The New York Times Book Review - Nalini Jones
In The Next Great Paulie Fink, Ali Benjamin draws from pop culture, Shakespeare and ancient Greek civilization…to explore how legends and stories are made…Benjamin has written a funny and fast-paced romp…So it's a triumph that the book's real strength lies in Caitlyn's struggle to figure out who she will be among kids who are insistently themselves.
From the Publisher
Praise for The Next Great Paulie Fink:
A ParentsMagazine 30 Best Kids' Books of 2019
A LAPL Best Books of 2019
A NYPL Best Books of 2019
A KirkusReviews Best Children's Books of 2019
A PublishersWeekly Best Books of 2019
A PublishersWeekly Most Anticipated Children's Book of Spring 2019
An Amazon Best Book of the Month for April 2019
"A funny and fast-paced romp."
—The New York Times
* "A story with massive heart... A book to make readers think, question, reach, laugh, and strive harder."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "A witty, tender, and utterly engaging modern school story that draws on the wisdom of the ages."—School Library Journal, starred review
* "Genuinely original, the novel offers thoughtful perspectives on friendship, accepting change, and the many rewarding guises of storytelling, as well as a fully gratifying ending that the characters don't see coming."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
* "A beautiful, powerful novel about embracing one's own great self, even—or especially—in middle school."—Shelf Awareness, starred review
"Benjamin strikes a nice balance of goofy, often physical comedy...with introspection...for a look at shifting middle-school identities and the strange chaos they bring."
—BCCB
"Takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery."—School Library Connection
"Sympathetic."
—Booklist
"Wise and funny."—The Wall Street Journal
"A middle school story to top all middle school stories."
—The Buffalo News
"An inspirational story about finding your place in an unfamiliar community and learning that normal is not always better."—The Denver Post
"Laugh-out-loud funny."—Horn Book
"You'll love this new favorite about being the new kid at school, and dealing with bullies, and becoming something different."—Romper
Praise for The Thing About Jellyfish:
A 2015 National Book Award Finalist
A New York Times Bestseller
An Indiebound Bestseller
An E.B. White Read-aloud Book Award Finalist
An Amazon Editor's Best Book of the 2015
A 2015 GoodReads Choice Award Finalist
An Amazon Editors' Fall Favorite Children's Book
A Booklist Top Ten First Novel of 2015
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2015
*"A painful story smartly told, Benjamin's first solo novel has appeal well beyond a middle school audience."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
*"Reminiscent of works by Jennifer L. Holm and Sharon Creech...a shining example of the highs and lows of early adolescence."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
*"Authentic and poignant...[a] superbly written, heartfelt novel."—School Library Journal, starred review
*"Clean, fluid writing that is highly accessible, yet rich with possibilities for discussion.... An uncommonly fine first novel."—Booklist, starred review
*"Just-right pacing, authentic voices and characters, beautifully crafted plot, and superb writing. Readers will find that this story lingers with them after the book is closed."—VOYA, starred review
"There are...a lot of children who might not only benefit from this book but also find themselves deeply moved by it."—New York Times Book Review
APRIL 2019 - AudioFile
Four narrators bring to life an unusual rural school in Vermont. When legendary prankster Paulie Fink doesn’t return for seventh grade, his classmates miss him so much that they hold a contest to name the next great Paulie Fink. The new girl, Caitlyn, acts as organizer and judge. Narrating from Caitlyn’s perspective, Cassandra Morris engagingly carries most of the performance, giving Caitlyn a cynical tone as she interviews her classmates. We hear the other kids’ voices as they tell their stories about the infamous Paulie, and teachers chime in, too. Most notable is Zach Villa’s delivery of Diego’s hyperventilating laughter as he recounts a particularly funny escapade. A relatable story with wit and heart, this audiobook will make listeners think about philosophical questions as well as laugh. S.C. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
