Shelly's Book Blog

Surviving the Applewhites, by Stephanie Tolan, was a Newbery Honor book in 2003, and I've been thinking about reading it for some time. I'm glad I finally did. The whole Applewhite clan (with the exception of E.D., who is named for Edith Wharton) is eccentric, including their pet dog and parrot. Their home, which was once a farm and later a motel, is called Wit's End, and the family's children are homeschooled there at The Creative Academy. Enter bad boy Jake Semple, who has been kicked out of just about every school in North Carolina. He comes to live with the family and attend their school.

From the beginning it is clear that Jake is not really a bad kid, but the road to self-discovery that Jake travels during this story is filled with humor, and I enjoyed spending time with Jake and the Applewhites.