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A Corner of the Universe
Hattie Owen enjoys peaceful Millerton summertimes with houses nodding in the heavy air, being in charge of Miss Hagerty's breakfast tray at her parents' boardinghouse, and drinking lemonade on the porch after supper. Yet this year, it's different -- Hattie's uncle Adam is coming home. Returning from a Chicago school that's just closed and whose existence is kept quiet by adult family members, Adam is a 21-year-old man with a child's mind, having a knack for talking quickly, a savant-like ability for remembering weekdays, and a passion for I Love Lucy. Hattie and Adam wind up spending precious time together -- including a visit to the recently arrived carnival with Hattie's new friend, Leila -- which makes her feel soulfully connected to her uncle, especially when he declares that she's one of the people who can lift the corners of our universe. But when Hattie takes Adam on the Ferris wheel one night, it sets off dramatic events that lead Hattie's family to strengthen its bonds and changes her life's outlook forever.
224 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2002
About the author
Ann M. Martin
930 books2,855 followersAnn Matthews Martin was born on August 12, 1955. She grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, with her parents and her younger sister, Jane. After graduating from Smith College, Ann became a teacher and then an editor of children's books. She's now a full-time writer.
Ann gets the ideas for her books from many different places. Some are based on personal experiences, while others are based on childhood memories and feelings. Many are written about contemporary problems or events. All of Ann's characters, even the members of the Baby-sitters Club, are made up. But many of her characters are based on real people. Sometimes Ann names her characters after people she knows, and other times she simply chooses names that she likes.
Ann has always enjoyed writing. Even before she was old enough to write, she would dictate stories to her mother to write down for her. Some of her favorite authors at that time were Lewis Carroll, P. L. Travers, Hugh Lofting, Astrid Lindgren, and Roald Dahl. They inspired her to become a writer herself.
Since ending the BSC series in 2000, Ann’s writing has concentrated on single novels, many of which are set in the 1960s.
After living in New York City for many years, Ann moved to the Hudson Valley in upstate New York where she now lives with her dog, Sadie, and her cats, Gussie, Willy and Woody. Her hobbies are reading, sewing, and needlework. Her favorite thing to do is to make clothes for children.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/annmma...
Ann gets the ideas for her books from many different places. Some are based on personal experiences, while others are based on childhood memories and feelings. Many are written about contemporary problems or events. All of Ann's characters, even the members of the Baby-sitters Club, are made up. But many of her characters are based on real people. Sometimes Ann names her characters after people she knows, and other times she simply chooses names that she likes.
Ann has always enjoyed writing. Even before she was old enough to write, she would dictate stories to her mother to write down for her. Some of her favorite authors at that time were Lewis Carroll, P. L. Travers, Hugh Lofting, Astrid Lindgren, and Roald Dahl. They inspired her to become a writer herself.
Since ending the BSC series in 2000, Ann’s writing has concentrated on single novels, many of which are set in the 1960s.
After living in New York City for many years, Ann moved to the Hudson Valley in upstate New York where she now lives with her dog, Sadie, and her cats, Gussie, Willy and Woody. Her hobbies are reading, sewing, and needlework. Her favorite thing to do is to make clothes for children.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/annmma...
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September 17, 2022
في يوم خريفي شديد البرودة ، وجدتني وفي مكاني المُفضل الذي يطل على البحر برفقة القهوة باللبن الساخنة ، وقد مضى الوقت سريعاً في مكان صغير في الكون...لم أستطع أن أفلتها من يدي إلا وقد أنهيتها....
حسناً...أين يقع هذا المكان الصغير ؟...
دعنا نتفق بأننا لطالما شعرنا بالاغتراب في عالم لا يشبهنا ، وإنه يطغى علينا الشعور بأننا لا ننتمي إلى أي مكان..عدا أنه ثمة مكان صغير في الكون تتجلى فيه موهبتنا الفريدة التي تُميزنا عمن سوانا...عندئذٍ تنزع أرواحنا عنها رداء الاغتراب...ينطلق كل ما بدواخلنا بتلقائية دونما قيد أو شرط...، يتملكنا إحساس مُبهم بالسعادة...يُثبت وجودنا في هذا العالم ولو للحظات قليلة..نتلذذ فيها بطعم تلك السعادة..نتغنى بها ...نتقافز في أماكننا كما لو كنا صغاراً...
كما لو أن الكون تمركز في ذاك المكان الصغير....
هنا...يُسلط الضوء على الحالات ذي الاحتياجات الخاصة التي تعاني من فرط الحركة والانفعالات الحادة غير المحسوبة وقصور الحالة الإدراكية والعقلية...
وعندما يحاول الوالدان أن يواريا ابنهما عن الأنظار...لابد وأن تبقى صورة العائلة مثالية...كم تصيبني تلك الكلمة بالإعياء..
لما لا يدرك البشر بأنه لم ولن يبلغ أيٌ منهم المثالية ليس لشيء ولكن لأنها ليس مُثبت وجودها بعالمنا البائس...
كم هناك ممن لا يمنح الدعم والحب غير المشروط لولدهما...
لا يدركا بأنه مهما بدا مختلفاً غريباً في أعين الآخرين فهو لابد وأن يظل شخصاً استثنائياً في أعينهم و إنه قد يملك ما يفتقر إليه الآخرون...فمن دواعي الأسى أن هنالك ممن يجهل تلك الحقيقة ولا يدركها إلا بعد فوات الأوان....
وأخيراً...هنالك اشخاص في حياتنا من الممكن أن يحركوا جوانب الكون...أجل....عندئذٍ كن مستعداً للبدء من جديد.....
لقد أحببت هذه الرواية جدااا...💕
حسناً...أين يقع هذا المكان الصغير ؟...
دعنا نتفق بأننا لطالما شعرنا بالاغتراب في عالم لا يشبهنا ، وإنه يطغى علينا الشعور بأننا لا ننتمي إلى أي مكان..عدا أنه ثمة مكان صغير في الكون تتجلى فيه موهبتنا الفريدة التي تُميزنا عمن سوانا...عندئذٍ تنزع أرواحنا عنها رداء الاغتراب...ينطلق كل ما بدواخلنا بتلقائية دونما قيد أو شرط...، يتملكنا إحساس مُبهم بالسعادة...يُثبت وجودنا في هذا العالم ولو للحظات قليلة..نتلذذ فيها بطعم تلك السعادة..نتغنى بها ...نتقافز في أماكننا كما لو كنا صغاراً...
كما لو أن الكون تمركز في ذاك المكان الصغير....
هنا...يُسلط الضوء على الحالات ذي الاحتياجات الخاصة التي تعاني من فرط الحركة والانفعالات الحادة غير المحسوبة وقصور الحالة الإدراكية والعقلية...
وعندما يحاول الوالدان أن يواريا ابنهما عن الأنظار...لابد وأن تبقى صورة العائلة مثالية...كم تصيبني تلك الكلمة بالإعياء..
لما لا يدرك البشر بأنه لم ولن يبلغ أيٌ منهم المثالية ليس لشيء ولكن لأنها ليس مُثبت وجودها بعالمنا البائس...
كم هناك ممن لا يمنح الدعم والحب غير المشروط لولدهما...
لا يدركا بأنه مهما بدا مختلفاً غريباً في أعين الآخرين فهو لابد وأن يظل شخصاً استثنائياً في أعينهم و إنه قد يملك ما يفتقر إليه الآخرون...فمن دواعي الأسى أن هنالك ممن يجهل تلك الحقيقة ولا يدركها إلا بعد فوات الأوان....
وأخيراً...هنالك اشخاص في حياتنا من الممكن أن يحركوا جوانب الكون...أجل....عندئذٍ كن مستعداً للبدء من جديد.....
