My One Hundred Adventures

This story is surprisingly engaging and has the ability to teach valuable lessons, even to adult readers. Horvath’s writing is beautiful, and she really captures the heart of a young girl adventurer thrust into difficult circumstances at the behest of the adults around her. Unlike many of the other adventure types of books which can often be too whimsical, her circumstances are entirely realistic, and, on many occasions, distressing, bringing disillusionment to Jane and forcing her to grow up. By the end of the summer, the fanciful Jane who wishes for one hundred adventures is able to look at life as a growing adult, holding both the beautiful and awful truths of life in her mind simultaneously. It’s a wonderful coming of age story, show more and all of the characters add to the complexity. I found myself rooting for Jane and angry with the adults who take advantage of her because of their own stupidity, pride, or selfishness. However, this is often a true story very seldom told, and every child must leap out from the nest into the issue-laden world that will never cease to exist. I recommend this book to readers looking for an enlightening read which is also entertaining. 9 -Lindsey Miller, www.lindseyslibrary.com show less

This is an episodic novel, which isn't usually my cup of tea, but this story grew on me. The characters are deliciously weird, and Jane's adventures are weirder still. Dry humor is sprinkled throughout, which always managed to catch me by surprise—in a good way.

But in the end, I didn't feel like the father issue or even the fate of the clothes hanger man were sufficiently resolved. I hate it when books leave huge questions unanswered.

Horvath is a talented writer, though, and I hadn't read her work before. So I plan to check out some of her most critically acclaimed books—the National Book Award winner The Canning Season, the National Book Award nominee The Trolls, or the Newbery Honor Book Everything on a Waffle. If you're a Horvath show more fan, what would you recommend? show less

Aunt Stacey got me a copy of this book when I was probably like 10. I was excited to reread it with a brain that actually works but it turns out that this is just religious propaganda and the author, somehow, has no idea what it's like being in a middle schooler's head(unlike me, professional middle schooler). Anyway, with peace and love to Polly, you are not Judy Blume. Nobody can be Judy Blume except for Judy Blume. It turns out my problem is very rarely with middle grade but rather with grown-ups who try too hard to be entertaining for kids. The children yearn for the mines just write minecraft fanfic.

Reviewed by Bailey - The Class for TeensReadToo.com

Clever, lovely, and insightfully sharp, 12-year-old Jane is on a mission for one hundred adventures, and she is ready for them.

Her home is a permanent beach house that has doors that are always wide open, no matter the time of day or night or weather, and is delightful and homey. Jane loves her home and her family - her hopeless romantic mother and her three brothers and sisters.

But then a slew of possible fathers comes roaming around the beach, there's the coincidence of a dropped Bible on a baby's head, a gullible mother, and the question that maybe Nellie Phipps isn't really in the right mind as pastor and a responsible adult.

I loved this book. It is a slow paced one, but the tempo show more of this novel makes you savor it, and paints a detailed picture of one incredibly sharp girl.

MY ONE HUNDRED ADVENTURES is a charming read, and is very touching and endearing. Readers will identify with Jane, who longs for adventure and freedom, and her free-willed spirit and kind nature. Polly Horvath's style brings out the characters, such as the adults, painfully real, but somehow there is always this wishful feeling in her style, and I always felt as if there was maybe, just maybe, a touch of magic in her words.

I recommend this book for people who like simple stories about life and growing out of your innocence and into becoming a more responsible person. I know that people who love detail will enjoy this book, and it is wonderfully written, as well. But watch out - this tale is a little tricky, and there may be a few big words out there. show less

Twelve-year-old Jane Fielding, who lives at the beach in a run-down old house with her poetess mother, two brothers, and sister, has an eventful summer accompanying her pastor on bible deliveries, meeting former boyfriends of her mother's, and being coerced into babysitting for a family of ill-mannered children, all the while learning valuable lessons about life.

Restless, twelve-year-old Jane lives with her poet mother and siblings on the Massachusetts shore. She yearns for adventure and excitement, but comes away with a greater appreciation of her world.

(#2 in the 2009 Book Challenge)

This, sadly, is not my kind of book. Jane is 12 years old, lives with her mother and younger siblings in a beach house, and has a variety of adventures, most of which involved the eccentric residents of her little Massachusetts town. For my money, it tries much to hard to be whimsical, there's an underlying snobbishness that bothered me more and more as the book went on. Jane goes to visit a friend who lives in a suburban development, and her whimsical little soul is crushed by the bland and boring suburbs. I'm very nearly positive there was a moratorium on "suburbs as cosmic stultifying force" a while back. The only working class characters live in a dirty trailer and are just as drunk and disorderly as show more you would expect, and have unkempt children. Bleh.

Grade: C+
Recommended: I have a feeling this book is going to show up on a lot of recommended lists, but I can't endorse it. show less