Daphne Grab

Everyone is familiar with the story of a small town girl struggling to fit in a big city, but Daphne Grab's novel takes a different spin on that theme and tells the journey of a New York City high school student, Matisse Osgood, who must deal with fish out of water feelings when her family uproots themselves from the city and settles down in small town Prague, New York. The move is prompted my Matisse's father's progressive deterioration to Parkinson's disease. Although the slower pace of show more small town life should be good for him, his illness is as hard for Matisse to adjust to as her new surroundings.

Grab does an amazing job of writing believable teenagers in this novel. The supporting cast has as much depth as the protagonist and the vivid personalities - filled with warmth, humor and sometimes nastiness - brought back echoes of my own high school classmates. The emotional roller coaster that Matisse is on also comes across as neither sappy nor melodramatic and as a reader I truly empathized with her hardships. She is a fun and lovable heroine and through her trials and challenges, I was desperately hoping that in the end she would come to be Alive and Well in Prague, New York. show less

Matisse Osgood is the daughter of two well-known artists: a sculptor and a painter. She has grown up in New York City, with all of its cultural events and fast-paced life. When her father is diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and can no longer control his muscles enough to sculpt, Matisse's parents decide to leave the bustling city for the small town of Prague, NY. Matisse can't stand her mother pretending that everything is fine, and her increasingly silent father retreating into his show more bedroom as he loses more and more muscle control. Add to that, her new high school is wretchedly mundane, and she makes a grand total of one new friend in Violet. As her father's symptoms worsen, rumors spread in school and in the community, and Matisse is horrified by the small-town mentality -- but she discovers that just like them, she has needed a mentality adjustment also. For example, her neighbor Hal, whom she assumed was a hick moron, is actually a young man interested in sustainable, organic farming. This is a story about a difficult situation, and how one girl found much more than she ever thought possible through it. 8th grade and up. show less

In Short: An amazing story about one teen's emotional journey from denial to acceptance when the solid ground she has always known starts to crumble and change. Alive and Well in Prague, New York is a gripping fast-paced story with both a believable plot and characters. It is often hard for adults to write believable teenagers and Daphne Grab does a wonderful job in bringing all of hers to life. This is a book that I highly recommend and won't be surprised when it hits the bestseller list.

show more target="_top">http://tickettoanywhere.blogspot.com/2008/03/alive-and-well-in-prague-new-york-b... show less

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

Matisse Osgood is the daughter of two well-known New York City artists. Life is good for Matisse. She's a city girl through and through. Then her father gets diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, and is told that he should avoid working on the sculptures that he loves, for fear that he may fall off of a ladder at some point.

After much consideration, Matisse's parents decide that the best thing for the family is to get out of the city. To remove all show more reminders of what her father can't have anymore. So off they move to Prague, New York. Yes, it's named after the famous European city. The only problem is that Prague, NY, is nothing like its namesake. Hayrides and pep rallies are the excitement Matisse can expect in her new town.

It takes a while, but finally Matisse finds a friend in loner Violet. They have similar tastes and personalities, and the friendship forms quickly. Other quirky characters in Prague enter Matisse's life. At first, she has a hard time letting anyone in.

Matisse is dealing with her own grief and guilt over her father's diagnosis. Life at home is hard and Matisse has always been reserved when it comes to dealing with private issues.

Through the help of her new friends, her father's acceptance of his diagnosis, and the quaint setting of Prague, NY, Matisse slowly opens up and becomes a better person in her new surroundings.

Ms. Grab writes a tender story of a girl's struggle to accept the life she's had thrust upon her. Matisse's life is thrown upside down with the move and her father's illness, and slowly she learns that there are some things she can control, and others that she has to learn to accept and live with. show less