So, I finished this book the other day. And I’m still recovering from the punches in the gut. And yet, I’ve come away with the impression, nay conviction, that this was a beautiful book. Darn that Gary D. Schmidt. Oh yeah. This one won both a Newbery AND a Printz honor. Crazy.
So, Turner Ernest Buckminster III is a minister’s son. It’s the early 1900s, and he has just moved with his family to Phippsburg, Maine. Right away, things don’t go so well. Turner fails to play baseball well, ends up in trouble with a local old lady, and generally disappoints his father left and right. Then he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin and the other inhabitants of Malaga Island.
“I could teach you how to do that,” she said.
“How to do what? Get fit in the face with a rock? I don’t need to learn how to do that.”
“No you’re plenty good enough at that as it is. I mean to swing a bat, if that’s what you’re doing. And my name, by the way, is Lizzie. Lizzie Griffin.”
“Thanks, but I already know how to swing a bat. And my name, by the way, is Turner. Turner Ernest Buckminster.”
“Doesn’t look to me like you do. And I have a middling name, too.”
“I do any place where they know how to pitch. And what is it?”
“Well, Turner Ernest Buckminster, your problem isn’t the pitch, it’s the swing. It’s Lizzie Bright Griffin.”
“Then let’s see you swing, Lizzie Bright Griffin.”
Like I said before, this is a beautiful story. And a gut-wrenching one. So be prepared for that. Schmidt is a gifted writer, and I loved both Turner and Lizzie so much. And that’s probably all you should know before you read it. I highly recommend it.
Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, by Gary D. Schmidt 
Have you read or reviewed this book too? Feel free to jump in with your thoughts or leave a link to your review in the comments.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I listened to this one and absolutely loved it. I laughed and cried in turn. I still laugh about one particular line when I think about it. Here’s my review.
bermudaonion (Kathy)´s last post ..Mailbox Monday
Kathy – Thank you for sharing the review. I absolutely laugh and cried in turn too! And thank you for this reminder: “the book and its characters are a work of fiction, but Malaga Island and its inhabitants are not.” It’s really chilling when you realize what happened to those people.
I really need to read this and all of Schmidt’s other books too. I know I’ll love them.
Jenny´s last post ..Well, I Suck At Tag
I really like The Wednesday Wars, so I’ll have to give this one a shot, too. Sounds good! Thanks for the review :)
Emily´s last post ..Library Love: Worcester Talking Book Library
Jenny – I want to read everything he’s written.
Emily – I didn’t like this one quite as much a THE WEDNESDAY WARS, but I did really like it.
what is the problem of this story agian i forgot
oh yae how did they solve it to and can u tell me the protagonists and the antagonists and the theme of this story if u could u would be my best friend