میبرد و بعضی صفحه ها رو چند خط درمیون میخوندم به نظرم به راحتی میتونست ۵۰ صفحه از اینی که هست کم تر باشه.
اما شخصیت "ور" جوری بود که به نظرم اکثر آدم ها دست کم برای یک دوره ی کوتاه در زندگیشون این احساسات رو تجربه کردن.
احساس نیاز به حمایت شدن از جانب آدم های نزدیکت وقتی تصمیم به انجام کاری گرفتی اما چون اون کار مطابق میل و سلیقه ی اون ها نیست، این حمایت رو نخواهی نداشت.
ولی این اتفاق نیوفتاد.
توصیفاتش اینقدر زیاد بود که حوصلمو سر میبرد و بعضی صفحه ها رو چند خط درمیون میخوندم به نظرم به راحتی میتونست ۵۰ صفحه از اینی که هست کم تر باشه.
اما شخصیت "ور" جوری بود که به نظرم اکثر آدم ها دست کم برای یک دوره ی کوتاه در زندگیشون این احساسات رو تجربه کردن.
احساس نیاز به حمایت شدن از جانب آدم های نزدیکت وقتی تصمیم به انجام کاری گرفتی اما چون اون کار مطابق میل و سلیقه ی اون ها نیست، این حمایت رو نخواهی نداشت.
July 29, 2022
Дуже світла, літня книжка, і читати її в будь-який інший час немає сенсу. Лише під жаским літнім сонцем можна справді відчути те, що відчувають ці діти впродовж своїх літніх канікул.
Ця книжка надає вам і те, як ви відчували себе не в своїй шкурі з однолітками, і тяжко-солодке відчуття того, як ти робиш щось, що тобі тезнічно не заборонили, але заборонили б, якби знали. Ту дитячу няївність, що ти можеш справді змінити світ, і статти іншим.
Дуже тепла книга, і, думаю, що якби я прочитала її в 9, а не в 29, то вона б мені допомогла, бо я теж була тією сатомньою, дивною дитино.
Ця книжка надає вам і те, як ви відчували себе не в своїй шкурі з однолітками, і тяжко-солодке відчуття того, як ти робиш щось, що тобі тезнічно не заборонили, але заборонили б, якби знали. Ту дитячу няївність, що ти можеш справді змінити світ, і статти іншим.
Дуже тепла книга, і, думаю, що якби я прочитала її в 9, а не в 29, то вона б мені допомогла, бо я теж була тією сатомньою, дивною дитино.
April 14, 2020
This was the book my heart needed. It's about embracing who you are, even if you are not what others want you to be or think you should be. It's for anyone who lives in their own head, who drifts, who is an artist (whether they know it yet or not). It's for everyone who has a rich imagination.
Yes, there are plenty of people who want us to get out of Magic Fairness Land and live in "the real world," but if we don't believe in the one, then the other is never going to get any better.
Yes, there are plenty of people who want us to get out of Magic Fairness Land and live in "the real world," but if we don't believe in the one, then the other is never going to get any better.
December 28, 2020
A book about the balance between idealism and realism, activism that’s never too small and the power within introverts and creatives. A reminder that whoever we are, however we experience the world, we are always normal, always extraordinary. A genuinely uplifting, not-at-all-contrived book with important lessons for children and adults- don’t make assumptions, concentrate on what you can change and never stop dreaming or fighting injustice. Your efforts will always matter.
December 12, 2023
Волновалась после "Пакса" и зря
March 24, 2021
Un joli texte sur l'amitié et la solidarité. Très émouvant dans les derniers chapitres. Mais le début est très lent et j'ai peur que les enfants aient du mal à accrocher.
April 23, 2022
3.5 stars. I enjoyed the beginning and the end, but the middle dragged a bit for me.
November 30, 2020
Richie’s Picks: HERE IN THE REAL WORLD by Sara Pennypacker, HarperCollins/Balzer and Bray, February 2020, 320 p., ISBN: 978-0-06-269895-7
What Ware accidentally heard his mother ask his father:
“Why can’t we have a normal kid?”
