Good book.
Absolutely Almost
By Lisa Graff
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 4 - 8 | Grades 3 - 5 | n/a | 4.7 | 47153 |
From the author of the National Book Award nominee A Tangle of Knots comes an inspiring novel about figuring out who you are and doing what you love.
Albie has never been the smartest kid in his class. He has never been the tallest. Or the best at gym. Or the greatest artist. Or the most musical. In fact, Albie has a long list of the things he's not very good at. But then Albie gets a new babysitter, Calista, who helps him figure out all of the things he is good at and how he can take pride in himself.
A perfect companion to Lisa Graff's National Book Award-nominated A Tangle of Knots, this novel explores a similar theme in a realistic contemporary world where kids will easily be able to relate their own struggles to Albie's. Great for fans of Rebecca Stead's Liar and Spy, RJ Palacio's Wonder and Cynthia Lord's Rules.
Praise for ABSOLUTELY ALMOST
* "Albie comes through significant emotional hardship to a genuine sense of self-worth."--School Library Journal, starred review
* "A perfect book to share with struggling readers."--Booklist, starred review
* "Achingly superb, Albie’s story shines."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "Graff’s...gentle story invokes evergreen themes of coming to appreciate one’s strengths (and weaknesses), and stands out for its thoughtful, moving portrait of a boy who learns to keep moving forward, taking on the world at his own speed."--Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Lately the patrons of my school library have been asking, 'Do you have any books like Wonder by R.J. Palacio?' and now I have the perfect offering."--BookPage
"Maybe the wonder of Absolutely Almost is that it’s willing to give us an almost unheard of hero."--Betsy Bird, Fuse #8 Blog
"Graff...again draws on her ability to create rich lifeworlds for her characters to present a boy who is gifted in many ways....[T]his is a sharp portrait of an outsider’s inner perspective, and Albie’s coming to terms with himself will be cheered by many."--BCCB Reviews
Albie has never been the smartest kid in his class. He has never been the tallest. Or the best at gym. Or the greatest artist. Or the most musical. In fact, Albie has a long list of the things he's not very good at. But then Albie gets a new babysitter, Calista, who helps him figure out all of the things he is good at and how he can take pride in himself.
A perfect companion to Lisa Graff's National Book Award-nominated A Tangle of Knots, this novel explores a similar theme in a realistic contemporary world where kids will easily be able to relate their own struggles to Albie's. Great for fans of Rebecca Stead's Liar and Spy, RJ Palacio's Wonder and Cynthia Lord's Rules.
Praise for ABSOLUTELY ALMOST
* "Albie comes through significant emotional hardship to a genuine sense of self-worth."--School Library Journal, starred review
* "A perfect book to share with struggling readers."--Booklist, starred review
* "Achingly superb, Albie’s story shines."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "Graff’s...gentle story invokes evergreen themes of coming to appreciate one’s strengths (and weaknesses), and stands out for its thoughtful, moving portrait of a boy who learns to keep moving forward, taking on the world at his own speed."--Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Lately the patrons of my school library have been asking, 'Do you have any books like Wonder by R.J. Palacio?' and now I have the perfect offering."--BookPage
"Maybe the wonder of Absolutely Almost is that it’s willing to give us an almost unheard of hero."--Betsy Bird, Fuse #8 Blog
"Graff...again draws on her ability to create rich lifeworlds for her characters to present a boy who is gifted in many ways....[T]his is a sharp portrait of an outsider’s inner perspective, and Albie’s coming to terms with himself will be cheered by many."--BCCB Reviews
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN-13: 9780147508577
ISBN-10: 0147508576
Published on 5/5/2015
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 320
Book Reviews (28)
I read this book for the first time last year to my 5th grade class. We loved Albie and the lessons of self worth that we learned.
I absolutely LOVE this book! Albie is one of my favorite characters ever and this book teaches us so many wonderful lessons! 5th graders love this story and the message behind it!
If you are into humar you will love this book. Once you read this book tell other people about it. If you like twists and turns in any kind of book you need to get or borrow this book.
** spoiler alert ** This book was great. I would recommend it to kids who are in or going to fifth grade.The characters were good too. I liked the way the author really described Albie's feelings. One thing I wish though is that Albie's mom would let Calista come back to babysit Albie. I didn't like hes new babysitter, Nadine. I loved the way Albie and Betty got back together as friends too. Lisa Graff did a great job making this story in the perspective of a kid. It shows how a 5th grader would talk and feel. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.
This is a good book. It is about a kid and the problems he faces and how he reacts, and how his parents and babysitter help him.
![SallyJones](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 12 12"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
I read this book last year and it blew me away. It is relatable, and a great book for anyone who likes realistic fiction with lots of twists and turns!
Not everyone can be at the top of the rock pile. There has to be someone or something to support the top-rocks. Alby feels that he is a bottom-rock. He tells himself that not everyone can be at the top of the rock pile, but when he overhears his mother and his grandfather talking, he eavesdrops and hears his mother say: "Alby's not a rock." Alby feels even worse about himself, and his parents keep expecting him to do things he can't. The only person who can understand him is his nanny Calista. But when his friend, who is an identical triplet who's family has two pairs of triplets gets on a reality show, Alby is faced with yet another problem: Losing his friend. At school, things are worse. He has to face a mean bully named Darren and stand up for his friend, Betsy who has a stutter. He has to go to 'math club' to get better at math, but finds that it isn't so bad. Alby goes through many issues and problems but in the end realizes that only one thing matters: Being kind. Written by Lisa Graff, the author of A Tangle Of Knots, Absolutely Almost is the perfect book for any realistic fiction fans out there.
Looking for a good book? This one is perfect -- except Alby doesn't really feel that way. Alby feels like he has never been the best. Not like in a mean way, but like, NEVER! But with a new nannie, school, teacher, and friend, everything can change.
Great for reading at the beginning of the school year!