The Cheese Stands Alone

by Marjorie M. Prince

Having to compete against a best friend, who suddenly becomes a femme fatale, makes Daisy's summer a difficult but interesting one.

Genres: Young Adult

179 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1973

Reviews

[Chennijen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most people are actually talking about a different book when they mention "The Cheese Stands Alone," probably that book by David Craig. I, however, found this book in the public library by accident when I was about 12. A pleasant surprise!
This is one of the better light-hearted YA coming-of-age books I've read— the main character, Daisy, has a sort of deadpan voice that makes the story extremely enjoyable (it definitely made me like her more; she's a good mix of naive and cynical). She and a bunch of kids ("The Pack") have been spending their summers with their families on an island for as far back as they can remember. The book focuses on the summer when Daisy notices things change: the Pack are all growing up in their own ways, family scandals come to light, and Daisy comes to terms with how she feels about them and herself.
The humor and the moodiness were very well blended; there was just enough of both exposure and glossing over of certain things to make it a good YA quick-read. I would recommend this to others...too bad it's not more widely distributed!

[Ada · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books as a pre-teen/teen. It is a young adult book about growing up and growing apart. It's about a group of kids (the Pack) whose families vacation in the same area every year. As the kids become teens, puberty hits. A girl nicknamed Onion Breath becomes the newly named Grand Tetons and change has come to the Pack. It is light hearted and wistful and has a strange nostalgic tone to the writing. Definitely a recommended read along with Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret for a 12 and up age girl or guy.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so happy to see that I am not the only one who loved this book as a kid. I marked it at contemporary fiction because, while written decades ago, the issues in the book are similar to what kids experience growing up and growing away from friends or old habits. It's kind of a scandalous book, but I think the straightforwardness of sexuality is authentic and I know that I personally read this book probably 15 times as a kid/teenager. I finally found someplace that had it as a library discard and rediscovered it. Even though I haven't read it in years, it was like a familiar friend.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading this book which was my favorite book in junior high-one of only a few I read more than once. I enjoyed re-reading this and can see why I loved it so much back in junior high. Daisy so accurately reflects how a girl that age feels and thinks.

[Grecia Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Needed a short, but engaging read while waiting on one that was supposed to come out. This was cute, and it kept me entertained. Coming of age story of one summer on an island. Interesting to see the journey.

[Denise]

I learned that being different was okay...I was only 11 when I read this...

[Kristen]

I loved this book--early YA. Re-read multiple times.

[Danielle Routh · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Which "The Farmer in the Dell" Was Stuck in My Head For Several Days After Reading This

Learned about this from Lost Classics of Teen Lit and knocked it out in a day. It has some good lessons--it's okay to be different, it's okay for friendships to evolve or grow apart, it's okay (and important) to recognize that adults aren't perfect and make their own mistakes. What's NOT okay was the casual grooming of both Daisy with Mr. Potter and all the older boys with the musical director. I think we're supposed to root for Daisy/Potter, if not the musical director, but grown men kissing 16-year-olds and grown women doing heaven knows what with teenage boys is not okay, even in the '70s.