Joy School

The 2nd book following the story of Katie, a 12 year old girl trying to find her way in the absence of her mother. Elizabeth Berg never disappoints. Every sentence is perfection, so beautifully written, that it makes you say, oh I wish I had written that. It doesn't matter how old you are, Berg has the ability to bring you right back to that awkward time of being 13, so that you remember it with a complex mixture of horror and tenderness.

Katie is an 12-year-old Army brat, whose mother has died. She is new to town and school, and she has a huge crush on a married garage station manager. It's a touching coming of age story, told poignantly.

UPDATE - second reading 20July2013
Twelve-year-old Katie has moved with her Army colonel father to a suburb of St Louis. An Army brat, Katie is used to being the new kid in school, but things are particularly difficult now that her mother has died and her older sister, Diane, has gotten married and moved away.

This is book two in a coming-of-age trilogy that follows Katie over three years. This particular novel focuses on her efforts to develop new relationships in her new setting. Will she choose her friends wisely, or be seduced by show more the excitement of “bad girl” behavior? Two adults feature prominently – Jimmy, the “older” (and married) garage mechanic on whom she develops a major crush, and Father Compton, the elderly parish priest who listens patiently to her and offers gentle advice without judging her.

But the undisputed star of this trilogy is Katie, herself. She’s a wonderful character – resilient, courageous, and intelligent and a keen observer of life. Here are a couple of excerpts:
If I ever get to be God, I’m calling all the gym teachers in the world into one room to say this: All right, knock it off! And then I’m going to make them all change into pink formals with pink satin heels.
Or …
Last in the day is home ec. Here is where they teach you how to make food you never want to eat and how to make clothes you never want to wear.

The books are marketed for adults, but would be suitable for teens as well. show less

For thirteen-year-old Katie, life has been quite confusing since the loss of her mother, the disappearance of her sister and a move from Texas to Missouri. Joy School follows her adventures while trying to make new friends, understand her dictatorial father and experience the pain and heartbreak of first love.

Unbeknownst to me, Joy School is actually a follow-up to Berg's Durable Goods, but I didn't have any trouble getting right into the story and understanding how things were playing out. Berg's writing is exceptional -- thought-provoking, as delicate as snow. But somehow the book lacked an emotional intensity I was so hoping for . . . everything felt muted, distilled. I think that was supposed to be part of its charm, and I really show more did like Katie, but I had a hard time getting immersed in this world.

I absolutely loved Berg's Dream When You're Feeling Blue, and Joy School still follows Berg's carefully crafted system of evaluating human and family relationships. I could certainly relate to falling in love for the first time -- and knowing that no one will appreciate how real it is for you, the one so smitten -- but didn't really plunge into the storyline. Fans of Berg will still be intrigued, but it might be a little too slow for others -- there really isn't any "action" here. show less

13-year-old Katie has just moved to Missouri with her widowed Army father leaving behind her home and friends in Texas. Being an 'army brat' she is once again the new girl in school and she finds herself on the outside of friendships that have been formed since kindergarten. Katie dislikes the school, her teachers and the neighbor's children who leave her nasty notes in the hedges at night. But one thing Katie loves to do is ice skate and as soon as the pond freezes over she heads out for an afternoon of skating. Unfortunately the ice is not quite as thick as she had thought and Katie falls into the freezing water. Once she pulls herself out she stumbles to the nearest building, a Mobil station, where she is taken in by Jimmy, probably show more the handsomest man Katie has ever set eyes on. His kindness and concern lead the love-struck Katie into dreams and fantasies of their lives together. Knowing he is ten years older than she, married and a father just means that Jimmy will be a 'challenge'.

Katie does eventually make two friends in town, the equally unpopular Cynthia, and another new girl, Taylor Sinn, who is beautiful and brazen and, not to mention, a petty thief. Dealing with the healing grief of losing her mother and a budding romance between her father and the housekeeper Katie pins all her dreams on the gorgeous Jimmy.

Katie is sweet and funny and definitely has her head in the clouds. I enjoyed the book not realizing it is the second book featuring Katie, the first being "Durable Goods" which I will now have to read. Although we know Katie is headed for heartbreak we want her to be happy. show less

A sweet, coming-of-age story set in the midwest in the 1960's. This is classic Berg, with her beautiful and poignant insights into relationships and life. I didn't realize that this book was a sequel to another book (which I have not yet read), but it didn't make it difficult to follow the story at all.

Lonely, in a new town with new problems and a widowed father who pays her little mind, Katie struggles to find her way. At thirteen, that's not so easy. But friendship by friendship, her life improves.

I particularly loved her relationship with Jimmy. He was pretty naive and took something of a risk spending that much time alone with a girl that age, but he treated her with tenderness and warmth so needed to help her through her time.

Well worth the time to read.

A quick, pleasant read. Some nice sentences, but otherwise kind of forgettable. I didn't realize it was a sequel until I was well into it, but don't think I'll read the first one. Note on this, nearly a year later: whenever I think of this book the most notable thing I remember about it is how much the main character did not seem to be the age she was supposed to be.