لقد أحببت هذه الرواية جدااا...💕
September 2, 2019
A Corner of the Universe, Ann M. Martin
A Corner of the Universe is a young adult's novel by Ann M. Martin, published in 2002. It won a Newbery Honor Award in 2003. The summer of 1960 is a season that the novel's narrator and protagonist, 11-almost-12-year-old Hattie Owen, expects to be as comfortably uneventful as all the others had been in her small, tranquil town of Millerton, PA. Hattie Owen enjoys peaceful Millerton summertimes with houses nodding in the heavy air, being in charge of Miss Hagerty's breakfast tray at her parents' boardinghouse, and drinking lemonade on the porch after supper. Yet this year, it's different -- Hattie's uncle Adam is coming home. Returning from a Chicago school that's just closed and whose existence is kept quiet by adult family members, Adam is a 21-year-old man with a child's mind, having a knack for talking quickly, a savant-like ability for remembering weekdays, and a passion for I Love Lucy. Hattie and Adam wind up spending precious time together -- including a visit to the recently arrived carnival with Hattie's new friend, Leila -- which makes her feel soulfully connected to her uncle, especially when he declares that she's one of the people who can lift the corners of our universe. But when Hattie takes Adam on the Ferris wheel one night, it sets off dramatic events that lead Hattie's family to strengthen its bonds and changes her life's outlook forever.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز نخست ماه سپتامبر سال 2005 میلادی
عنوان: یک گوشه دنیا؛ نویسنده: آن ام. مارتین؛ مترجم: مامک بهادرزاده؛ تهران: پیک آوین، 1382؛ در 203 ص؛ شابک: 9789648148022؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان امریکایی - سده 21 م
یک گوشه از جهان، رمانی برای نوجوانان است، که بانو «آن مارتین» آن را نگاشته اند، نخستین بار این کتاب در سال 2002 میلادی منتشر شده است. تابستان سال 1960 میلادی، فصلی است، که راوی و شخصیت اصلی داستان: «هتی اوون» یازده ساله، تقریباً دوازده ساله، انتظار دارد همانند دیگران در شهر کوچک و آرام «میلرتون»، «پنسیلوانیا بی نظیر باشد. او مشتاقانه میخواهد تا به مادرش یاری، و در کنار پدرش نقاشی کند، و کتاب بخواند. سپس عمویش «آدام» بیست و یکساله اما با افکار کودکانه، که «هتی» هرگز نمیدانسته وجود داشته باشد، میآید، تا در کنار پدربزگ و مادربزرگ هتی (نانا و پاپا) بماند...؛ ا. شربیانی
A Corner of the Universe is a young adult's novel by Ann M. Martin, published in 2002. It won a Newbery Honor Award in 2003. The summer of 1960 is a season that the novel's narrator and protagonist, 11-almost-12-year-old Hattie Owen, expects to be as comfortably uneventful as all the others had been in her small, tranquil town of Millerton, PA. Hattie Owen enjoys peaceful Millerton summertimes with houses nodding in the heavy air, being in charge of Miss Hagerty's breakfast tray at her parents' boardinghouse, and drinking lemonade on the porch after supper. Yet this year, it's different -- Hattie's uncle Adam is coming home. Returning from a Chicago school that's just closed and whose existence is kept quiet by adult family members, Adam is a 21-year-old man with a child's mind, having a knack for talking quickly, a savant-like ability for remembering weekdays, and a passion for I Love Lucy. Hattie and Adam wind up spending precious time together -- including a visit to the recently arrived carnival with Hattie's new friend, Leila -- which makes her feel soulfully connected to her uncle, especially when he declares that she's one of the people who can lift the corners of our universe. But when Hattie takes Adam on the Ferris wheel one night, it sets off dramatic events that lead Hattie's family to strengthen its bonds and changes her life's outlook forever.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز نخست ماه سپتامبر سال 2005 میلادی
عنوان: یک گوشه دنیا؛ نویسنده: آن ام. مارتین؛ مترجم: مامک بهادرزاده؛ تهران: پیک آوین، 1382؛ در 203 ص؛ شابک: 9789648148022؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان امریکایی - سده 21 م
یک گوشه از جهان، رمانی برای نوجوانان است، که بانو «آن مارتین» آن را نگاشته اند، نخستین بار این کتاب در سال 2002 میلادی منتشر شده است. تابستان سال 1960 میلادی، فصلی است، که راوی و شخصیت اصلی داستان: «هتی اوون» یازده ساله، تقریباً دوازده ساله، انتظار دارد همانند دیگران در شهر کوچک و آرام «میلرتون»، «پنسیلوانیا بی نظیر باشد. او مشتاقانه میخواهد تا به مادرش یاری، و در کنار پدرش نقاشی کند، و کتاب بخواند. سپس عمویش «آدام» بیست و یکساله اما با افکار کودکانه، که «هتی» هرگز نمیدانسته وجود داشته باشد، میآید، تا در کنار پدربزگ و مادربزرگ هتی (نانا و پاپا) بماند...؛ ا. شربیانی
September 10, 2008
I saw that one of my friends read this book, so I decided to check it out. I love Ann M. Martin, she is one of my favorite authors, so before I even started reading this, I knew I would like it. It's heartwarming and an amazing story.
This eleven year old girl (soon to be twelve) named Hattie lives in a boardinghouse with her family. She wakes up early, does her chores, and then reads or does whatever else she feels like doing. Up until the day she realizes she has an uncle Adam, that she never knew about. He randomly comes into her life, but she becomes best friends with him.
Adam has a mental problem, but it's not as obvious as some people would think it was. He was always smiling and happy and a loud, fun, outgoing human being. He was twenty one years old, but had a children's heart. Hattie helps him a lot and is a better friend to him than anyone. Adam constantly quotes I Love Lucy and most people don't catch on to that. Hattie then goes to the carnival and meets a new friend, Leila. She then takes Adam to meet Leila, who's family is the circus people.
One day Hattie convinces Adam to sneak out of his house and come to the carnival with her and Leila. He never rode the rides before this event because he was scared, but this night they convinced him to, and it's a night Hattie will never forget.
This book was amazing and made me realize that so many people really do judge someone, even if they have a mental disorder. It's upsetting but it shows a true heart and a truly good person.
This eleven year old girl (soon to be twelve) named Hattie lives in a boardinghouse with her family. She wakes up early, does her chores, and then reads or does whatever else she feels like doing. Up until the day she realizes she has an uncle Adam, that she never knew about. He randomly comes into her life, but she becomes best friends with him.
Adam has a mental problem, but it's not as obvious as some people would think it was. He was always smiling and happy and a loud, fun, outgoing human being. He was twenty one years old, but had a children's heart. Hattie helps him a lot and is a better friend to him than anyone. Adam constantly quotes I Love Lucy and most people don't catch on to that. Hattie then goes to the carnival and meets a new friend, Leila. She then takes Adam to meet Leila, who's family is the circus people.
One day Hattie convinces Adam to sneak out of his house and come to the carnival with her and Leila. He never rode the rides before this event because he was scared, but this night they convinced him to, and it's a night Hattie will never forget.
This book was amazing and made me realize that so many people really do judge someone, even if they have a mental disorder. It's upsetting but it shows a true heart and a truly good person.
November 7, 2010
Ann M. Martin has written, to my knowledge, three books now involving autistic characters - a stand-alone novel in the 80s, that BSC book, and now this one.
I like to be complete, so I thought I'd check this one out and compare it against my memories of the others. This review WILL contain spoilers, I'm sorry, because there are a few issues I have with the book at the end.