“The Power of Solitude
There’s a lot of power in allowing both children and adults to spend time by themselves. Experiencing solitude helps individuals learn certain tasks, think creatively, and deal with their emotions. The right amount of time spent alone can even improve empathy and social skills.”
-- from psychcentral.com (2018)
“We can beat them, just for one day.”
-- David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977)
“When his parents bought this place at the end of the summer, they’d own this backyard, too. The lounge chairs could be broken down to make armor. The shed would work as a throne room. The picnic table could be a drawbridge once he sawed off the legs. He’d turn the narrow side yard into a barbican, the courtyard of deathly obstacles for attackers. No boiling oil, obviously, but definitely a catapult. He’d notch toeholds in the wooden fence and take running leaps to claim the top, mounting the ramparts it was called. This last was such a satisfying image, he replayed it, this time in classic knight’s stance: chin up, chest out, advance boldly.
Ware dropped to the picnic table and stretched out. Sometimes he wished he lived back in the middle ages. Things were a lot simpler then, anyway, especially if you were a knight. Knights had a rule book--their code of chivalry--that covered everything. Thou shalt always do this, thou shalt never be that. If you were a knight, you knew where you stood.”
As his parents scrambled to finally achieve their home-buying goal, Ware began his first summer of staying with his beloved grandmother, Big Idea. Then his grandmother fell and broke both of her hips. Suddenly, she’s heading for a summer of surgery and rehab. As a result, Ware is now stuck returning to the same rec program he’s been shuffled off to every summer since he was a little kid.
Ware’s mother is determined that he engage in meaningful social interactions. But Ware really enjoys spending lots of time alone. His disappointment over being forced to return to the rec program, rather than getting to stay home alone, leads Ware to play hooky and begin an ongoing deception about how he is spending his summer days.
Near the rec center, he has discovered a quirky girl named Jolene who's creating a garden in an empty lot adjoining an abandoned, semi-razed church. Jolene, who sees herself rooted in the “real world,” has a grand scheme to grow papayas from seed and sell the harvests. She’s already sprouted scores of baby papaya trees that she’s tending to in the used snack containers she collects from the local bar.
Jolene is protective of her garden, but she and Ware come to an understanding that Ware can do his own thing at the destroyed church. He imagines it as a future castle. In trying to bring order to the chaos, he digs through all sorts of artifacts that were left behind, and he begins to fashion the wreckage into his own imaginary edifice.
But their idyllic daily routines are rudely disrupted when the “Auction Coming” sign appears on the perimeter of their playworld property.
Jolene falls into despair over the fact that their refuge may become off-limits at any moment. And what is Ware’s reaction? He relies upon a rule from the Knight’s Code he’s learned: “Thou shalt be always the champion of the Right and the Good.” He pledges to Jolene that he will somehow save her garden.
But how is he going to accomplish that? Fortunately, Ware’s semi-famous Uncle Cyrus shows up for a timely visit. Uncle Cy offers Ware a valuable perspective, along with some practical tools. Ware thereby feels empowered to uphold his knightly commitments.
HERE IN THE REAL WORLD is a coming of age story in which two kids, both of whom feel unwanted by their caregivers, learn to be there for one another, and to make a difference in the world.
Young people who thrive on spending time alone will find a supportive message here. And I love the idealism of trying to live up to the code of chivalry. There is also a strong environmental component as Jolene is an obsessive recycler and composter, and an expert on refuse. (There’s a bizarrely amusing story thread regarding the disposition of the old hips that Ware’s grandmother has had replaced.)
HERE IN THE REAL WORLD is a fun and fulfilling read for 9-14 year olds.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
What Ware accidentally heard his mother ask his father:
“Why can’t we have a normal kid?”
“The Power of Solitude
There’s a lot of power in allowing both children and adults to spend time by themselves. Experiencing solitude helps individuals learn certain tasks, think creatively, and deal with their emotions. The right amount of time spent alone can even improve empathy and social skills.”
-- from psychcentral.com (2018)
“We can beat them, just for one day.”
