Synopses & Reviews
In this warmhearted middle-grade novel, Oona and her brother, Fred, love their cat Zook (short for Zucchini), but Zook is sick. As they conspire to break him out of the vets office, convinced he can only get better at home with them, Oona tells Fred the story of Zooks previous lives, ranging in style from fairy tale to grand epic to slice of life. Each of Zooks lives has echoes in Oonas own family life, which is going through a transition shes not yet ready to face. Her father died two years ago, and her mother has started a relationship with a man named Dylanwhom Oona secretly calls the villain.” The truth about Dylan, and about Zooks medical condition, drives the drama in this loving family story.
Praise for The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook
STARRED REVIEW
"Rocklins characters are fully developed: readers will be invested. Set in Oakland, readers are also treated to a refreshingly authentic childs view of a diverse city. The only imperfection in this novel is that it ends."
Booklist, starred review
Oonas character is a combination of Harriet the Spy in curiosity and Anastasia in spunk. Another emotionally satisfying outing from Rocklin; hanky recommended.”
Kirkus Reviews
"Just as she did in One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street, Rocklin intertwines her characters so smartly that the many coincidences and serendipitous events feel organic to the story. The storys endingbittersweet, inevitable, and trueoffers much-needed catharsis for the family and for anyone who has ever loved a pet."
The Horn Book
"This heartwarming family tale is filled with resilient and thoughtful characters who are willing to learn from their mistakes. Readers who enjoy the novels of Jeanne Birdsall and Leslie Crunch will appreciate this charming story."
School Library Journal
"There is a strong sense of place in this loving story with the ending sure to generate some tears. This would make a strong library lesson extension activity."
Library Media Connection
Awards
SCBWIs Golden Kite Award for Fiction - 2012
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award
Synopsis
When a mysterious man arrives one day on Orange Street, the children who live on the block try to find out who he is and why heand#8217;s there. Little do they know that his storyand#8212;and the story of a very old orange treeand#8212;connects to each of their personal worries in ways they never could have imagined. From impressing friends to dealing with an expanding family to understanding a younger siblingand#8217;s illness, the charactersand#8217; story lines come together around that orange tree.
Taking place over the course of a day and a half, Joanne Rocklinand#8217;s masterful novel deftly builds a story about family, community, and the importance of connection. In the end the fate of the tree (and of the kids who care for it) reminds us of the magic of the everyday and of the rich history all around us.
Synopsis
Award-winning author Joanne Rocklin's Fleabrain Loves Franny is the story of a young girl discovering how to live her life after contracting polio. "Heartwarming and endlessly funny, Fleabrain Loves Franny will delight readers of all ages. Rocklin's sharp wit and exuberant writing style are refreshing. This book is not to be missed." --VOYA
This gem of a novel takes place in Pittsburgh in 1952. Franny Katzenback, while recovering from polio, reads and falls in love with the brand-new book Charlotte's Web. Bored and lonely and yearning for a Charlotte of her own, Franny starts up a correspondence with an eloquent flea named Fleabrain who lives on her dog's tail.
While Franny struggles with physical therapy and feeling left out of her formerly active neighborhood life, Fleabrain is there to take her on adventures based on his extensive reading. It's a touching, funny story set in the recent past, told with Rocklin's signature wit and thoughtfulness.
"Rocklin perfectly captures the era of 1952 and creates a sympathetic, realistic character in Franny, who begins to accept her condition, rejoin her friends and even protest her school's inaccessibility." --Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
When a mysterious man arrives one day on Orange Street, the children who live on the block try to find out who he is and why heandrsquo;s there. Little do they know that his storyandmdash;and the story of a very old orange treeandmdash;connects to each of their personal worries in ways they never could have imagined. From impressing friends to dealing with an expanding family to understanding a younger siblingandrsquo;s illness, the charactersandrsquo; storylines come together around that orange tree.
Taking place over the course of a day and a half, Joanne Rocklinandrsquo;s masterful novel deftly builds a story about family, childhood anxieties, and the importance of connection. In the end the fate of the tree (and the kids who care for it) reminds us of the magic of the everyday and of the rich history all around us.
Praise for One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street
STARRED REVIEWS
andldquo;Unfolding in one dayandrsquo;s time, the story recounts how secrets are revealed, curiosity is satisfied and wishing becomes hope because the spirit and ties of friendship and community are resilient and strong. Fully realized characters and setting definitely make this one morning on Orange Street amazing.andrdquo;
andndash;Kirkus Reviews, starred review
andquot;Fascinating and thought-provoking, the writing has a gentle cadence, richness in detail, and is charged with emotion. The book, like the oranges on the Orange Street tree, presents segments of life that are both sweet and tart and sure to satisfy.andquot;
andndash;School Library Journal, starred review
andldquo;A touching story, beautifully told in multiple viewpoints.andrdquo;
andndash;Booklist
andldquo;Each chapter focalizes the third-person narration through a particular child, and the book weaves the singular tales into a larger story about a community that is pleasingly quirky but still believable. Readers and parents looking for some wholesome sweetness will want to make a visit to Orange Street.andrdquo;
andndash;The Bulletin of the Center for Childrenandrsquo;s Books
AWARD:
Pennsylvania School Librarians Association (PSLA) Young Adult Top Forty list
Synopsis
This gem of a novel takes place in Pittsburgh in 1952. Franny Katzenback, while recovering from polio, reads and falls in love with the brand-new book
Charlotte’s Web. Bored and lonely and yearning for a Charlotte of her own, Franny starts up a correspondence with an eloquent flea named Fleabrain who lives on her dog’s tail. While Franny struggles with physical therapy and feeling left out of her formerly active neighborhood life, Fleabrain is there to take her on adventures based on his extensive reading. It’s a touching, funny story set in the recent past, told with Rocklin’s signature wit and thoughtfulness.
Awards
Bank Street Children's Books "Best Books of the Year," Fiction Ages 9-12
Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Older Readers
Praise for Fleabrain Loves Franny
"Heartwarming and endlessly funny, Fleabrain Loves Franny will delight readers of all ages. Rocklin’s sharp wit and exuberant writing style are refreshing. This book is not to be missed."
--VOYA
"Franny—a compassionate, thoughtful and sympathetic protagonist—is believably erratic in her emotions and reflections on her illness and its effects on her previously carefree life."
--Publishers Weekly
"Rocklin perfectly captures the era of 1952 and creates a sympathetic, realistic character in Franny, who begins to accept her condition, rejoin her friends and even protest her school’s inaccessibility."
--Kirkus Reviews
"Comedic and philosophical, readers will find multiple levels to enjoy."
--School Library Journal
About the Author
Joanne Rocklin is the critically acclaimed author of several books, including Strudel Stories, which was a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year and an American Library Association Notable Book, and For Your Eyes Only!, which was a School Library Journal Best Book and a Bank Street Best Book. She lives in Oakland, California.