First, you should note that Adam's characterization clearly reflects increased knowledge of autism. This is as it should be - the other two books are painfully outdated... but it wouldn't be fair to judge her for writing a book in the 80s that uses the knowledge we had in the 80s. Adam is never officially diagnosed, but it's fairly clear from the speculation ("some thought it was autism, some thought it was schizophrenia") and a few specific details of Adam's behavior (he engages in scripted speech, he has the savant skill of calendar counting, he is totally lacking in the social awareness that says do NOT stare at women's chests) that he's intended to be on the spectrum.
How accurate is this depiction? I don't know. I have a hard time believing that you COULD memorize many - much less all! - full episodes of I Love Lucy in the days before VCRs, but then, I didn't live in the 60s. The calendar counting did annoy me. Most autistics are not savants (and only about half of all savants are autistic - Kim Peek, the inspiration for Rain Man, was not autistic, for example).
I was happy to see that Adam is a real character. He has interests and feelings and a life. You get the feeling that he has some greater purpose than to simply provide character development for his niece. This is in contrast to disabled (particularly autistic) characters in many other books, who really are just there so the people they come in contact with can have a renewed appreciation for life or be kinder or I don't know what. Some commenters has mentioned that his behavior is "inconsistent" - he's "sometimes childish, and sometimes adult". This is accurate, though. Adults with developmental disabilities are still *adults*. They still have adult feelings, even if in some ways their understanding isn't up there.
Which brings me to another point, there are some mildly adult situations in this book. Adam stares at his crush's chest, and accidentally walks in on her with her boyfriend. It's not really that bad, but of course every family will have to make its own judgments about appropriateness.
And now we get to the end of the book, and the reason I gave it such a low rating. THIS IS WHERE THE REAL SPOILERS COME IN.
After seeing that he really doesn't have a chance with the pretty young woman who works at the bank (and after a trying few days where he had it made clear to him, again, that his family doesn't really want him to act the way he is), Adam goes and kills himself. And Hattie (who considers herself to be like her uncle in some way, although the reasons why are never given) thinks it over and calls this brave in her mind. Not the sort of braveness she'd like, but brave all the same.
It's not the suicide or the lackluster condemnation of the act that concerns me - actually, it's very clear that suicide has major repercussions for the people you leave behind.
It's the context. And this might be unfair, but I think the context is important. We're not living in a world where people love and accept the disabled. We're not living in a world where this is ONE voice about autism and suicide.
We are living in a world where prominent autism organizations can make videos where mothers say - in front of their verbal autistic children! - that the only thing that has stopped them from killing those same children and themselves is thinking of their *normal* child. And when called on it, these same organizations can then claim that every parent of an autistic child really wants them dead. (Alison Singer, in the short film Autism Every Day.) We are living in a world where parents who locked their autistic son in a room and set the house on fire aren't convicted of murder. (Christopher DeGroot.) We are living in a world where it is common for people who kill their autistic children, in fact, to be praised for their "courage" and their "love". We're living in a world where there are parents of autistic children who feel no compunction about saying that autism is worse than cancer because at least the children with cancer die. (sentex.net/~nexus23/md_01.html - actually, the autism - cancer comparison is all over the place, along with the autism - AIDS comparison and the autism - kidnapped children comparison. But at least most of these people don't go out and say that those other kids are lucky enough to die faster than the autistic kids!)
In short, we're living in a world where the lives of autistic individuals (and disabled individuals in general) are not considered as valuable as those of "normal" people.
The suicide in this book could have been handled differently. Our main character could have reasoned that if his family loved him they could have accepted him better instead of hiding him away - remember, she had only found out about him that summer! She could have suggested that if he wasn't so ostracized and patronized, he might never have taken that drastic step. In fact, there is a real suicide risk among autistics, similar to the recently publicized risk among gays.
Or, the "oh, it was brave not to want to live in this world he doesn't fit into" bit could have been made in isolation from a culture which says that all the time.
But it wasn't. Instead, you read the book and her thoughts, and it's hard not to hear it saying yet another variation of "those people are better off dead". This is a message that society does need to hear again. In particular, it's a message that autistic children do not need to hear again. Yes, I said autistic children. In this day and age, we have to accept that you can't assume the only people reading a book with an autistic character are NTs with no idea about autism. Many of them instead will be on the spectrum somewhere. Or they'll be siblings of autistic children - they don't need that message either.
I'm sure the underlying message was not Ann M. Martin's intent. However, unfortunately, intent isn't some magical glitter that removes all wrong. The message is there whether she intended it or not, and it's one that is actively harmful. "Their lives have less worth" is a contributing factor in the murder and suicide of autistics. I really can't advise this book for anybody, unfortunately.
I like to be complete, so I thought I'd check this one out and compare it against my memories of the others. This review WILL contain spoilers, I'm sorry, because there are a few issues I have with the book at the end.
First, you should note that Adam's characterization clearly reflects increased knowledge of autism. This is as it should be - the other two books are painfully outdated... but it wouldn't be fair to judge her for writing a book in the 80s that uses the knowledge we had in the 80s. Adam is never officially diagnosed, but it's fairly clear from the speculation ("some thought it was autism, some thought it was schizophrenia") and a few specific details of Adam's behavior (he engages in scripted speech, he has the savant skill of calendar counting, he is totally lacking in the social awareness that says do NOT stare at women's chests) that he's intended to be on the spectrum.
How accurate is this depiction? I don't know. I have a hard time believing that you COULD memorize many - much less all! - full episodes of I Love Lucy in the days before VCRs, but then, I didn't live in the 60s. The calendar counting did annoy me. Most autistics are not savants (and only about half of all savants are autistic - Kim Peek, the inspiration for Rain Man, was not autistic, for example).
I was happy to see that Adam is a real character. He has interests and feelings and a life. You get the feeling that he has some greater purpose than to simply provide character development for his niece. This is in contrast to disabled (particularly autistic) characters in many other books, who really are just there so the people they come in contact with can have a renewed appreciation for life or be kinder or I don't know what. Some commenters has mentioned that his behavior is "inconsistent" - he's "sometimes childish, and sometimes adult". This is accurate, though. Adults with developmental disabilities are still *adults*. They still have adult feelings, even if in some ways their understanding isn't up there.
Which brings me to another point, there are some mildly adult situations in this book. Adam stares at his crush's chest, and accidentally walks in on her with her boyfriend. It's not really that bad, but of course every family will have to make its own judgments about appropriateness.
And now we get to the end of the book, and the reason I gave it such a low rating. THIS IS WHERE THE REAL SPOILERS COME IN.
After seeing that he really doesn't have a chance with the pretty young woman who works at the bank (and after a trying few days where he had it made clear to him, again, that his family doesn't really want him to act the way he is), Adam goes and kills himself. And Hattie (who considers herself to be like her uncle in some way, although the reasons why are never given) thinks it over and calls this brave in her mind. Not the sort of braveness she'd like, but brave all the same.
It's not the suicide or the lackluster condemnation of the act that concerns me - actually, it's very clear that suicide has major repercussions for the people you leave behind.
It's the context. And this might be unfair, but I think the context is important. We're not living in a world where people love and accept the disabled. We're not living in a world where this is ONE voice about autism and suicide.
We are living in a world where prominent autism organizations can make videos where mothers say - in front of their verbal autistic children! - that the only thing that has stopped them from killing those same children and themselves is thinking of their *normal* child. And when called on it, these same organizations can then claim that every parent of an autistic child really wants them dead. (Alison Singer, in the short film Autism Every Day.) We are living in a world where parents who locked their autistic son in a room and set the house on fire aren't convicted of murder. (Christopher DeGroot.) We are living in a world where it is common for people who kill their autistic children, in fact, to be praised for their "courage" and their "love". We're living in a world where there are parents of autistic children who feel no compunction about saying that autism is worse than cancer because at least the children with cancer die. (sentex.net/~nexus23/md_01.html - actually, the autism - cancer comparison is all over the place, along with the autism - AIDS comparison and the autism - kidnapped children comparison. But at least most of these people don't go out and say that those other kids are lucky enough to die faster than the autistic kids!)