-- David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977)
“When his parents bought this place at the end of the summer, they’d own this backyard, too. The lounge chairs could be broken down to make armor. The shed would work as a throne room. The picnic table could be a drawbridge once he sawed off the legs. He’d turn the narrow side yard into a barbican, the courtyard of deathly obstacles for attackers. No boiling oil, obviously, but definitely a catapult. He’d notch toeholds in the wooden fence and take running leaps to claim the top, mounting the ramparts it was called. This last was such a satisfying image, he replayed it, this time in classic knight’s stance: chin up, chest out, advance boldly.
Ware dropped to the picnic table and stretched out. Sometimes he wished he lived back in the middle ages. Things were a lot simpler then, anyway, especially if you were a knight. Knights had a rule book--their code of chivalry--that covered everything. Thou shalt always do this, thou shalt never be that. If you were a knight, you knew where you stood.”
As his parents scrambled to finally achieve their home-buying goal, Ware began his first summer of staying with his beloved grandmother, Big Idea. Then his grandmother fell and broke both of her hips. Suddenly, she’s heading for a summer of surgery and rehab. As a result, Ware is now stuck returning to the same rec program he’s been shuffled off to every summer since he was a little kid.
Ware’s mother is determined that he engage in meaningful social interactions. But Ware really enjoys spending lots of time alone. His disappointment over being forced to return to the rec program, rather than getting to stay home alone, leads Ware to play hooky and begin an ongoing deception about how he is spending his summer days.
Near the rec center, he has discovered a quirky girl named Jolene who's creating a garden in an empty lot adjoining an abandoned, semi-razed church. Jolene, who sees herself rooted in the “real world,” has a grand scheme to grow papayas from seed and sell the harvests. She’s already sprouted scores of baby papaya trees that she’s tending to in the used snack containers she collects from the local bar.
Jolene is protective of her garden, but she and Ware come to an understanding that Ware can do his own thing at the destroyed church. He imagines it as a future castle. In trying to bring order to the chaos, he digs through all sorts of artifacts that were left behind, and he begins to fashion the wreckage into his own imaginary edifice.
But their idyllic daily routines are rudely disrupted when the “Auction Coming” sign appears on the perimeter of their playworld property.
Jolene falls into despair over the fact that their refuge may become off-limits at any moment. And what is Ware’s reaction? He relies upon a rule from the Knight’s Code he’s learned: “Thou shalt be always the champion of the Right and the Good.” He pledges to Jolene that he will somehow save her garden.
But how is he going to accomplish that? Fortunately, Ware’s semi-famous Uncle Cyrus shows up for a timely visit. Uncle Cy offers Ware a valuable perspective, along with some practical tools. Ware thereby feels empowered to uphold his knightly commitments.
HERE IN THE REAL WORLD is a coming of age story in which two kids, both of whom feel unwanted by their caregivers, learn to be there for one another, and to make a difference in the world.
Young people who thrive on spending time alone will find a supportive message here. And I love the idealism of trying to live up to the code of chivalry. There is also a strong environmental component as Jolene is an obsessive recycler and composter, and an expert on refuse. (There’s a bizarrely amusing story thread regarding the disposition of the old hips that Ware’s grandmother has had replaced.)
HERE IN THE REAL WORLD is a fun and fulfilling read for 9-14 year olds.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
October 25, 2020
There are books in your life that sneak up on you like some sort of stealth creature, totally taking you by surprise.
I was honestly ready to put this book to one side... it felt slow-moving and I couldn't really see where it was headed. But I am so pleased that I persevered as this really is a gem of a story.
There will be brave teachers out there who could take this on as a readaloud and totally make it work.
It tells the story of Ware, who's parents are pretty absent as they work super hard to try and raise enough money to buy the house they are living in. Over summer he sent to live with his grandmother, but when she has a nasty fall, requiring a double hip replacement, he has to go to a local Rec Centre holiday programme. This is NOT for Ware, and instead of attending the programme, he starts hanging out in the partially demolished church next door.
