Poetry: One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies

Bibliography
Sones, Sonya. 2004. ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-689-85820-5.

Plot Summary
Ruby has just lost her mother to a devastating disease and before she knows it, she is on an airplane from the east coast to the west to live with her father. Ruby is forced to leave behind her dead mother, best friend, and gorgeous boyfriend to live with a father she has never met and has only seen in the movies. Although Ruby is trying very hard to hate her father, it becomes harder and harder the longer she is with him. Ruby eventually learns the truth about why he was never a part of her life and a little about herself too.

Critical Analysis
In this verse novel, Sonya Sones perfects the voice of a teenage girl pouring out her heart and soul about her horrible life. Ruby is cynical when it comes to her father and vows to avoid the cliché fairytale, but steps right into it over and over. Her stories, almost like diary entries, are comical looking in from the outside. The reader feels for her as she describes the effect of multiple losses-her mother, aunt, best friend, boyfriend, life, home- but laughs as she describes her anguish living with her father. In one verse she describes her father as an idiot as he boast about his pancakes and in the next, she is ready “to ram the whole perfect plateful right down his throat” because they are that good.

Written in verse, but reads like a novel. The reader almost forgets it is written in verse as it flows easily from one poem to the next. It does not rhyme or follow a particular pattern, but it is filled with imagery-“You should have seen the heads swivel…It was like something out of the Exorcist.”- and emotion-“… he’s about a decade and half too late,” deflecting her father’s attempts to get to know her and for her to get to know him. She is not about to forgive and forget.

The story being told is very engaging and keeps the reader’s attention. But as much as Ruby proclaims disgust for the cliché, the ending is very much so. It makes sense for this novel, almost like Sones was telling the reader it won’t end like you expect, but at the last minute “Hah! Gotcha!” Except in this instance, it is a little disappointing. It seems as if the ending is a bit rushed or abrupt.

Most every teen girl will be drawn to this story and spread the news like wildfire. It should fly off the library shelves ones word gets around.

Awards Won And Reviewed Excerpt(s)
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “It's solid and well written…”
Starred reviews in BOOKLIST: “A satisfying, moving novel that will be a winner for both eager and reluctant readers. “
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review: "A winning portrayal of a teenage girl's loves and losses."
BOOKPAGE review: "Ruby's voice is pitch-perfect."
2004 Cuffie Award from Publisher’s Weekly for the Best Book Title of the Year
2005 Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association
Multiple state awards voted on by teens

Connections
*This book can be used as a bridge between novels and poetry with kids.
*Lead a discussion on death, child/parent relationships, or change.
*Other books written in verse:
Lynch, Chris. WHITECHURCH. ISBN 978-0064471435
Smith, Hope Anita. THE WAY A DOOR CLOSES. ISBN 978-0805064773
*Other stories about father/daughter relationships:
Thesman, Jean. THE STORYTELLER’S DAUGHTER. ISBN 978-0141303147
Papademetriou, Lisa. CHASING NORMAL. ISBN 978-1423103417