In short, we're living in a world where the lives of autistic individuals (and disabled individuals in general) are not considered as valuable as those of "normal" people.
The suicide in this book could have been handled differently. Our main character could have reasoned that if his family loved him they could have accepted him better instead of hiding him away - remember, she had only found out about him that summer! She could have suggested that if he wasn't so ostracized and patronized, he might never have taken that drastic step. In fact, there is a real suicide risk among autistics, similar to the recently publicized risk among gays.
Or, the "oh, it was brave not to want to live in this world he doesn't fit into" bit could have been made in isolation from a culture which says that all the time.
But it wasn't. Instead, you read the book and her thoughts, and it's hard not to hear it saying yet another variation of "those people are better off dead". This is a message that society does need to hear again. In particular, it's a message that autistic children do not need to hear again. Yes, I said autistic children. In this day and age, we have to accept that you can't assume the only people reading a book with an autistic character are NTs with no idea about autism. Many of them instead will be on the spectrum somewhere. Or they'll be siblings of autistic children - they don't need that message either.
I'm sure the underlying message was not Ann M. Martin's intent. However, unfortunately, intent isn't some magical glitter that removes all wrong. The message is there whether she intended it or not, and it's one that is actively harmful. "Their lives have less worth" is a contributing factor in the murder and suicide of autistics. I really can't advise this book for anybody, unfortunately.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2020
إننا ننتمي إلى أماكننا الصغيرة في الكون، الأماكن التي من خلالها يمكننا رؤية ذواتنا ورؤية العالم بوضوح، قد يأخذ الأمر وقتًا حتى نعثر على مكاننا الصغير في الكون ب��نفسنا، وقد نحتاج إلى شخص ما يظهر فجأة في حياتنا يفهمنا ويساعدنا في العثور عليه كما حدث هنا مع هاتي التي ساعدها خالها في استكشاف الكون من جديد، وتحريك أركانه، قد نحتاج مثلها لأن نرك�� عجلة فيريس لنلقي نظرة على العالم، ونراقب أضواء الأماكن وهي تتناثر على الأرض كالنجوم اللامعة، ونعثر على مكاننا الصغير في الكون، الذي دائمًا يبدأ من داخلنا، وبخيوط سحرية يمتد ويرتبط بالكون الخارجي...
رواية جميلة تسكن القلب تمتزج فيها ألق المشاعر الدافئة مع المشاعر المؤثرة، عن الحياة والحب وقبول اختلاف الآخر بكل تفهم وحب، واستكشاف الكون للعثور على أماكننا الصغيرة فيه، واستكشاف ذواتنا، والتصالح مع العالم وقبوله لتصبح الحياة أكثر امتاعًا...
وقعت في حبها ~💜🎡
31.10.2020
رواية جميلة تسكن القلب تمتزج فيها ألق المشاعر الدافئة مع المشاعر المؤثرة، عن الحياة والحب وقبول اختلاف الآخر بكل تفهم وحب، واستكشاف الكون للعثور على أماكننا الصغيرة فيه، واستكشاف ذواتنا، والتصالح مع العالم وقبوله لتصبح الحياة أكثر امتاعًا...
وقعت في حبها ~💜🎡
31.10.2020
March 28, 2021
رواية تأخذك الى عالم طفلة في سن الحادية عشرة من عمرها تعيش في بلدة صغيرة في امريكا مع والدها ووالدتها
يعشون في بنسيون يديرونه معا
كل شيء كان عادي بالنسبة الى الطفلة الى أن أكتشفت أن لها خال لم تراه منذ أن وعيت، فهو كان في مدرسة داخلية لمدة طويلة وتعرف بعد ذلك أنه مختلف عنهم
تأخذك الرواية الى داخل نفس تلك الفتاة الصغيرة وكيف ترى العالم حولها وكيف ترى خالها الذي ظهر فجأة في حياتها
رواية ممتعة ونهاية قاسية الى حد ما
أغلب الروايات التي تقص بلسان الأطفال تستهوي الجميع
بعد قراءة تلك الرواية تذكرت رواية شجرتي شجرة البرتقال الرائعة
يعشون في بنسيون يديرونه معا
كل شيء كان عادي بالنسبة الى الطفلة الى أن أكتشفت أن لها خال لم تراه منذ أن وعيت، فهو كان في مدرسة داخلية لمدة طويلة وتعرف بعد ذلك أنه مختلف عنهم
تأخذك الرواية الى داخل نفس تلك الفتاة الصغيرة وكيف ترى العالم حولها وكيف ترى خالها الذي ظهر فجأة في حياتها
رواية ممتعة ونهاية قاسية الى حد ما
أغلب الروايات التي تقص بلسان الأطفال تستهوي الجميع
بعد قراءة تلك الرواية تذكرت رواية شجرتي شجرة البرتقال الرائعة
May 14, 2020
فيه روايات او قصص لما تقراءها بتخليك كأنك شايف قدامك الشخصيات والاماكن اللي بتحكي عنها الرواية
شايف مدينة ميرلتون والأشخاص اللي عايشه هناك ، شايف الكرنفال وشرفة البيت والحديقة اللي بتحكي منه بطلة القصة الطفلة هاتي كأنك فعلا في مكان صغير في الكون مش عايز تطلع منه
تقييمي 3.5
January 21, 2022
Summer of 1960. A carnival comes to town along with Hattie’s uncle Adam. Adam has special needs, and most of the family members are embarrassed by him. (The diagnosis is never given, though it appears to be a form of autism.) But Hattie, who is very shy, finds him a kind of kindred spirit.
It’s a pretty serious book, dealing a lot with how people treat each other, which makes it a tad depressing. But the book is good at not treating shyness and being different as something that needs to be cured. The “aftermath” of the book’s Big Event doesn’t get a lot of attention. Things just wrap up rather quickly. If a young teen is reading this, I strongly suggest discussing it with a parent.
Language: Mild
Sexual Content: Mild
Violence: None
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
It’s a pretty serious book, dealing a lot with how people treat each other, which makes it a tad depressing. But the book is good at not treating shyness and being different as something that needs to be cured. The “aftermath” of the book’s Big Event doesn’t get a lot of attention. Things just wrap up rather quickly. If a young teen is reading this, I strongly suggest discussing it with a parent.
Language: Mild
Sexual Content: Mild
Violence: None
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
May 17, 2008
Hattie Owen is a shy girl who lives in a quiet town where everyone knows everyone else's business. There is only one piece of business that she is left out of the loop on until this summer, the fact that she has an uncle... and that uncle is mentally challenged. This story is about how Hattie grows to know and love her uncle, even with all of his flaws -- which is something that seems to be hard for other people in his life at times.
I loved how the characters in this book were so real and believable. I honestly grew to love Adam so much in this book and it really made me try to get out of myself and think about how things would be like in his shoes. This book is great for teaching about tolerance, love, and challenges.
I loved how the characters in this book were so real and believable. I honestly grew to love Adam so much in this book and it really made me try to get out of myself and think about how things would be like in his shoes. This book is great for teaching about tolerance, love, and challenges.
April 7, 2021
Hattie Owen lives in the third largest house in the small town of Millerton. Her grandparents live in the second largest. But unlike her Nana and Papa’s house, Hattie’s house isn’t filled with fancy furniture. It’s filled with boarders. Hattie doesn’t mind living with people who aren’t her family. What she does mind is living with secrets—one big secret especially. Hattie is about to find out that her mother has a younger brother, which means that she has another uncle. An uncle who, until recently, had been attending a “school” for the mentally disabled, but will now be moving back to Millerton to live with Nana and Papa. Even though Hattie’s Uncle Adam is family, she realizes that she knows more about her parents’ boarders than her own flesh and blood, which begs the question, “If a person is kept a secret, is he real?” Hattie Owen is about to find out.
