A Crooked Kind of Perfect

Zoe is a 10-year-old girl who dreams of one day playing the piano at Carnegie Hall... but when her father comes home with a strange organ instead of a baby grand, Zoe's dreams fall flat.

But rather than indulge their daughter and take it back, they make a deal with her to pay for lessons. She may be learning organ versions of old TV hits, but it's still something! Meanwhile, her mother is a workaholic and never at home, and her father has severe agoraphobia and is terrified to leave the house (and spends his time at home getting diplomas from all those strange study-at-home courses you see advertised in magazines and on TV).

So, things are far from perfect. But what I love, love, love about this novel is that -- even as strange as the show more characters seem -- the parents are real, make logical choices, and their daughter is a good kid who has clearly been raised right. Instead of taking the organ back, or Zoe raising a tantrum about it, they find a solution as a family. Zoe's parents also remind her that she wanted lessons and needs to practice because of it, and Zoe recognizes her parents' authority, even when she doesn't want to do what they say.

In other words, we have a real family here that clearly loves each other. The parents aren't perfect, but they're trying, and how often do we see that in children's books these days? I also thought the idea of an agoraphobic parent was highly unique, as I've never seen that concept brought into a novel before. In fact, Zoe's father was one of the best characters I met in a book all year, and he has a fantastic sense of humor.

And even better? The voice is perfect. I felt like I was reading something in a 10-year-old's voice, and not once did it seem to venture into 'older' territory. Very well done.

I picked this book up on a whim at a Scholastic warehouse sale (I think it was $3), and didn't know what to expect. After reading it, I think this may be one of my favorite children's books, not just of this year, but ever. I wrote an email to the author to thank her for such a unique and wonderful story, and I hope to buy more copies to give away to my friends' children once they're a bit older. I hope to see more from this author in the future! show less

“Nobody wears socks anymore,” I tell her.
“Not even in Michigan? In March? When there’s still snow on the ground?”
“Nobody.”
“You wear socks,” Mom says.
“Exactly,” I say.

Zoe Elias wears socks, but she’s also unique in other ways. She’s possesses big dreams, but she lacks a best friend. She wants a piano, but she owns an organ. Her mother is a workaholic controller, and her father is a full-time student of Living Room University (he has earned twenty-six framed diplomas from courses such as Golden Gloves: Make a Mint Coaching Boxing and Rolling in Dough: Earn a Dolla’ Baking Challah). In attempts at normalcy and in hopes of developing her latent prodigy skills so that she can one day fulfill her destiny of playing show more at Carnegie Hall, she requests that her parents purchase her a piano.

Zoe’s father, being a tad on the socially inept side, gets sucked in by the rhythms and beats of the organ, and he winds up buying Zoe a Perfectone D-60 instead of a baby grand. Zoe soon discovers that she may not quite be a prodigy, but, as her instructor Miss Person puts it, “You have some talent and you work hard. I’ll take that over prodigy any day.” Miss Person (that’s Per-saaahn) is full of such tidbits of wisdom as well as delightful exclamations such as Mozart’s postman, Chopin’s toaster, and Beethoven’s barbershop.

In her infinite wisdom, Miss Person recommends that Zoe go to the Perfectone Perform-O-Rama, and Zoe sets out to select her piece. Zoe aptly chooses “Forever in Blue Jeans” to be her Perform-O-Rama piece, and she spends a few weeks practicing while her father and a schoolmate cook away in the kitchen working through the Rolling in the Dough class.

As the Perform-O-Rama competition draws near, Zoe’s mother’s work interferes so that Zoe is left without a ride to the competition. Her father, however, decides to move outside his comfort zone (i.e., outside the house) and take Zoe to the Perform-O-Rama.

Her father is forced into motion, but so too is Zoe. Learning to play the Perfectone D-60 and entering the Perform-O-Rama take Zoe on a journey through which she discovers more about herself and about what is important to her. She makes a new friend in Wheeler Diggs, realizes that everybody makes mistakes, and uncovers courage she did not know she had.

