⋙ PDF A Corner of the Universe a pb Ann M Martin 9780439771245 Books

A Corner of the Universe a pb Ann M Martin 9780439771245 Books

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A Corner of the Universe a pb Ann M Martin 9780439771245 Books

Every family has secrets, but some secrets are harder than others to fully understand. In this touching little book, Ann M. Martin, one of my favorite authors of all times, tells the story of one girl, one family, and one universe. In A Corner of the Universe, Hattie's summer of 1960 is one that will change her life forever.

Hattie's parents ran a boarding house. There were many rules for the house, but not as many rules as in her grandmother's proper, sophisticated home. The summer is your typical summer until word comes to Hattie's family that her uncle Adam is coming home. Hattie didn't even know she had an uncle Adam. Significantly younger than her mother and her other uncle, Adam has lived most of his life at a special school. Unfortunately, that school is closing, and Adam's parents have to take care of them until they can find an appropriate place for him to stay.

At first Hattie isn't sure what to expect from Adam. She has heard words like "retarded" and schizophrenic and autistic to describe him, but she isn't sure what all that means. When he finally arrives, though, she is surprised at one thing in particular. When Adam is happy, he is the happiest person on earth. And most of the time, Adam is very happy. Most of the time. Throughout the summer, Hattie spends a lot of time with Adam. He teaches her, she teaches him, and most importantly, she finds a friend in the man her family seems to be ashamed of. What Hattie doesn't know is that there are deeper, darker pieces of Adam's psyche that can't be overcome by ice cream, I Love Lucy, and carnivals.

I need to first profess my undying love for Ann M. Martin. This is the woman who made me a reader. Right here! And it wasn't because of the Babysitter's Club that I became a reader. It was because of a book she wrote called 10 Kids, No Pets. I read that book so many times, my copy literally fell to pieces. Disintegrated. But I haven't read anything from Martin in decades, so I had really high expectations from this story... and it didn't disappoint.

Hattie is your typical 12 year old girl growing up in Millerton. That's right! Millerton! Now, don't expect Millerton in 2013 if you are a local, because this is Millerton in 1960, but how cool is it that Martin wrote about our very town?! So exciting! Hattie's grandparents are very wealthy and don't necessarily approve of their daughter's choice in husband (and artist, gasp!), but they deal with it since they moved back to Millerton to raise Hattie and run the boarding house. The monkey wrench of a son like Adam is such a touchy subject with this family that it leaves one word on the tip of your tongue as you read: shame. It is so sad to see this model of shipping off a "damaged" son who ruins your perfect persona, and I think this mindset is one our students would have a difficult time understanding in 2013. That makes this a perfect story to read together, and if possible, a phenomenal story for them to read with a grandparent or older teacher. I am sure this story will provoke questions, so who better than to read it with than someone who lived through this era in history?

Hattie is the true gem of this story, but Adam plays a close second. He is so happy and truly just enjoys all that life has. The dialogue from Adam really paints a picture of this bright young man that makes him all the more endearing. But of course, not everyone will find someone who is so different to be endearing. And that is why I loved Hattie so much. Even as an impressionable young 12 year old, she defends Adam both to strangers who are ready to mock him or call him a freak, but also to his own family who treat him like a stain upon their perfect family. She really was a wonderful kid- one you will love to expose your students to. I absolutely loved this story, and while the subject matter can be heavy at times, I think our middle readers can handle it. In fact, the heavy parts of the story are handled so beautifully, it made me remember just how much I loved Martin's writing. She knows how to use circumstances and inference to guide the reader, not dictate to the reader. So please give this book a chance and remember, it is better to read about tough subjects with your kids and to talk to them about it than to try to shelter them for too long. Kids never stay sheltered for too long.


Tags : A Corner of the Universe, a (pb) [Ann M. Martin] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Comes shrink wrapped. Ships next business day. Free tracking.,Ann M. Martin,A Corner of the Universe, a (pb),Scholastic Inc.,0439771242,Social Issues - Friendship,Social Issues - Special Needs,CHILDREN'S FICTION GENERAL,Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General,Children: Grades 4-6,Family - General,Fiction-General,JUVENILE FICTION Family General (see also headings under Social Themes),JUVENILE FICTION Social Themes Friendship,JUVENILE FICTION Social Themes Special Needs,Juvenile Fiction,Juvenile Grades 4-6 Ages 9-11,MARTIN, ANN M.,MASS MARKET,United States

A Corner of the Universe a pb Ann M Martin 9780439771245 Books Reviews

This was my favorite book as a child. I bought it to share with my children and I am reminded what a special story this is.
I read this book for the first time when I was in sixth grade. It was the very first book that I enjoyed reading. I've read it plenty of times since then and decided to order it so I can read it again and again! I'm 23 now and even though the font is big and the book is fairly simple to read, I still consider it my favorite book. I'm trying to find more adult versions of this kind of book, and just ordered The Girl With All the Gifts. This is still my favorite genre of fiction!
*A Corner of the Universe* is a simple story about Hattie Owens and her brief summer, in 1960, with Uncle Adam. What's interesting is that Hattie didn't even know she had an Uncle Adam until she was 12 years old.

Hattie is excited that summer has begun even if it means staying in town and helping her parents run a boarding house. Then, out of the blue, comes Uncle Adam. Uncle Adam is special. In other words, he has "mental problems" according to Hattie's mom and grandparents.

But to Hattie, Adam has an out-going personality which is just infectious...well, just to Hattie. She just cannot wait but to hang out with him and show him off, especially to her new friend, who is in town as part of a traveling circus.