A 2003 Newbery Honor book, A Corner of the Universe covers so many complex and complicated topics, it’s really difficult to choose where to begin. Based on events in her own life, Ann M. Martin explores mental illness and the effects it has on both the individual and those around them. Twenty-year-old Adam Mercer, displaying symptoms of autism and schizophrenia, is seen as quirky, unpredictable, temperamental, and largely high-spirited by his twelve-year-old niece. However, as is the case with diseases of the brain, it only takes a minor deviation from a structured routine or an ill-delivered repudiation or rejection to set off a downward spiral of uncontrollable outbursts and dangerous reactions. Through Hattie’s lens, Adam is a person being denied fun and freedom by her controlling and rigid grandmother. Through Nana’s eyes, Adam is a child who requires constant supervision and well-defined boundaries. In reality, Adam is a little of both.
A Corner of the Universe is recommended for grades 5-8, and I certainly would not recommend this book to any reader younger than this. With topics of mental illness and suicide, as well as a few sexually implicit situations and some mild profanity, this is clearly meant for young adult readers—although the themes of acceptance, tolerance, inclusion, and kindness transcend all age groups. Martin gives us a perfect look into an imperfect world and shows us the devastation of living with guilt and regret, as well as the unintended consequences that follow seemingly good yet naïve intentions.
Hattie often said that she and her Uncle Adam had a lot in common. That they both felt like outsiders—always on the outside looking in. Hattie once told her uncle that she felt like she was a visiting alien to which Adam replied, “And aliens don’t belong anywhere except in their own little corners of the universe.” Sadly, it’s so easy to misjudge people who don’t fit into a preconceived category or check a certain box. What’s even sadder is the ease with which we tend to discount these same people—forgetting that they too have thoughts, feelings, hopes, and dreams. Although both Hattie and Adam often felt unwanted and out of place, both were able to find an unexpected friend in one another and for a brief moment, they were able to turn their corner of the universe into a very accepting, forgiving, and happy place.
A 2003 Newbery Honor book, A Corner of the Universe covers so many complex and complicated topics, it’s really difficult to choose where to begin. Based on events in her own life, Ann M. Martin explores mental illness and the effects it has on both the individual and those around them. Twenty-year-old Adam Mercer, displaying symptoms of autism and schizophrenia, is seen as quirky, unpredictable, temperamental, and largely high-spirited by his twelve-year-old niece. However, as is the case with diseases of the brain, it only takes a minor deviation from a structured routine or an ill-delivered repudiation or rejection to set off a downward spiral of uncontrollable outbursts and dangerous reactions. Through Hattie’s lens, Adam is a person being denied fun and freedom by her controlling and rigid grandmother. Through Nana’s eyes, Adam is a child who requires constant supervision and well-defined boundaries. In reality, Adam is a little of both.
A Corner of the Universe is recommended for grades 5-8, and I certainly would not recommend this book to any reader younger than this. With topics of mental illness and suicide, as well as a few sexually implicit situations and some mild profanity, this is clearly meant for young adult readers—although the themes of acceptance, tolerance, inclusion, and kindness transcend all age groups. Martin gives us a perfect look into an imperfect world and shows us the devastation of living with guilt and regret, as well as the unintended consequences that follow seemingly good yet naïve intentions.
Hattie often said that she and her Uncle Adam had a lot in common. That they both felt like outsiders—always on the outside looking in. Hattie once told her uncle that she felt like she was a visiting alien to which Adam replied, “And aliens don’t belong anywhere except in their own little corners of the universe.” Sadly, it’s so easy to misjudge people who don’t fit into a preconceived category or check a certain box. What’s even sadder is the ease with which we tend to discount these same people—forgetting that they too have thoughts, feelings, hopes, and dreams. Although both Hattie and Adam often felt unwanted and out of place, both were able to find an unexpected friend in one another and for a brief moment, they were able to turn their corner of the universe into a very accepting, forgiving, and happy place.
May 10, 2012
This book was well-written. The story takes place in a time period that I could relate to--the 1960s--and I had an understanding of some of the things it mentions, such watching home movies on an old reel-to-reel projector. Even so, I never really got into the story. The first three chapters seemed to emphasize how boring and predictable life was for the shy young girl who is the main character. In fact, after making it through the first three chapters, I had to re-read the jacket cover description to remind myself that something really would be happening, and to encourage myself to keep reading. It wasn't until the fourth chapter that a plot was introduced. The young girl who is the main character is also the narrator, and there are times when she switches from past-tense to present-tense in her narration, which was not comfortable for me as a reader. I never really developed an emotional attachment to her or her uncle, so I didn't feel a need to cry when her uncle died. I was, however, proud of the girl when she stood up at his funeral and conquered her own fears by focusing her remarks to the girls who had been her tormentors. As she told them that her uncle was not weird, but was a real human being, she seemed to be affirming her own self-worth and acknowledging that other people's opinions of her value would no longer matter to her. That made the read worthwhile, but this isn't a book that I'll read again or even recommend to anyone I know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2018
It takes a “certain kind of courage” to commit suicide. What?!? WHAT?!? I’m so angry. There are 3 lessons to learn from this story 1)Don’t be nice to adults with mental disabilities if you’re beautiful 2)Having relations with a man who is your boyfriend causes suicide aaaaand 3)Suicide is a courageous action. All of this in a book. For. Children.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2018
I've got some very mixed feelings about this book. I like the concept, the use of the time period (60's), and some of the growth the main character goes through. the author does some nice, relatable work with description as well. All the problems I have with it seem to be able to be categorized as under the umbrella issue of inconsistency. The were some moments, and some of them are HUGE plotwise, in this book that were so incongruent and just weird that I was completely pulled out of the story.
****SPOILERS AHEAD****
Before I launch into this, I think it should be noted that there are ways to have multi-sided characters with attributes that can even seem to conflict. Those can be the richest characters in a book. However, in A Corner of the Universe, the characters are underdeveloped so the inconsistent thoughts/behaviors are just jarring instead of helping to humanize the characters. To me they come off as slightly flat characters who occasionally do out of character things.
The main plot of this book is that Hattie, a nearly 12 year old girl, living in small town America in the 60's, has her world rocked when her parents reveal she has an uncle she's never met. He was away at a special school and has problems. He is 21 and comes home for the summer, to his parents lavish and strict household. He bonds quickly with Hattie, coming over to her house often, energetically quoting I Love Lucy and loving life.
Problem one: When Hattie is told about Adam they use conflicting disorders
"Nana and Papa took him to lots of doctors when he was young...Some of them thought he was schizophrenic or autistic"
Those are the options? Those two conditions aren't exactly lining up with each other symptom-wise. I think the author would have been better off never naming any possible illnesses. Or she should have said that they determined he was neither. I had both those possibilities in the back of my mind as I read, and I was confused as his actions seem neither autistic or schizophrenic. The only thing that reads as autistic is his ability to name the day of the week for any date.
On the next page Hattie asks why she wasn't told and the answer she gets is "We didn't want to worry you," with no explanation why she'd be worried or what about.
Problem two: The super weird way we're reminded Hattie is growing up (?)
One of the boarders at the house is an attractive young woman, Angel Valentine. Hattie adores her and Adam gets interested in her pretty quick. This little insight into Hattie's mind comes after Adam sees Angel the second time and reaaaaallly checks her out.
Ew, dude. Why have this in there? What purpose does it serve? Hattie doesn't come off as sexually awoken or even confused about sex, except here...about her uncle. Weird.
Problem three: Adam's suicide doesn't line up with his character and feels rushed
Adam runs off after he and Hattie walk in on Angel with a man in her room (against the boarding house rules). He is clearly very upset. Hattie tells her Nana and then runs off herself to the carnival to see a friend.
