One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies

Bibliography

Sones, Sonya. 2004. ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES.  New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN 1416907882

Plot Summary

Ruby Milliken is not unlike any other fifteen year old girl - she is obsessed with boys, loves spending time with her best friend Lizzie, enjoys talking on the phone and writing emails.  But unlike the typical fifteen year old girl, Ruby's mother dies and leaves her alone, forcing her to move three thousand miles away from the only home she's ever known so that she can move in with her father, who just so happens to be a famous Hollywood actor Ruby's never even met.  This novel in verse begins with Ruby's flight across the country as she leaves all that is familiar and heads toward an uncertain future she is dreading.  As Ruby becomes acclimated to the new lifestyle she leads in L.A., she continues to work through the grief she feels from her mother's death by periodically sending her mom emails about her new life.  Despite the troubled beginning to their relationship, Ruby gradually begins to piece together clues from her past that lead her to an understanding of the type of caring and thoughtful man her father truly is.  Along the way, Ruby realizes that change is a necessary part of life, learns about the power of forgiveness, and discovers that opening her heart to those that love her is the only way a person can ever truly experience happiness.

Critical Analysis

The humorous and painfully realistic writing style of Sonya Sones is sure to be a hit among young adult readers everywhere.  She does an exceptional job of capturing the melodramatic tendencies of Ruby's personality - not only as a teenager, but also as a young woman who recently lost her mother and has discovered just how precious life actually is.  The language of this engaging verse novel is exquisite, with fresh and unusual ways to express normal objects and events.  For example, in the poem "I Didn't Want to Get on This Plane," Ruby describes walking off the plane after arriving in L.A. for the first time - "I force myself to step through / the gaping steel jaw of the doorway, / and inch down the corridor of doom, / balancing on the tight rope / of dirty gray carpet / painfully aware that every step I take / is leading me / closer and closer / to the sperm donor himself."  The natural rhythm found within the verses makes this an appealing book for young adult readers because it is easy to read.  Despite the fact that this novel in verse does not contain any pictures, the mental images that the reader encounters while reading are often surprising and strikingly detailed.  The emotional influence this book will have on readers is compelling and may, at times, seem overwhelming - especially for those readers who can relate to the deeply personal experience of losing one's parent.  Although this novel in verse is most appropriate for older children in middle school or high school, adults will find themselves enjoying this novel as well.  One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies is far from a "hideous" book - rather, it allows the reader a glimpse of a young girl's journey of discovery as she loses everything she knows before finding something new.

Awards

• Tennessee Volunteer State Teen Read Award (2006)
• Iowa Golden Apple Teen Read Award (2006)
• Rhode Island Teen Book Award (2005-2006)
• New Hampshire Isinglass Teen Read Award (2005-2006)
• South Carolina Mustang Book Award (2005)
• 2004 Cuffie Award from Publisher's Weekly for the Best Book Title of the Year
• International Reading Association Young Adults' Choice (2006)
• 2005 Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association
• 2005 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers by the American Library Association
• 2004 Honor Book by the Society of School Librarians International
• Kliatt Editor's Choice: Best of 2004 Hardcover Fiction
• Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Teen Book List (2004)
• New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age (2005)
• Top Ten Summer Read by Girl's Life Magazine (2004)

Review Excerpts

“A satisfying, moving novel that will be a winner for both eager and reluctant readers.” – Booklist (starred review)

“This is not just another one of those gimmicky novels written in poetry.  It's solid and well written, and Sones has a lot to say about the importance of carefully assessing people and situations and about opening the door to one's own happiness...Ruby's story is gripping, enjoyable, and memorable.” – School Library Journal (starred review)

"Short steam-of-consciousness free-verse poems make up most of the narrative, by turns bathing readers in Ruby's emotions and treating them to very sharp, very funny observations about L.A." - Kirkus Reviews 

"It is true that the mother dies, but this hilarious and painfully real novel in verse and letters is anything but hideous...Sones's sparse, carefully chosen prose is the star here, conveying Ruby's conflicts of home, friendship, and family in a sympathetic, thoroughly believable manner." - VOYA

"Sonya Sones is one of the leading practitioners of the novel in verse for young adult readers, and readers will enjoy this new book every bit as much as her previous novel, What My Mother Doesn't Know, a huge hit with teens.  Ruby's voice is pitch-perfect, with all of the humor, high spirits, melodrama, and wisecracking typical of a smart teenager plopped down in an unwanted situation." - Bookpage

Connections

In this verse novel, the reader is introduced to a variety of characters.  Although the story is told from Ruby's point of view, characters such as Whip Logan, Aunt Duffy, Lizzie, and Ray all play significant parts in this story.  An extension activity after reading this novel could involve having students write about Ruby's life from the point of view of one of these important supporting characters.  After all students have had a chance to write from another point of view, allow them to share their writing with others to see if they are able to identify which character's point of view their story is written from.