Zoe comes to understand that there is more to music than merely getting the notes right–it takes heart. “Getting the heart right is something only a person can do. And the ways to do it are as many and as different as there are people in the world.” Zoe and her family may have their quirks, but they also have their talents and a profound love for each other.

In this quick and delightful read, Urban slips in some commentary on shallow friends, consumerism and brand name ludicrousness (e.g., Brat clothing: “Why would you wear something that says you are spoiled and mean?”), and the importance of family support. Each page offers a fresh insight or a humorous vignette. Urban’s work is a winner for music lovers, dreamers, perfectionists, and humor lovers alike as well as for anyone who agrees that life is richer when you mix a little bit of off-center into a perfectly proportioned recipe.

Favorite lines:

Never trust an exclamation point.

You must have more respect for your instrument. Or your instrument will have no respect for you.

Perfection itself is imperfection show less

This novel is so cute! It captures the voice and dreams of an 11 year old girl perfectly. I love how Zoe grew up a bit and learned to appreciate what she had. The unconditional support she had from her dad and Wheeler was amazing. I also loved the representation of nurodivergents in her dad, because he clearly had autism and/or bad social anxiety. Overall, a very cute, easy read perfect for middle grade readers.

How often do you come across young adult novels that feature organs? Come on! I mean the Perfectone D-60! And even more rare - how many young adult novels feature heroines that actually enjoy playing the organ? Well, not many - that's how many. But A Crooked Kind of Perfect is one - and it's a good one. From beginning to end it feels novel (as in original) and refreshing and fun. Here is a book that really IS for middle school girls. Not for their moms or their teachers or their librarians, but for them. It's got the snotty ex-best friend, the cute "bad-boy", the cool new friend, the odd but lovable teacher, plenty of baked goods, and the Perfectone Perform-O-Rama!

Reviewed by Cana Rensberger for TeensReadToo.com

A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT by Linda Urban is a funny, refreshing read. Zoe's voice is so authentic it grabbed me right away. The reader will easily relate to Zoe's disappointment in getting almost what she wished for.

Zoe dreams of being a concert pianist, performing in Carnegie Hall, wearing elbow length gloves and a tiara. But when Zoe asks for a piano, she gets a Perfectone D-60 organ. Mix in an I-found-someone-better best friend, a mom who works too much, and a dad who is afraid to leave the house, and you have a delightful, flaky pastry the reader will devour. Top it off with Wheeler, the cute boy on her bus who spends more time at Zoe's house than his own, and it's an irresistible show more treat.

Debut author Linda Urban has whipped up a delicious, charming read not to be missed. This reader will be pleased if Ms. Urban follows A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT with another book featuring Zoe and Wheeler. show less

After watching a public television special of a great pianist, 10-year-old Zoe Elias dreams of becoming a concert pianist. The only problem is that when her dad goes to purchase a used piano for her, he ends up coming home with a used electronic organ instead. How can Zoe ever reach Carnegie Hall now?

This is a short and sweet middle readers book, which is a nice departure from some of the heavier and darker books I've been reading lately. Zoe's problems are fairly mundane -- not getting the instrument you want, not fitting in with the 'cool' girls at school, etc. The more unusual issue is that her father clearly has agoraphobia and/or generalized anxiety disorder, although the author never specifies this. Her father's problems are show more treated in a sympathetic way while not dragging the book down into a dark place.

Personally, I could have done without the romantic angle, but that is fairly slight -- and also my own eyes have seen how children that young are entangling themselves into relationship statuses they aren't really ready for yet. While the book isn't really that old, there are a few things that seemed dated already. For instance, a big chunk of Mr. Elias's fear of leaving the house could be lessened by the ubiquity of GPS nowadays.

Audio reader Tai Alexandra Ricci did a great job of adding appropriate emotion and inflection to the text. show less

I was looking forward to reading this one, after meeting the author a few weeks ago and hearing so many good things about it. I wasn't disappointed. The first-person, present-tense narrative is intimate and spare- in the best sort of way. The characters are delightful and new, even as they are familiar, and the story is very satisfying. This is the kind of solid, good story that I will recommend over and over. It reminds me of Ida B by Katherine Hannigan or Saffy's Angel by Hilary McKay.