Everybody Sees the Ants

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Everybody Sees the Ants (eBook) Pub. Date: 10/3/2011 Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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Everybody Sees the Ants Pub. Date: 10/3/2011 Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

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Overview

Lucky Linderman didn't ask for his life. He didn't ask his grandfather not to come home from the Vietnam War. He didn't ask for a father who never got over it. He didn't ask for a mother who keeps pretending their dysfunctional family is fine. And he didn't ask to be the target of Nader McMillan's relentless bullying, which has finally gone too far.

But Lucky has a secret--one that helps him wade through the daily mundane torture of his life. In his dreams, Lucky escapes to the war-ridden jungles of Laos--the prison his grandfather couldn't escape--where Lucky can be a real man, an adventurer, and a hero. It's dangerous and wild, and it's a place where his life just might be worth living. But how long can Lucky keep hiding in his dreams before reality forces its way inside?

Michael L. Printz Honor recipient A.S. King's smart, funny and boldly original writing shines in this powerful novel about learning to cope with the shrapnel life throws at you and taking a stand against it.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Reality is a flexible thing in this offbeat and thought-provoking coming-of-age story from Printz Honor–winner King (Please Ignore Vera Dietz). Lucky Linderman, 15, has been the target of bullying by a classmate, Nader, and after a particularly brutal attack by him, Lucky leaves Pennsylvania for Arizona with his mother, who is fed up with her marriage. Staying with his uncle and pill-popping aunt is anything but a peaceful vacation, but when Lucky meets 17-year-old Ginny, a reluctant model, her strong will and courage make Lucky realize that it’s time to stand up for himself. The gravity of the issues King addresses—bullying, marital difficulties, the lack of closure regarding Lucky’s grandfather, an MIA soldier who has been gone for decades—are thrown into high relief by surreal elements interwoven throughout, most notably Lucky’s dreams, which bleed into reality in intriguing ways as he attempts to rescue his grandfather and others, and a Greek chorus of ants Lucky sees, which adds welcome doses of humor and pathos. It’s a smart, funny, and passionate novel that embodies the idea that “It Gets Better”—when you take action. Ages 15–up. (Oct.)

VOYA

Lucky Linderman's life is anything but fortunate. His controversial social studies survey landed him in the principal's office, with a bonus visit to the guidance counselor. His dad is a conflict-avoiding "turtle," a workaholic chef who is a POW/MIA activist. His mom, a self-proclaimed "squid," spends her days swimming laps. Lucky is plagued by Nader McMillan, a bully who has tormented him since the age of seven and shows no signs of letting up. After a particularly brutal session of physical abuse, Lucky's mom surprises him with a trip to Arizona to visit her brother and his wife. Meanwhile, Lucky has a secret nightlife—he repeatedly attempts to rescue his POW grandfather in Vietnam via surreal jungle dreams. Then there are the ants, a kind of anthropomorphic Greek chorus of insects that have begun to illustrate his thoughts. King remarkably channels fifteen-year-old Lucky, creating one of the most believable teen male characters in young adult fiction. Readers will empathize with his problems and root for him as he searches for the best way to finally take control of his own life. Ginny, the feminist neighbor and "hair model," proves a good foil. Adult characters fare well here too, as King reveals their strengths and flaws, making them three dimensional in a way that many authors fail to do. Lucky comes to understand that he is not alone in suffering. This unique coming-of-age story will hold tremendous appeal for reluctant male readers. Reviewer: Paula Gallagher

More Reviews (1) Fewer Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

An involving, if slightly uneven, follow-up to Printz Honor winner Please Ignore Vera Dietz (2010).

"If you were going to commit suicide, what method would you choose?" This smart-aleck survey question developed for a social-studies assignment sends the cruelly mis-named Lucky Linderman's life straight into the sewer. Misunderstood by school administrators, tormented by the school's bully-in-chief Nader McMillan, fretted over by his ineffective parents, Lucky launches the ultra-stoic "Operation Don't Smile Ever" to protect himself, but privately he seethes with rage and sadness. In his dreams—the only place he can exercise any authority or skill—Lucky stages bold, elaborate rescue missions to bring his Vietnam-era POW/MIA grandfather home. After Nader assaults Lucky at the community pool, Lucky and his swimming-obsessed mom decamp to Arizona to visit relatives and recuperate. Readers will fall hard for Lucky's aching, disgusted, hopeful and triumphant voice, but this otherwise deeply realistic story falters a bit whenever elements of magical realism intrude. The titular Greek chorus of ants, a shape-shifting facial scab, the items that accompany Lucky home from his dreams: None of them quite mesh with the story, instead forcing readers to question Lucky's sanity when they should be completely on his side.