Here he meets Jolene, a mysterious and elusive character who is cultivating a surprisingly large number of papaya plants. Jolene and Ware tolerate each other initially, but as time goes on, and when they realise that their space is in danger of being fully demolished and repurposed as a strip mall, they start to work together.
This is a story of characters and relationships. The author lets things filter in gently. It is not for readers who are after fast-paced action. But it is a thing of beauty and subtlety and it would promote conversations around relationships and environment and families and empathy and diversity.
Love it!
I was honestly ready to put this book to one side... it felt slow-moving and I couldn't really see where it was headed. But I am so pleased that I persevered as this really is a gem of a story.
There will be brave teachers out there who could take this on as a readaloud and totally make it work.
It tells the story of Ware, who's parents are pretty absent as they work super hard to try and raise enough money to buy the house they are living in. Over summer he sent to live with his grandmother, but when she has a nasty fall, requiring a double hip replacement, he has to go to a local Rec Centre holiday programme. This is NOT for Ware, and instead of attending the programme, he starts hanging out in the partially demolished church next door.
Here he meets Jolene, a mysterious and elusive character who is cultivating a surprisingly large number of papaya plants. Jolene and Ware tolerate each other initially, but as time goes on, and when they realise that their space is in danger of being fully demolished and repurposed as a strip mall, they start to work together.
This is a story of characters and relationships. The author lets things filter in gently. It is not for readers who are after fast-paced action. But it is a thing of beauty and subtlety and it would promote conversations around relationships and environment and families and empathy and diversity.
Love it!
November 23, 2019
Pennypacker’s newest work is not the heart-wrenching awesome-ness of Pax, but I truly enjoyed this tale of 11 year old Wade as he tries to either become what he thinks his parents want or find a way to make them proud of what he is. Ware does not like sports, he does not seek out friends and he has no desire to hang with the popular crowd. He does like to disappear into his room or the swimming pool at his grandmother’s retirement center and he does see wrongs that need to be righted. Enter Jolene, a street smart girl who is determined to turn an abandoned lot into a money-making papaya growing industry so that she and her aunt don’t get kicked out of their apartment for not paying the rent. So Wade ditches the summer rec program that mom forced him to attend and instead, builds a moat, creates a movie, a garden, and a stained glass window, and changes more than just two lives in the process. Excellent realistic fiction for those in grades 4-6.
January 17, 2021
Beautiful writing but I found it hard to get into at first. I wasn’t sure if the character had a disability or not.
February 18, 2024
дуже посередня оповідка, котрій мене ані словом зачепити не вдалось :( задумка, здавалося б, хороша, але зрештою разом все не витягнуло і слухати далі зовсім не кортіло
2.5
2.5
February 18, 2026
Adorable!
May 22, 2026
Some negative thematic elements and a lackluster plot make this story mediocre....
✏️ Review ✏️
Because Here in the Real World's storyline takes quite a long time to unfold, I found it difficult to get into this story. But I also wasn't a fan of the story's flippant misrepresentation of baptism and Christianity in general, which is a point of prominence in this story.
The MMC is on a quest to change his shy personality. Enter the FMC who has a garden plot next to an abandoned church building. The MMC becomes curious about what the church's baptistry was used for and asks the FMC. Many times the FMC says that baptism — an on-demand dip in "magic" water, according to her— is what gets a person "reborn." That statement according to the Word of God, is incorrect (Romans 10:9). One could guess at all of the story's other minor theological misrepresentations stemming from this main falsehood. Then the FMC explains that many of the people who got "baptized" (the incorrect view, hence the quotation marks) fell right back into their old sinful behaviors. (Well, no wonder since baptism is not what causes an individual to experience the new birth!) And near the very end of Here in the Real World, the FMC helps dunk — "baptize" — the MMC in water; he experiences no change dramatic or otherwise. The characters conclude that baptism just doesn't work — it's a sham. So in its distortion of what baptism really is, the story presents a fallacious conclusion — and outright mockery — of "baptism."
That's not all, though. The story's "baptism" can easily be a veiled metaphorical representation of Christianity in general. Therefore, Here in the Real World portrays a broad yet perhaps more subtle attack against Christianity itself. Top that off with the FMC's negative remarks against a church and its congregants: another symbolic representation of Christianity.
