Paper Things

Paper Things

Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Paper Things, by Jennifer Richard Jacobson, is sweet, emotional, and shows a new perspective of a sad reality for some people. When Ari, the main character, and her 19 year-old brother, Gage, decide that he can’t live with their bossy guardian, Janna, he decides to take Ari with him. The problem is, they don’t have a place to live. Two months later, Ari and Gage are still coach-surfing. To make matters worse, Ari’s mother’s last, dying wish was for Ari to get into Carter, a middle school for gifted children. But between house hopping, sneaking into shelters, and losing friends, getting into Carter seems impossible to Ari. Can Ari and her brother find their way to stability?

Paper Things is one of those books that just grow in dimensions and emotions throughout the entire read. It was sweet, and incredibly powerful. The story seemed real, and makes readers sympathize with the characters. There was a plentiful of characters, each of them well created, and planned out. In the beginning, I felt the story was a bit of a drag but after, you’re immediately hooked. The author was able to make the characters less like characters, and more like a normal person. The story shows that things are always being imagined, remembered, and created.

Grade Level: - Suggested: 4th-6th - Advanced: 3rd - Genre: Realistic-fiction - Key Elements: Homelessness, school

- Possible Themes: Homelessness, bullying, betrayal, remembrance

Overall Rating: 4/5 Happy Reading! -The Book Lover- If you like more details about the book or would like to request something for me to read, you can contact me at thebooklovercontact@gmail.com