She returns home- no Adam yet. Later she is woken up from her sleep by her parents telling her what happened.
"He's dead isn't he?" (at this point I'm thinking he was hit by a car or something else random from him not being watched )
"He hung himself. In the shed behind Nana and Papa's" (What?! )
I am sad. I am not very surprised. (Seriously? I sure as hell am!)
His suicide comes completely from left field. We have no reason to understand him to be depressed, suicidal, or even impulsive. He has emotional outburts sometimes, like a child, and is distraught when he can't get off the ferris wheel. Neither of those indicate suicide makes any sense for this character, even with his obsession with Angel Valentine. (side note- Hattie is super pissed at Angel, when it clearly is not her fault)
Problem four: After the tragedy the family comes together and understands each other better...but not really
Preparing for the funeral, Hattie is in her mother's room and sees there are no photos of Adam (duh- she hid him from her own daughter for 11 years). So Hattie asks if she used to visit Adam. Mom replies no, and that Nana and Papa visited a few times (that's all?). Hattie asks, "Didn't you love him?" and her mother acts like Hattie asked something offensive. Later we learn from Nana that Hattie's mother sent little gifts each week; Hattie acts like this this just another way to show love and that she misjudged her mother. We're supposed to get the idea Hattie was too immature to understand love is complicated, and of course her mother loved Adam. Whatever, man. Sending presents and hiding someone isn't love.
At the end it's like Hattie is thinking "I never knew how much they loved him." Okay, so they cry and get drunk once he's dead, but they weren't great parents. Tears don't make up for lost years. Even Hattie's mom with the weekly gifts wasn't a good family member. They say he was hard to love. If his character was supposed to be hard to love, something went wrong when Adam was written. He is high energy, and wants things his way, but he doesn't seem scary, mean or dangerous. Nana seems much harder to love.
So this is really freakin' long. I just had a lot of feelings when I was done reading this and no one to talk to. I won't ask anyone to read it, so I figured this was my outlet. It was a nice idea and had some good writing, but overall I'd call this book seriously flawed because the issues lie in character development, not cheesy descriptions like many bad books.
****SPOILERS AHEAD****
Before I launch into this, I think it should be noted that there are ways to have multi-sided characters with attributes that can even seem to conflict. Those can be the richest characters in a book. However, in A Corner of the Universe, the characters are underdeveloped so the inconsistent thoughts/behaviors are just jarring instead of helping to humanize the characters. To me they come off as slightly flat characters who occasionally do out of character things.
The main plot of this book is that Hattie, a nearly 12 year old girl, living in small town America in the 60's, has her world rocked when her parents reveal she has an uncle she's never met. He was away at a special school and has problems. He is 21 and comes home for the summer, to his parents lavish and strict household. He bonds quickly with Hattie, coming over to her house often, energetically quoting I Love Lucy and loving life.
Problem one: When Hattie is told about Adam they use conflicting disorders
"Nana and Papa took him to lots of doctors when he was young...Some of them thought he was schizophrenic or autistic"
Those are the options? Those two conditions aren't exactly lining up with each other symptom-wise. I think the author would have been better off never naming any possible illnesses. Or she should have said that they determined he was neither. I had both those possibilities in the back of my mind as I read, and I was confused as his actions seem neither autistic or schizophrenic. The only thing that reads as autistic is his ability to name the day of the week for any date.
On the next page Hattie asks why she wasn't told and the answer she gets is "We didn't want to worry you," with no explanation why she'd be worried or what about.
Problem two: The super weird way we're reminded Hattie is growing up (?)
One of the boarders at the house is an attractive young woman, Angel Valentine. Hattie adores her and Adam gets interested in her pretty quick. This little insight into Hattie's mind comes after Adam sees Angel the second time and reaaaaallly checks her out.
"I feel a flush start in my cheeks as I watch Adam hurry after Angel. I know he has been waiting for days to see her again. I try to tell myself that this is okay; that Adam is a grown man and Angel is a grown woman-- a beautiful grown woman. It wouldn't be right for him to look at me the way he looked at Angel;. I am only eleven years old an, not to mention his niece, But that flush won't go away, and I stare out at Grant avenue in confusion. There is nothing like feeling left out."
Ew, dude. Why have this in there? What purpose does it serve? Hattie doesn't come off as sexually awoken or even confused about sex, except here...about her uncle. Weird.
Problem three: Adam's suicide doesn't line up with his character and feels rushed
Adam runs off after he and Hattie walk in on Angel with a man in her room (against the boarding house rules). He is clearly very upset. Hattie tells her Nana and then runs off herself to the carnival to see a friend.
She returns home- no Adam yet. Later she is woken up from her sleep by her parents telling her what happened.
"He's dead isn't he?" (at this point I'm thinking he was hit by a car or something else random from him not being watched )
"He hung himself. In the shed behind Nana and Papa's" (What?! )
I am sad. I am not very surprised. (Seriously? I sure as hell am!)
His suicide comes completely from left field. We have no reason to understand him to be depressed, suicidal, or even impulsive. He has emotional outburts sometimes, like a child, and is distraught when he can't get off the ferris wheel. Neither of those indicate suicide makes any sense for this character, even with his obsession with Angel Valentine. (side note- Hattie is super pissed at Angel, when it clearly is not her fault)
Problem four: After the tragedy the family comes together and understands each other better...but not really
Preparing for the funeral, Hattie is in her mother's room and sees there are no photos of Adam (duh- she hid him from her own daughter for 11 years). So Hattie asks if she used to visit Adam. Mom replies no, and that Nana and Papa visited a few times (that's all?). Hattie asks, "Didn't you love him?" and her mother acts like Hattie asked something offensive. Later we learn from Nana that Hattie's mother sent little gifts each week; Hattie acts like this this just another way to show love and that she misjudged her mother. We're supposed to get the idea Hattie was too immature to understand love is complicated, and of course her mother loved Adam. Whatever, man. Sending presents and hiding someone isn't love.
At the end it's like Hattie is thinking "I never knew how much they loved him." Okay, so they cry and get drunk once he's dead, but they weren't great parents. Tears don't make up for lost years. Even Hattie's mom with the weekly gifts wasn't a good family member. They say he was hard to love. If his character was supposed to be hard to love, something went wrong when Adam was written. He is high energy, and wants things his way, but he doesn't seem scary, mean or dangerous. Nana seems much harder to love.
So this is really freakin' long. I just had a lot of feelings when I was done reading this and no one to talk to. I won't ask anyone to read it, so I figured this was my outlet. It was a nice idea and had some good writing, but overall I'd call this book seriously flawed because the issues lie in character development, not cheesy descriptions like many bad books.
September 23, 2020
What I liked most about this book was the curiosity, honesty and instinctive kindness of Hatty Owen, the character from whose point of view the story is told.
The action of the book is set in the summer of 1960 in the American small town of Millerton. Hattie is eleven, almost twelve, and is deeply content at the prospect of spending her summer vacation at home, amongst the people and places that she has known her whole life. Although Hattie talks easily to the long-term guests at her parents' boarding house and to the people who run the local stores and the town library, she has only one friend her own age. Partly this is because Hattie is shy and partly it's because she doesn't like the other girls very much.
One of the most pleasing parts of the book is the way in which Hattie slowly and almost wordlessly builds a friendship first with a girl who is part of a visiting carnival and then with a girl who comes to board at Hattie's house. The slow building of trust seemed real to me.
Hattie's life is changed by the unexpected arrival of her twenty-one-year-old, mentally-ill uncle, Adam, who Hattie had not known existed.
