The Next Great Paulie Fink

I enjoyed this a lot, but I went to a weird little school like Mitchell, so I identify strongly with the Originals and their shenanigans. I thought the mixture of formats was very effective, and I think the new girl point of view was an excellent choice. An unusual story, hard to put down. Also, goats! And lots of legendary school hijinks. Goofy and fun.

Lively, informal voice about emotional issues that many kids relate to: being new, looking for acceptance, feeling insecure, being bullied. In an accessible way, this book shows readers that what they see is not always what it seems and to take into consideration that there may be more than one side to someone's story. Coming in with new girl Caitlyn to hear about the great Paulie Fink sets up questions in the readers’ minds as to who this guy is, why does everyone think he is so great, what happened to him? The tight-knit camaraderie of the Originals will appeal to kids, as will the inclusion of reality TV structure into the plot. The author note describes how the book explores different storytelling forms.

I really enjoyed this one! An original and unique story, that turned out to be so much more than the quirky youth humor read I expected. I will definitely pursue more books by Ali Benjamin.....for my kiddos, and myself.

Caitlyn moves to Vermont and is shocked to find her school is in an old, crumbling mansion. She's in a class with the "originals" the nine students in seventh grade were in the first class in this school. They miss this kind named Paulie Fink, so Caitlyn begins to fit in by hosting this competition to name his successor. All the while, the students learn Greek mythology, build community, and Caitlyn learns some tough life lessons in this sweet story of finding your place and not being afraid to stand out.

Though it takes a while to get to the SEARCH for the next great Paulie Fink, Benjamin does such a wonderful job capturing the fleeting moments of 7th grade (good and bad) that I didn't even mind.

Solid middle-grade read. Good for students starting in a new school.

Very interesting! I forgot the plot right after I finished it though.