Belle Teal

Well I love the main character. She knows right from wrong, and knows what she wants from life, and does everything a ten year old girl in a stressful situation can do to make good things happen. She minds her manners, helps her gran, works hard in school, sticks up for her friends, makes friends, or at least tries, with everyone, even handles the Mean Girl well, controlling her impulse to fight with her.

But oh the stresses - everything but the kitchen sink is crammed in here. BT's family is her, her mama who works long hours, and her grandma is getting very senile. They have almost no money. There's one friend who is new to the school because he's black and this is the first year of integration. There's another friend with an extremely show more racist, and abusive, and drunk father. There's another friend, Clarice, who's a terrifically spunky & fun character (I wonder if Martin doesn't know a girl like her irl, as she's so well-developed and authentic despite having a small role.) There's being ten, in and of itself a challenge. There's the Mean Girl, also new to town.

The HEA is, unfortunately, extr. implausible, because Gran is going to get worse, and then who will take care of her so Mama can work and BT can go to school?

And some ppl might not be able to stomach the frequent occurrences of the n-word, even though it's exactly appropriate to the book being historical fiction, showing how some parents of white children harassed the brave black families.

Overall, the book is, perhaps, a little too earnest, a little too stuffed full of issues... but it is engaging, gracefully written, accessible, and important.

I think it would have been just about perfect if Gran had been healthy - the focus on the rest of the issues would have been tighter, and the relevance they have to each other, theme-wise, would have been more clear.

I do recommend the book and want to read more by the author. Heck, I might even pick up one of her babysitter club books just for fun. show less

Belle Teal is a poor 5th grade girl in a rural school at the dawn of integration. Three black students are starting at her school this year, and the community is in an uproar.
Belle doesn't understand the fuss, and what begins as sympathy for the terrified black boy in her class grows to a strong friendship between them, along with Belle's long time friend Clarice. But not everyone in the school is so welcoming. Little Boss, a boy who is abused by his single father, as well as a few other boys show their meanness, as does a new girl in class, who Belle frequently refers to as HRH (Her Royal Highness) because she is most uppity person Belle has ever encountered.
And along with these issues at school, Belle's mother is rarely home, working show more and going to school most of the time, and her grandmother is showing the first signs of senility.
Although the story meandered about through several more or less unrelated plot lines, it worked here, as it does in life, where we all have more than one thing on our plates at all times. show less

This is another great book for our 7th grade Civil Rights unit. The setting is a little different from the others we have used ( The Lions of Little Rock , Warriors Don't Cry , The Help ...), in that it is set in the rural South instead of in a big city. The small town of Coker Creek, in an undetermined state in the South, is experiencing it's first year of integration in the elementary school. I really enjoyed this different look at that period of time. But this book is not just about integration, it is about family, friends, standing up for what you believe in, and taking care of those you love. When I first started reading the book, I was afraid that the mother in the story was going to be kind of a dead-beat, but I was wrong. She is show more hard-working, loving, supportive, and teaches her daughter important things. They are a strong family unit that takes care of each other. I really appreciated that. This was a good, uplifting book about a period of time when hate and anger were widespread, but there were good people who overcame those things and stayed true to themselves show less

Belle Teal by Ann M. Martin is a wonderful book about a fantastic girl. Belle stands up for what she believes in and tries to make the world a better place. It is a super book for people of all ages and I think kids in fourth through seventh grade will especially relate to Belle. The book touches on issues in history, social problems, and emotional problems. Watching the family struggle through the granmother's illness is hard and touching. I found myself totally engrossed in the lives of the people in the story. This is a book that is easy to relate to and the characters come alive. I really like Belle and think she has many qualities that make me want to be friends with her. Without a doubt, this is a story that made me want to make a show more difference in the world! If you have not read it, I highly recommend it. It just may remind you to be extra kind to those around you. show less

This is a really easy-to-read book that covers not so easy topics such as racism, hate, and loss. Belle Teal's mother is constantly going from one job to another, her grandmother is losing her memory, she doesn't have much money, and her school is going through a big change by opening their doors to a few black families. This book has a good message and is also fun to read.

In 1962, Belle Teal is starting fifth grade. Her school is being integrated for the first time by three black children--one shy boy, Darryl, is in her class. Outside the school, parents protest while, inside, the students are mean. Belle befriends Darryl, and all kinds of adventures ensue. Although Belle may display more of the perceptions of a 2007 child in the South, this is still a good book for a social study unit about school integration.

A really nice, moving story. I really enjoyed it. This is one I would want my daughter to read, definitely holding on to it.