Adam's illness and its impact on him and those around him is depicted in a deeply empathic way but is all the more disturbing for that. As Hattie becomes aware of Adam's strange speech patterns, his manic energy, his unpredictable mood changes and the anxiety they create in those around him, she understands how isolated he is and the sense that he has of being the only alien in a world that has no home for him.
Adam's behaviour and people's reaction to it becomes a lever which lifts the corners of Hattie's universe and compels her to reconsider what she knows about herself and her parents and grandparents.
The idea of meeting people who "lift the corners of our universe" and help us re-imagine ourselves is an interesting one but is repeated often enough to make me think, "Ok. I got it already. No need to say it again."
I am ambivalent about the structure of the novel as a long remembrance of the events of the summer, bracketed by a present-day playing of family movies about the same summer. I see that starting the novel this way builds the main character's personality and shows how deeply Hattie is embedded in her family while demonstrating the difference between the experience of the people who were there and the record that later becomes the basis of memory but I found it frustrating at the time.
The long remembrance that forms the core of the novel is full of vivid scenes and deep emotions that contrast sharply with the slightly distant reflections on either side of it, which reminded me of the black and white start and finish of "The Wizard Of Oz" movie.
The return to the present-day at the end of the novel to deliver the moral of the story and explain the impact of the events seemed too neat to me and pushed the novel towards being a sermon.
I was initially put off by Judith Ivey's narration because her voice is too mature to be the voice of the eleven-year-old character but she got the rest of the characters perfectly and the initial dissonance soon went away.
I recommend this short novel to anyone who wants to spend a quiet afternoon absorbed in the life of a young girl who is exploring the nature of difference.
November 22, 2008
a little below so-so
I know children need to learn about handicapped people, but this book did not show the love given by many, many parents and care givers. I hated the ending which I would not want my 10 year old to read. Save your money for something else.
I know children need to learn about handicapped people, but this book did not show the love given by many, many parents and care givers. I hated the ending which I would not want my 10 year old to read. Save your money for something else.
November 18, 2014
How anyone likes this book is beyond me. It sat in the back of my closet from when I was in 5th grade until I was about 20 and decided to read it. All I could think was thank God I didn't read it when I was 10. It has way too much adult content and is frankly horrifying. I get that everyone has hardships in life and it is important as a child to understand this, but this book was far too extreme.
August 8, 2019
A quiet but powerful novel, A Corner of the Universe is a testament to compassion and friendship and bravery.
June 15, 2023
*audio book*
A lovely story about a young girl who is too satisfied with her drab life to make friends, and how a summer changes all of that. I think this is my first book to read by Ann M. Martin. Her writing style was delightful, and the subject matter, though deep and heavy, was handled with such care and beauty. I will definitely want to share this with my own children someday.
Content: implies sex, some nudity, overall subtle enough to be fine for kids. Death and suicide may be the more serious matters.
A lovely story about a young girl who is too satisfied with her drab life to make friends, and how a summer changes all of that. I think this is my first book to read by Ann M. Martin. Her writing style was delightful, and the subject matter, though deep and heavy, was handled with such care and beauty. I will definitely want to share this with my own children someday.
Content: implies sex, some nudity, overall subtle enough to be fine for kids. Death and suicide may be the more serious matters.
December 18, 2017
I was not impressed. I felt like this book was a mediocre melange of better works like The Summer of the Swans, Blue Willow, and even Of Mice and Men. The writing is in that same simplistic first-person style that many contemporary books (Moon Over Manifest, Hope Was Here, et al.) use. It's easy to read, without any challenges. Like eating pablum. Probably half of the sentences in the book begin with the word "I". (see pp.23-24). We also get a lot of non-paragraphs of one or two sentences. Like many newer historical fiction books, it has the obligatory overdoing of period references (for example, I Love Lucy and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis in this case).
My sense is that this book gets recognition because of the "issues" (mental illness and suicide). However, I felt the character of Adam was kind of a caricature of a person with autism: the Rain Man-like ability to calculate the day of a given date - why was it necessary to include this? The family relations were also stereotypical - affluent grandparents with rebellious daughter who marries an artist; grandmother wants to raise granddaughter in the upper-class way. It's a lot like Gilmore Girls, including the girl who knows all the shop owners by name. The boarding house with quirky characters is another aspect that makes me think rerun. Nancy and Janet, who exist solely to scorn Hattie with their whispered "Freak show" comments, are just cardboard cutouts. A better book might develop some kind of relationship between these girls.
There's a strange insertion about religion ("Mom and Dad say we can worship anytime we please by sending messages to God with our minds, which, also we don't need a fancy building for." (p.49)) I just don't see the point as religion is not otherwise addressed in this book. Previously in that paragraph, we get some flippancy ("Mom and Dad call them Presbies and Episkies.") and the distinction between these denominations is that "The Presbies worship later in the morning that the Episkies do." It's bad enough that we can't just identify characters' affiliations and young readers would know what is meant, but instead we have to propagate this jokey nonsense to readers who may not have any real knowledge of the subject. I found it disrespectful.
Lastly, I'm puzzled how a well-known children's author/editor and the staff of a big publisher could let "Betsy and Tacey" slip by. Come on, folks! We aren't talking about Boy-Crazy Stacey. The whole point of name-dropping is to show how hip you are - and this just flopped.
My sense is that this book gets recognition because of the "issues" (mental illness and suicide). However, I felt the character of Adam was kind of a caricature of a person with autism: the Rain Man-like ability to calculate the day of a given date - why was it necessary to include this? The family relations were also stereotypical - affluent grandparents with rebellious daughter who marries an artist; grandmother wants to raise granddaughter in the upper-class way. It's a lot like Gilmore Girls, including the girl who knows all the shop owners by name. The boarding house with quirky characters is another aspect that makes me think rerun. Nancy and Janet, who exist solely to scorn Hattie with their whispered "Freak show" comments, are just cardboard cutouts. A better book might develop some kind of relationship between these girls.
There's a strange insertion about religion ("Mom and Dad say we can worship anytime we please by sending messages to God with our minds, which, also we don't need a fancy building for." (p.49)) I just don't see the point as religion is not otherwise addressed in this book. Previously in that paragraph, we get some flippancy ("Mom and Dad call them Presbies and Episkies.") and the distinction between these denominations is that "The Presbies worship later in the morning that the Episkies do." It's bad enough that we can't just identify characters' affiliations and young readers would know what is meant, but instead we have to propagate this jokey nonsense to readers who may not have any real knowledge of the subject. I found it disrespectful.
Lastly, I'm puzzled how a well-known children's author/editor and the staff of a big publisher could let "Betsy and Tacey" slip by. Come on, folks! We aren't talking about Boy-Crazy Stacey. The whole point of name-dropping is to show how hip you are - and this just flopped.
November 3, 2018
YOUNG READER W/LOVED ONES DIAGNOSED W/ AUTISM BEWARE:
I am reviewing this for my 10 yr old. She really enjoyed this book-Up until the end.
I sadly didn't do any research for this book before she picked it up (I got this book free for my 10 year old from the scholastic Kellogg book giveaway) One of the main characters is diagnosed with autism. He is 21 and in need for a new full time schooling institution, so he is in a transition period and staying with his grandparents. I'm sure there are other key points to this book but i'm going to cut to the point of heartbreak for our family. - The book ends with this young man committing suicide. It was more than a 10 year old reader should have been asked to handle Especially this 10 year old reader, Her younger brother is diagnosed with autism and the reality of a character dealing with these things is GREAT for our family. This was a mom fail on my part i know, so I wanted to be sure to write this review for others. I work my tail off to screen her books because she is such an avid reader. She told me she read it (we normally have a basket of pre-screened books available for her) and i asked her what she thought of it and she told me about the suicide in the end and i just hugged and hugged her and told her I was sorry I didn't read the outlines and reviews before leaving it in her reach. She said the rest of the book was good, she just was heartbroken in the end. I am sure some people may read this review and think..."ok protective much" And yes, I know these are things that happen all the time, but we get really excited when there are books about autism because they can be learning tools for others, and this one was just a bit too much for her at this young age. This is the first book she has ever read that touches on suicide and the character automatically reminded her of her little brother.
