Paperboy
Bibliography: Vawter,V. PAPERBOY. New York, Yearling Newberry, 2013.
ISBN 978-0-307-93151-1
Plot Summary: In the year of 1959, an 11 year old boy throws the meanest fastball in town, but talking is a whole different ball game. He can barely say a word without stuttering, not even his own name. So when he takes over his best friend's paper route for the month of July, he knows he will be forced to communicate with the different customers, including a housewife who drinks too much and a retired merchant marine who seems to know just about everything.The paper route poses challenges, but it's a run-in with the neighborhood junkman, a bully and thief, that stirs up real trouble and puts the boy's life, as well as that of his family's devoted housekeeper, in danger.
Critical Analysis:
This is an exceptional story about a young boy who had to overcome some very difficult challenges. The story takes place in Memphis, and the author does a great job describing the setting and the small details of where he lived. The story teaches readers about the hardships some people have to face. The challenge is very relevant to the time period the story was taking place at, but it can also be relevant in the present day. During this time period, Victor had to struggle with stuttering, and the world was struggling with segregation. The author does a great job in reflecting the voice of the protagonist, putting himself in a first person point of view. The author uses drawn out letters to add emphasis to the parts where Victor is stuttering. I recommend this book for an older audience because some words are too mature for younger children.
Review Excerpt(s):
2014 Newbery Honor Book
“Because of his stuttering, the eleven-year-old narrator seldom speaks. When he takes over his friend's paper route, the task is Herculean: he must talk to strangers. With heartbreaking detail, in a near-stream-of-consciousness narrative, he describes his difficulties: how he uses the "Gentle Air" method or shouts certain words. An eloquent debut novel set in 1959 Memphis.”-Horn Book
“Gr 6-9 After an overthrown baseball busts his best friend's lip, 11-year-old Victor Vollmer takes over the boy's paper route. This is a particularly daunting task for the able-armed Victor, as he has a prominent stutter that embarrasses him and causes him to generally withdraw from the world. Through the paper route he meets a number of people, gains a much-needed sense of self and community, and has a life-threatening showdown with a local cart man. The story follows the boy's 1959 Memphis summer with a slow but satisfying pace that builds to a storm of violence. The first-person narrative is told in small, powerful block paragraphs without commas, which the stuttering narrator loathes. Vawter portrays a protagonist so true to a disability that one cannot help but empathize with the difficult world of a stutterer. Yet, Victor's story has much broader appeal as the boy begins to mature and redefine his relationship with his parents, think about his aspirations for the future, and explore his budding spirituality. The deliberate pacing and unique narration make Paperboy a memorable coming-of-age novel. Devin Burritt, Wells Public Library, ME”- School Library Journal
Connection:
*The students can research segregation laws that were discussed in the book.
*Students can figure out the different themes within this story.
Other books that are similar to this genre:
Stockett,K. THE HELP. ISBN 0425232204
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