Note: We coincidentally received two reviews for the same book, Save Me a Seat, by Gita Varadarajan and Sarah Weeks, so we’ve decided to publish them both to get two different perspectives. Review by Nandini Krishnan: We’ve all been in uncomfortable situations. For Ravi and Joe, it’s the first week of fifth grade as the book Save Me a Seat follows the trials and tribulations they face. Ravi is moving all the way from Bangalore, India to Hamilton, New Jersey. Joe has lived there all his life, but his best friends have moved away. They seem to have nothing in common at all, but soon enough they find common ground- Dillon Samreen, the most popular boy in school. Each chapter in the story alternates from Ravi’s and Joe’s perspective. The story starts on the first day of school: Ravi’s family are eager for his first day of school, but he soon realises all the differences between India and New Jersey. Besides from having an unpronounceable name, nobody can decode what he is saying because of his accent. In the cafeteria, his vegetarian packed lunches are peculiar. But Ravi is undaunted, because he knows that he and Dillon Samreen, the other Indian boy in class, will become best friends. Soon enough, Ravi realises that this may not be the case… Joe is alone without his best friends and the outlook for the coming year don’t look too good. To make things worse, his mom is becoming the cafeteria monitor. But to top it all of, Dillon is in his class, and is a bigger jerk than ever. Joe’s Auditory Processing Disorder, makes it even harder for him to make friends. How could Joe’s year possibly get better? You’ll have to read and see! This book focuses on a very important topic, on accepting differences and celebrating them instead of using them as a tool to put people down. It also beautifully displays the power of food in bringing people together! I was really able to relate to this book, because Ravi’s character comes from the same part of India as I do, and it felt really nice to read about my culture! I can also relate to him when he talks about the switch from India to the USA, because it is quite similar to how I felt when I moved from a largely monocultural school to an international one, where I had to understand how things changed and how different interactions were, but had to learn to stay true to myself and who I was and not have to change myself to fit in. I think that this a great feel good read that is suitable for anyone 9+ (although, my mom loved it too). The book brings light to some very complex issues, but makes them understandable for younger readers. My favourite part of the book, was finally seeing Joe and Ravi’s storylines merge at the end of the week. I liked how no matter how different Joe and Ravi were, they still became friends. If you are looking for an easy read, that will still make you think when you reach the end then you should definitely read this book! Review by Sarina Patel Banker: Ravi, a fifth grader at Albert Einstein elementary school, has a hard time fitting in. This is his first year at a new school, and he is not used to America. Ravi moved from India where he was “popular” and bullied kids who were different. Now, in America, he is the one who is bullied for being different. When he is hiding in the bathroom from the bully he says, “It seems I am getting a taste of my own medicine.” At the end of the book, he shares with the class his grandfather’s story of working in tea plantations and struggling, because many dangerous animals lurked nearby. I can relate to this because my Grandfather worked hard in fields in India every day to cut sugarcane. He had a dream to go to school in America. When he finally was able to come to America, he had a difficult time fitting in and was teased for his accent. Now, my Grandfather is a successful doctor in Texas. Joe, the other main character of this book is bullied by Dillon, the same boy that bullies Ravi. Joe has a hearing problem called APD, which makes your ears very sensitive to loud noises. Joe’s mom works at the school as a lunch monitor, and Dillon teases Joe about her. Over the summer, Joe’s only two friends moved away to California, and now he feels alone. Joe’s favorite time at school used to be lunch, but after his friends move away he sits by himself feeling lonely. Joe and Ravi are different people from different backgrounds, but they shared some hardships. They both feel like outcasts and are both bullied by Dillon. Though at first they are not friends, they start to support each other. By the end of the book, Joe and Ravi become good friends. Ravi says, “Winning is not always about shining brightest. Sometimes it is about sharing the light with someone who has been waiting in the shadows all along.” To me, this book is about friendship. The title Save Me A Seat captures the idea that no matter how lonely and sad you might feel, there could be someone nearby feeling the same way, who could become a good friend. It also shows how good friends look out for each other, whether it’s adjusting to a new country, dealing with a bully, or just having someone to share lunch with in the cafeteria. I highly recommend this book, and I hope you enjoy it. Save Me a Seat by Gita Varadarajan and Sarah Weeks. Scholastic Press, 2016. Buy the book here and support Children’s Art Foundation-Stone Soup in the process! Have you also read this book? Or do you plan on reading it? Tell us below!