She wanted to give this one a higher review because she did like the rest of the book, but I did keep it a bit lower as a warning for other parents like me that use this site to keep up with their little readers LARGE appetite for books i wanted them to know.
I am reviewing this for my 10 yr old. She really enjoyed this book-Up until the end.
I sadly didn't do any research for this book before she picked it up (I got this book free for my 10 year old from the scholastic Kellogg book giveaway) One of the main characters is diagnosed with autism. He is 21 and in need for a new full time schooling institution, so he is in a transition period and staying with his grandparents. I'm sure there are other key points to this book but i'm going to cut to the point of heartbreak for our family. - The book ends with this young man committing suicide. It was more than a 10 year old reader should have been asked to handle Especially this 10 year old reader, Her younger brother is diagnosed with autism and the reality of a character dealing with these things is GREAT for our family. This was a mom fail on my part i know, so I wanted to be sure to write this review for others. I work my tail off to screen her books because she is such an avid reader. She told me she read it (we normally have a basket of pre-screened books available for her) and i asked her what she thought of it and she told me about the suicide in the end and i just hugged and hugged her and told her I was sorry I didn't read the outlines and reviews before leaving it in her reach. She said the rest of the book was good, she just was heartbroken in the end. I am sure some people may read this review and think..."ok protective much" And yes, I know these are things that happen all the time, but we get really excited when there are books about autism because they can be learning tools for others, and this one was just a bit too much for her at this young age. This is the first book she has ever read that touches on suicide and the character automatically reminded her of her little brother.
She wanted to give this one a higher review because she did like the rest of the book, but I did keep it a bit lower as a warning for other parents like me that use this site to keep up with their little readers LARGE appetite for books i wanted them to know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2008
This book is about a girl named Hattie who lives in a boarding house with her parents where she has the opportunity to meet many interesting people. On one particularly special summer, she finds out about her uncle that she never knew she had. She realizes that the reason no one talked about him was because he is mentally handicapped. The story talks about Hattie's summer with her uncle Adam and how she grows to love him very much. She has many difficult experiences as she struggles with the fact that everyone does not treat Adam the same as everyone else. She doesn't understand why other people, including her family, can't love Adam just the way he is.
This book deals with many difficult issues including mental handicaps and death. However, I think the author did a good job of handling these issues to create a story that will take you on an emotional roller coaster as you experience everything right along with Hattie. I loved that the book sends a strong message of treating everyone equally and not judging people before you get to know them. I think that this is something that is truly important for children to learn and understand.
This book deals with many difficult issues including mental handicaps and death. However, I think the author did a good job of handling these issues to create a story that will take you on an emotional roller coaster as you experience everything right along with Hattie. I loved that the book sends a strong message of treating everyone equally and not judging people before you get to know them. I think that this is something that is truly important for children to learn and understand.
January 5, 2011
I was so excited when I started reading this book. I loved finding a strong female character to encourage my daughter and other girls her age (5th grade at the time). Hattie's struggle to be herself while also yearning to fit in is such a classic and important issue for pre-teen girls, and finding it shared in a touching and beautifully-written way was wonderful to see. When Adam came along, I enjoyed seeing how the family dealt with him and felt it added depth to the book. I felt that Adam's mental issues and the subsequent family reactions to him were handled honestly and accurately. However, when Adam commits suicide (even though I felt it was a wonderful addition to the plot as a reader) as a mother and teacher I questioned who I could share this book with. I know I'm not ready to share this with my fifth grade daugther, and I'm not sure what "youth" audience to recommend this to because of the emotionally-wrenching ending to the book. I don't know what kids I want to expose to that level of grief, but I'd love to share the rest of the book with them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2014
As apart of UMHB's READ3307, I read A Corner of the Universe by Ann Martin. This book honestly portrays the life of Hattie, an eleven year old girl who has recently discovered that she has an uncle, Adam, who has mental disabilities. Since it is written in 1st person, the reader gets the story from a child's point of view and can better understand what it is like for Hattie to deal with her Uncle Adam's condition. The characters in the book are convincing, which makes the reader sympathize with both Adam and Hattie. Because of Adam's disabilities, the book presents issues in real life and is considered a Contemporary Realistic Fiction Novel.
June 3, 2016
How to describe this book? Heart warming, realistic comfort read. I grabbed it because I've been in a middle grade phase and I used to read Ann M. Martin's Babysitters Club series as a girl. The main character Hattie is so sweet and I enjoyed reading her discovery of her 21 year old uncle who is mentally challenged. It's a fast read that provides much food for thought. 5 stars!
October 14, 2011
This was a very thought prvoking, heart-felt story that bored me to tears. But, I enjoyed it thoroughly when poking fun at the cheesy plot, flaky characters, and horrible acting. All I can say is "HO HO HO!!!"
April 23, 2020
AAAHH!! I have read this book five times!! It is such an inspiring story!! I think this book outlines one of the biggest issues of our time: judging people by what they look like on the outside or by how they act, and not by who they are on the inside. This book has a theme of love that twists its way into every scene and makes the story beautiful and memorable. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone!!
May 6, 2023
This story is about 12 year old Hattie's summer and her family's experience with dealing with mental illness in the family when her Uncle Adam (whom she never knew existed) comes home from his school.
I thought this book was great! The characters seemed very real and it felt just like summer. The issue of dealing with a mental illness in a loved one is a very complex and difficult topic. I think that the message on mental illness was very well done.
I thought this book was great! The characters seemed very real and it felt just like summer. The issue of dealing with a mental illness in a loved one is a very complex and difficult topic. I think that the message on mental illness was very well done.
October 13, 2017
This book was incredible. It included so much symbolism, which helped me go more in depth of the book, and understand Hattie, and Adam more. I can't believe the ending it was a surprise, and I wasn't expecting it.
April 19, 2018
A character strength that the main character, Hattie Owens shows is kindness. She shows this because as she is sensitive and kind towards her mentally disabled cousin, Adam, a friendly platform.
October 22, 2020
متعب ، منهك و مؤلم ان تكون مختلفا عن الاخرين ، لسبب لا دخل لك فيه ، هكذا ولدت ، فينبذك الاخرين ، و لا يتركونك تعيش بسلام ، يحاولون بشتى الطرق دفعك للموت ، بكلماتهم و افعالهم الوقحة دوما .
كل هذا لان الله ميزك عن غيرك ، فخلقك مختلفا قليلا عنهم ، فيسارع البشر لاطلاق مختلف المسميات المؤلمه عنك ، معاق ، مريض نفسيا ، متخلف عقليا ، يال الهول كل ذلك لانك لا تشبههم قليلا .
يحاصروك بكلامهم ، ليضيق عليك هذا الافق الشاسع ، لكن الله يمن عليك دوما ، بمكان صغير ، صغير في هذا الكون الشاسع . هكذا كانت حياة ادم و هاتي ، و ربما حياتي !
كل هذا لان الله ميزك عن غيرك ، فخلقك مختلفا قليلا عنهم ، فيسارع البشر لاطلاق مختلف المسميات المؤلمه عنك ، معاق ، مريض نفسيا ، متخلف عقليا ، يال الهول كل ذلك لانك لا تشبههم قليلا .
يحاصروك بكلامهم ، ليضيق عليك هذا الافق الشاسع ، لكن الله يمن عليك دوما ، بمكان صغير ، صغير في هذا الكون الشاسع . هكذا كانت حياة ادم و هاتي ، و ربما حياتي !
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