Readers who look beyond these problems will find a resonant, uplifting story about not just getting through, but powering through, the tough times. (Fiction. 15 & up)

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780316129282
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Publication date: 10/3/2011
Pages: 288
Sales rank: 53,662
Age range: 14 - 17 Years
Lexile: HL710L (what's this?)
Product dimensions: 5.80 (w) x 8.30 (h) x 1.20 (d)

Meet the Author

A.S. King is the author of Everybody Sees the Ants and the Edgar Award nominated, Michael L. Printz Honor Book Please Ignore Vera Dietz, described as "deeply suspenseful and profoundly human" by Publishers Weekly and picked as one of Kirkus Reviews' Best Books for Teens 2010. She is also the author of The Dust of 100 Dogs, described as "undeniably original" by Booklist and picked as an ALA Best Books for Young Adults. Recently returned from Ireland, where she spent over a decade living off the land, teaching adult literacy, and writing novels, King now lives deep in the Pennsylvania woods with her husband and children. Her next YA novel, Ask the Passengers, about acceptance, small town gossip, and airplanes, is due in Fall 2012. Learn more at www.as-king.com.

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Joanne_L

Posted September 19, 2011

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Another amazing and original book from A.S. King.

I see the ants.

This is a touching, funny and nuanced story about Lucky Linderman, a fifteen year old who has a long legacy of being bullied by a horrible kid that no one seems to be willing to stop. But that's not all it's about; there is so much in this book that I bet everyone who reads it gets a little something different out of it. Here's what I took from it: Lucky Linderman is a good kid in a bad situation. He's a good kid who finds himself the victim of Nader McMillan, the community bully/jerk/a-hole. Lucky is also the son of clueless parents who don't mean to be neglectful, but kind of are due to their inaction. He's a good kid who is a product of the crappy things that go on in his life until he realizes he doesn't need to be. I'm not going to talk about the magic realism in this book, because I don't want to take away from it, but through certain scenes, Lucky realizes what life is about, no, what HIS life is about and how he needs to be an active participant in it if he wants it to change.

There's so much I loved in this book, from the character Lucky himself, to Ginny and Lucky's mom, to the little things that made it so different from anything I'd read before, like Lucky's healing wound, frank talk about the Vietnam War draft lottery, the way Lucky sees his parents and...well I could go on and on, but I'd rather leave it up to you to discover. Another great book from A.S. King!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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2575933

Posted October 23, 2011

wonderous

The kind of book that bebds reality bur never loses reality. A fantastic exploration of family and friendship. Lucky linderman will linger in my head foquite some time, I know it.
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bookittyblog

Posted October 11, 2011

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Must Read!! Review by Bookittyblog

I usually like reading from a female's POV. For obvious reasons I can identify myself more with them. But reading from Lucky's POV was different. I felt very protective of him. I couldn't get why "mom" and "dad" couldn't protect better their son, but as the book progressed I kind of got why everything was happening. I don't want to get into details because I will spoil the book.

All her characters were amazing and realistic. One of the characters that impact me the most was Aunt Jodi because it reminds me of someone close to me. It amazed me how much they were so alike (Aunt Jodi and that someone). Oh and the ants!! One of my favorite things about the book were the ants. They were hilarious!

This book touched my heart, broke it and made me laughed like a crazy person. A.S. King is incredible with words, and I admire that she decided to write about bullying, to educate us about how bad the situations is for some kids out there.

I want to say something to people who witness bullying, if you see someone getting bullied do something don't stand there and act like nothing is wrong. You might save a life

VIVA THE ANTS!!
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Anonymous

Posted October 9, 2011

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