Review: Here's to You, Rachel Robinson

Here's to You, Rachel Robinson by Judy Blume
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is actually a re-read, as I am sure I read this when I was young, too.

I was a bit surprised that this book frustrated me a bit. I felt like Rachel's problems were only touched on - even glossed over. How was she supposed to relax? Why did the family seem to be so on edge with the brother? I guess I didn't perceive her brother's actions as so completely over the top, but rather as a very bright (yes, probably gifted) boy who has discovered that the world often hides the truth from itself and he needs to confront that. In the end, the parents did do what they needed to do and the hiring of the tutor worked, but I would like to have seen more whole family resolution, too.

Since I am interested in gifted kids, I was also interested in the gifted angle for both Rachel and her brother. Rachel is the typical good-girl gifted female. She does everything right and people just seem to never see when she is foundering. Charles, on the other hand, is the quintessential bad-boy gifted kid. Rebelling, clowning around, sarcastic, refusing to take work seriously unless it is work that he has chosen. People don't see his needs either. They see him as a behavior problem. Their sister Jessica is never seen really beyond her acne and her helpfulness.

I liked this book better as a kid.

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