Reviewed by Essien Asian for Readers’ Favorite
Dolores Lanson, otherwise known as Dee to her friends, is a young girl going through the rigors of the academic calendar. She feels the subjects she has to contend with are boring. This gets her into trouble regularly with her teacher who takes a dim view of Dee’s antics in the classroom. When a new girl in school starts to monopolize the attention of Dee’s friends, she is unhappy about this and determined to do whatever is necessary to break the newly formed bond and restore the closeness she shares with Ronnie and Sue. But is Dee willing to break all the rules to keep her friends, even if this threatens to put her in her parents’ bad books? Growing pains are on display in Janice Laakko’s new book, Gloppy.
Gloppy by Janice Laakko is targeted at the youth. The storyline is loosely based on the activities of four interesting young ladies as they navigate the learning curve of friends, sports, family, and school. The conversations between the characters involved flow with the mannerisms and lingo of modern-era youth. Laakko uses an unconventional approach to telling her story in the sense that the focus seems to be primarily on the relationships between the characters. This puzzled me initially but I got accustomed to it as I read further. It does work out nicely in the end though. It makes for some rather interesting reading, a lovely book by all standards, and worth all the positive attention it receives. Kudos to the author.
Eleven-year-old Dee Lanson has just begun her last year of elementary school. Greeting the new year, Dee looks forward to spending time with her friends and friendly sports competitions between the boys and girls of the fifth grade. But when new girl Samantha seems to be spending more time with Dee’s closest friends, Sue and Ronnie, than she is, Dee begins to feel the deadly stirrings of jealousy deep within her heart. Finding the perfect opportunity to vent her frustrations, Dee takes it upon herself to teach Samantha a lesson she’ll never forget. But when events spiral out of control, Dee finds that there is much more to her rival than she ever thought possible. With the guidance of teacher Ms. Hersh, school counselor Mr. Kent, and Dee’s parents, Dee and Samantha both learn more about each other and themselves as they work towards a solution to solve a problem that can only be described as “gloppy.”
A wonderful slice-of-life story that covers the last year of elementary school, Dee’s coming-of-age adventure is a lighthearted tale that explores the host of new emotions that come with being eleven. Although Dee and Samantha are the indisputable stars of the show, there is also a rich supporting cast of fellow students and teachers. I liked the vibrant personalities of the students, ranging from stalwart Sue to practical joker Pete. I also liked the interactions between Dee’s parents and the fact that there was more to Ms. Hersh than met the eye. Dee is easy to identify with, as she struggles to understand the complex emotions roiling within her. The only detraction I really had was that I wish Dee was a little nicer to her kid brother, but arguments between siblings are normal, and their parents were good mediators.
A tale of friendship and solving problems brought on by overwrought emotions, Gloppy by Janice Laakko is a lighthearted journey through the fifth grade. Gloppy has a joyful tone, excellent storytelling, and a satisfying conclusion, and it’s the perfect choice for readers eight and above who love a solid school-year adventure full of discovery, mischief, and fun.
Dee Lanson is a fifth-grader with so many issues. She is not comfortable with the way that Samantha stares at her. Things could be better for Dee except that Samantha has found a way of getting into her circle of friends. The desire for revenge escalates everything, putting her in a more complicated situation. While her classmates are determined to win in the softball and kickball competitions, Dee has so much to worry about. Can she get along with Samantha and feel comfortable at school and can she find peace at home?
Gloppy by Janice Laakko is a well-written Children’s tale with characters that readers will adore. Laakko does an extraordinary job of creating a world that reflects what fifth-graders go through. The world-building is impeccable and it is interesting to notice what goes through the mind of young Dee and how it affects her relationships even at home. Themes of friendship, sports, family, and forgiveness and intelligently written in a way that will inspire young readers to seek what builds rather than destroy them. My daughter is a fifth-grader and I see so much of Dee in her. I had her read this book and it wasn’t surprising when she told me that she has her own version of Samantha at school. Gloppy is a fun read with solid and believable characters and themes that are expertly developed. This is a transporting read for fans of Children’s books.