However, not everyone in Hattie's family share the positive welcome and acceptance of Uncle Adam. Little by little, Hattie rebels, especially to her grandparents, because she is appalled by how they treat Uncle Adam. However, she starts to learn a little more, day by day, about her Uncle Adam. It is a summer that Hattie will never forget.

I found this book by Ann Martin to be a wonderful read on acceptance and bias. I believe that readers will relate to Hattie because we've all been in situations where found the "oddballs" to be cool yet looked down by others.
Adam’s condition of mental illness is poorly portrayed. Did he have depression, anxiety, psychosis? It sounds a little like Autism Spectrum Disorder, but parts don’t fit. The author should have done more research on mental illness. There are real problems with how Adam exits the story. It is very uncharacteristic for a thing like this to happen - I won’t go into it b/c that would give away a major plot twist.
It's the summer of 1960 and Hattie Owen is turning 12 years old. Instead of spending her summer at the beach with her best friends or at camp, Hattie chooses to help manage the family owned boarding house. Here, Hattie can get lost in books and spend time with the residents who act as her surrogate grandparents. Hattie is sure that this summer will be relaxing and exciting, the perfect break she needs from the torment she experiences at school.

However, Hattie is in for a shock when she discovers that her mother has another brother, Adam, who is returning to town for the summer. Adam and Hattie become fast friends, until she begins to experience the highs and lows of Adam's mental illness. Not wanting to give up on her friend or uncle, Hattie sticks by Adam, protecting him from the snide comments made by her peers and looking after him when her grandparent's aren't sure of how to treat him. The more time they spend together, the more Hattie relates to Adam. She understands his wants, desires, thoughts and actions, which initiates a fear that she may suffer from the same disorder. These two spend the summer discovering the effects that mental illness can have not only on an individual but also on a family.

A Corner of The Universe shows readers that the effects of mental disorders should not be hidden or ignored and that the thoughts of children and young adults should be valued because they have a fundamental and unique understanding of the world that can get lost with age.
Every family has secrets, but some secrets are harder than others to fully understand. In this touching little book, Ann M. Martin, one of my favorite authors of all times, tells the story of one girl, one family, and one universe. In A Corner of the Universe, Hattie's summer of 1960 is one that will change her life forever.

Hattie's parents ran a boarding house. There were many rules for the house, but not as many rules as in her grandmother's proper, sophisticated home. The summer is your typical summer until word comes to Hattie's family that her uncle Adam is coming home. Hattie didn't even know she had an uncle Adam. Significantly younger than her mother and her other uncle, Adam has lived most of his life at a special school. Unfortunately, that school is closing, and Adam's parents have to take care of them until they can find an appropriate place for him to stay.

At first Hattie isn't sure what to expect from Adam. She has heard words like "retarded" and schizophrenic and autistic to describe him, but she isn't sure what all that means. When he finally arrives, though, she is surprised at one thing in particular. When Adam is happy, he is the happiest person on earth. And most of the time, Adam is very happy. Most of the time. Throughout the summer, Hattie spends a lot of time with Adam. He teaches her, she teaches him, and most importantly, she finds a friend in the man her family seems to be ashamed of. What Hattie doesn't know is that there are deeper, darker pieces of Adam's psyche that can't be overcome by ice cream, I Love Lucy, and carnivals.

I need to first profess my undying love for Ann M. Martin. This is the woman who made me a reader. Right here! And it wasn't because of the Babysitter's Club that I became a reader. It was because of a book she wrote called 10 Kids, No Pets. I read that book so many times, my copy literally fell to pieces. Disintegrated. But I haven't read anything from Martin in decades, so I had really high expectations from this story... and it didn't disappoint.

Hattie is your typical 12 year old girl growing up in Millerton. That's right! Millerton! Now, don't expect Millerton in 2013 if you are a local, because this is Millerton in 1960, but how cool is it that Martin wrote about our very town?! So exciting! Hattie's grandparents are very wealthy and don't necessarily approve of their daughter's choice in husband (and artist, gasp!), but they deal with it since they moved back to Millerton to raise Hattie and run the boarding house. The monkey wrench of a son like Adam is such a touchy subject with this family that it leaves one word on the tip of your tongue as you read shame. It is so sad to see this model of shipping off a "damaged" son who ruins your perfect persona, and I think this mindset is one our students would have a difficult time understanding in 2013. That makes this a perfect story to read together, and if possible, a phenomenal story for them to read with a grandparent or older teacher. I am sure this story will provoke questions, so who better than to read it with than someone who lived through this era in history?

Hattie is the true gem of this story, but Adam plays a close second. He is so happy and truly just enjoys all that life has. The dialogue from Adam really paints a picture of this bright young man that makes him all the more endearing. But of course, not everyone will find someone who is so different to be endearing. And that is why I loved Hattie so much. Even as an impressionable young 12 year old, she defends Adam both to strangers who are ready to mock him or call him a freak, but also to his own family who treat him like a stain upon their perfect family. She really was a wonderful kid- one you will love to expose your students to. I absolutely loved this story, and while the subject matter can be heavy at times, I think our middle readers can handle it. In fact, the heavy parts of the story are handled so beautifully, it made me remember just how much I loved Martin's writing. She knows how to use circumstances and inference to guide the reader, not dictate to the reader. So please give this book a chance and remember, it is better to read about tough subjects with your kids and to talk to them about it than to try to shelter them for too long. Kids never stay sheltered for too long.