Jun 102013
Double Dog Dare
What would you do to win a dare war?
In a humorous and insightful novel reminiscent of her award-winning titles The Thing About Georgie and Umbrella Summer, Lisa Graff tells the story of fourth-graders Kansas Bloom and Francine Halata, who start out as archenemies, until–in a battle of wits and willpower–they discover that they have a lot more in common than either would have guessed.
This dual-perspective novel will appeal to girls and boys alike–and to anyone who has
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Go on, I dare you!,
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“Double Dog Dare”
Written by Lisa Graff
(Philomel, 2012)
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Two fourth-grade kids, brainy Francine Halata and newcomer Kansas Bloom, get into a “dare war” to see which one can win the coveted prize of being chosen as the news anchor for their school’s closed-circuit TV broadcast, and — egged on by their friends — become bitter rivals despite having a lot in common. The dares are kind of funny (although the trouble they cause is not) and the drama is pretty compelling. The major focus of the story, though, is what Francine and Kansas unknowingly have in common, which is that both of them have parents who are going through divorces. Although her parents are pretty amicable about it, Francine is ashamed of their divorce, and this causes friction between her and a best friend she keeps out of the loop. The plotline involving Kansas and his little sister is much darker, however, as his dad is unreliable and has deserted them several times before — this theme makes this book a little heavier than some readers might be looking for, although it is handled with great tact and explores powerful emotions with great skill and tact.
In addition to the divorce theme there’s some pretty intense stuff with the kids getting into trouble with their school principal, who is played as a bit of a buffoon, but is also pretty hardcore and severe. Readers (and parents) should know up front that this is an “issue book” and not the comic romp you might have been expecting. Although the characters are in fourth grade, the emotions and issues the story addresses may seem a little more middle-schoolish; it’s certainly a good launching pad for family discussions about divorce, peer pressure, and getting in trouble at school. Also a fun story, though, and not just a big grind. Recommended. (DJ Joe Sixpack, ReadThatAgain children’s book reviews)
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|LAUGH OUT LOUD FUNNY,
Laugh out loud funny, this book is a perfect mix of humor and heart. Any kid in Grades 4-8 will love this book and teachers will enjoy reading it aloud to their students. Lisa Graff creates believable and unique characters you will root for as they deal with moving to a new state and making friends, surviving their parents’ divorce, and battling for something you want more than anything else . . . or so you think. What a fun read!
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|Great storytelling and vibrant characters shine in this fun tale of family, friends, and dares.,
Double Dog Dare is a well written novel that is full of fun and sure to appeal to fourth, fifth, and sixth grade readers. This is a quick, fun read that distinguishes itself as realistic fiction with genuine appeal for both boys and girls. On the surface, it’s a story about dares – Kansas and Francine are in a contest to determine who gets to read the morning announcements, and their media club has decided to name the winner of the dare contest as their new “anchor person”. This leads to plenty of humorous moments involving things like underwear up flag poles, green hair, eating 87 ketchup packets, and licking lizards. The gross factor is sometimes high, but the humor is always spot on as the story moves along at a brisk pace, sure to engage even the most reluctant reader.
Beneath the surface of this school story is a story of divorce, and what it means to be the new kid at school. Francine and Kansas may be bitter rivals in the dare war, but they find out that they have something in common when Kansas accidently discovers that Francine’s parents are also getting a divorce. Kansas is coping with making new friends, a father who is proving himself to be undependable, and a mother who has to work too much. He’s a fantastic, well developed character, as is his counterpart Francine, who is facing her own struggles with divorcing parents and her own sky high expectations.
This is a great read with many important lessons about family, and the power of friendship. As a well plotted, interesting story with characters kids will easily relate to, this one is an enthusiastic recommend.
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