Book Reviews
Ashes, Reviewed by Zoe Lynch, 11
Ashes, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is the third and final book in Anderson’s Seeds of America trilogy. It tells the story of four escaped slaves in revolutionary America. The main characters are sisters Isabel and Ruth who have escaped from slavery and are trying to get to Rhode Island and freedom. Ruth and Isabel have a complex relationship because Ruth was taken as a young child by the plantation’s owner to work on another plantation, but Ruth believes that Isabel sent her away voluntarily. As the two sisters journey towards freedom, their relationship strengthens, especially when they are alone in the forest on their way to Yorktown. The book concludes with the marriage of Isabel and her friend Curzon in the army encampment. The plot of the book revolves around the dilemma Isabel faces when picking a side in the American Revolution. I found the book to be unrealistic because Ruth thinks that Isabel sent her away, but she would know by then that as a slave, Isabel would not have had the power to control who left the plantation. Another part of the story that I found to be unrealistic was that Isabel missed being a slave because of the structure. On the other hand, I did enjoy reading about the time Isabel and Ruth spent in Williamsburg as well as the army encampment. Nevertheless, I found the book interesting to read. Anderson, who is the author of several books, including Fever, Forge, and Chains, does a good job of making history interesting to learn about, and paints a vivid picture of historical events through the eyes of her diverse characters. This book made me read other sources about American history to form my own opinions about the story and the characters’ experiences. For that reason, I would recommend that others read this book. Ashes by Laurie Halse Anderson. Simon & Schuster, 2017. Buy the book here and support Children’s Art Foundation-Stone Soup in the process! Have you read this book? Or do you plan on reading it? If so, comment below!
Oliver Twist, Reviewed by Vivaan Kartik, 8
Oliver Twist is a literary classic written by Charles Dickens, an English author in the 19th century. I have read an illustrated adaptation of this book. The book is set in London and the protagonist is Oliver who is an orphan. He lived in a workhouse at age 9 but after asking for more food was confined and as a punishment he was apprenticed to Mr. Sowberry who treated him cruelly. When it became unbearable, Oliver escaped to London where he walked straight into the clutches of a gang of pickpockets from where he finds it almost impossible to escape. This book focuses on the darker side of life in those times. Though Oliver Twist is not really a children’s book, I chose Oliver Twist because I was really interested to know what life for children was like in the 19th century. In other books where I have read about the Victorian era I found out that children in those days as young as 6 years old were used as accomplices and were put down chimneys to open the main door for burglars to enter. All these stories made me eager to read Oliver Twist. Though it is a depressing story Oliver finds ‘peace at last’. So the end was definitely my favourite part. A despicable character was Mr Bumble, the master of the workhouse, because he was so callous. (He reminded me of Ms Trunchbull from the book ‘Matilda’ by Roald Dahl). I would recommend reading this book because it teaches you quite a lot. Orphans were often ill treated and most money given to workhouses was not even used for the welfare of the people living in it. Children being trained for criminal activities was rife in the 19th century in big cities like London and is probably even happening now. The gangs targeted children who were oppressed as they made easy targets. Those children are vulnerable and quickly say yes to anyone who is going to give them food and shelter as they are desperately in need for it without knowing what they are getting into. Oliver Twist is my age and he should be going to school and learning like me but he’s actually deprived of basic necessities and leads a life that is beyond any child’s imagination. An important thing that I learnt from reading this book is that we are very fortunate to have a good family, education, house, food and friends and we must always find happiness with whatever we get. This book like this world has good and bad characters – the good are always fighting for peace while the bad are always trying to deter them. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. Penguin Classics, 1839. Buy the book here and support Children’s Art Foundation-Stone Soup in the process! Have you read this book? Or do you plan on reading it? If so, comment below!
