Fiction Flashback: Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech
Hello readers! Today I’m starting a new segment on the blog which I’m calling Fiction Flashback. I’ll be sharing these posts on Friday where I re-read a book from childhood and discuss it from an adult perspective. For our first installment I decided to read Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech, This is a book that I really enjoyed when I was a kid, for lots of reasons.
In today’s Fiction Flashback post, I’ll be sharing what I remember from reading this book during childhood. And then I’ll be sharing my thoughts now! This is a new series that I’m starting on the blog so make sure you check back on Fridays for new posts.
Fiction Flashback is a new series that I am starting on the blog. For more Fiction Flashback posts, click here.
What is Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech About?
“By turns sarcastic, tender, and irreverent, this will quickly make its way into the hands of readers who loved Walk Two Moons.” —Kirkus
This beloved prequel to bestselling author Sharon Creech’s Newbery Medal winner Walk Two Moons chronicles the life of a thirteen-year-old during her most chaotic and romantic summer ever via journal entries, filled with hilarious observations on love, death, and the confusing mechanics of holding hands.
Mary Lou is less than excited about her assignment to keep a journal over the summer. Boring! Then cousin Carl Ray comes to stay with her family, and what starts out as the dull dog days of summer quickly turns into the wildest roller-coaster ride of all time. (from Amazon.com)
When Did I First Read This Book?
I first read this book when I was in elementary school. And funny enough, I did not know that it was a prequel to Walk Two Moons. That’s another book that I plan to read soon because I never read it during childhood. The more you know!
What Did I Enjoy About It?
As a kid, I liked to read books where I related deeply to the characters. Mary Lou Finney was a character that I really vibed with because of her family life (She has a lot of brothers! And I had two brothers) and because she had to keep a summer journal. I always enjoyed writing as a kid (and now) so that was something that interested me.
What Were My Thoughts Reading it as an Adult?
I still really love this book. Mary Lou has such an interesting perspective. She’s part of a big family and life is a little chaotic, and she’s just trying to get by. It made me laugh how salty she gets when her best friend Beth Ann Bartels starts dating. And when Mary Lou herself starts dating Alex Cheevy and starts acting the same way, it’s very funny. I don’t know if I fully realized that as a kid.
Something that Made Me Laugh
A big part of this story is about how Mary Lou’s cousin Carl Ray comes to stay with their family for the Summer. He’s 17, so he’s the same age as her older sister Maggie. He’s quiet and doesn’t say much. And I didn’t realize what a culture shock it must have been for him to come and stay with them. There’s a part in the book where Mary Lou gest to visit Carl Ray’s family and they have no electricity and have outhouses. This book was published in 1990 and as a kid, I didn’t realize how rural that was.
Would I Recommend this book to Kids Today?
Absolutely. I think this is a heartfelt novel filled with themes that kids today will still understand. They might relate to Mary Lou because they also come from a chaotic home. Or they might also have Summer projects to work on from school. Or they might have a strange family situation like Carl Ray where they find out family secrets and aren’t sure how to work through them. These are all things that young people still deal with.
Sure, kids have phones and social media today and there’s no mention of that in this book. But hopefully that doesn’t matter. Books like these can help kids sort through their confusing feelings and feel more at home in their day to day lives.
Fiction Flashback is a new series that I am starting on the blog. For more Fiction Flashback posts, click here.