Because of the frustratingly slow pace of the plot, the less than positive display of baptism, and the mockery of Christianity in general, I didn't really enjoy Here in the Real World. Some of the characters qualities and minor themes had some merit. But that is hardly enough, however, to make me recommend this story. I suggest steering clear of Here in the Real World and finding another contemporary middle grade novel to enjoy.
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📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
• Maybe a bit of the ending?
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• Almost the entire plot — it's exceedingly slow and quite uneventful.
• The blatant misrepresentation and subsequent mockery of baptism.
• The negative attitude and subtle attacks against Christianity.
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❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓
— Would I recommend this book? No.
— Why not? Because the plot is exceedingly slow and the story contains a negative attitude toward Christianity.
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📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 2/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 1.5/5
— 📝 Writing: 2/5
— 👥 Characters: 2/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 1/5
• One vain use of God's name and one use of "heck."
— ⚔️ Violence: 0/5
— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5
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📣 Random Comments 📣
• Content notes: (1) The FMC's aunt is depicted as being an alcoholic. The MMC observes that she is drunk on one occasion. (2) The two MCs visit a bar; the consumption of alcoholic beverages and drunkenness are observed (the two MCs do not consume alcohol themselves).
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💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
• (None)
✏️ Review ✏️
Because Here in the Real World's storyline takes quite a long time to unfold, I found it difficult to get into this story. But I also wasn't a fan of the story's flippant misrepresentation of baptism and Christianity in general, which is a point of prominence in this story.
The MMC is on a quest to change his shy personality. Enter the FMC who has a garden plot next to an abandoned church building. The MMC becomes curious about what the church's baptistry was used for and asks the FMC. Many times the FMC says that baptism — an on-demand dip in "magic" water, according to her— is what gets a person "reborn." That statement according to the Word of God, is incorrect (Romans 10:9). One could guess at all of the story's other minor theological misrepresentations stemming from this main falsehood. Then the FMC explains that many of the people who got "baptized" (the incorrect view, hence the quotation marks) fell right back into their old sinful behaviors. (Well, no wonder since baptism is not what causes an individual to experience the new birth!) And near the very end of Here in the Real World, the FMC helps dunk — "baptize" — the MMC in water; he experiences no change dramatic or otherwise. The characters conclude that baptism just doesn't work — it's a sham. So in its distortion of what baptism really is, the story presents a fallacious conclusion — and outright mockery — of "baptism."
That's not all, though. The story's "baptism" can easily be a veiled metaphorical representation of Christianity in general. Therefore, Here in the Real World portrays a broad yet perhaps more subtle attack against Christianity itself. Top that off with the FMC's negative remarks against a church and its congregants: another symbolic representation of Christianity.
Because of the frustratingly slow pace of the plot, the less than positive display of baptism, and the mockery of Christianity in general, I didn't really enjoy Here in the Real World. Some of the characters qualities and minor themes had some merit. But that is hardly enough, however, to make me recommend this story. I suggest steering clear of Here in the Real World and finding another contemporary middle grade novel to enjoy.
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📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
• Maybe a bit of the ending?
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• Almost the entire plot — it's exceedingly slow and quite uneventful.
• The blatant misrepresentation and subsequent mockery of baptism.
• The negative attitude and subtle attacks against Christianity.
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❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓
— Would I recommend this book? No.
— Why not? Because the plot is exceedingly slow and the story contains a negative attitude toward Christianity.
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📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 2/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 1.5/5
— 📝 Writing: 2/5
— 👥 Characters: 2/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 1/5
• One vain use of God's name and one use of "heck."
— ⚔️ Violence: 0/5
— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5
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📣 Random Comments 📣
• Content notes: (1) The FMC's aunt is depicted as being an alcoholic. The MMC observes that she is drunk on one occasion. (2) The two MCs visit a bar; the consumption of alcoholic beverages and drunkenness are observed (the two MCs do not consume alcohol themselves).
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💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
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