The Canning Season: (National Book Award Winner)

So this book only a few chapters in, has drunk driving, people cutting their own heads off, its bad. I started a "book club" with my kids and we stopped reading it. IT was on the book list over the summer for the middle school. What the heck?

Loved this book, it's a very good book for any age. I bought it for my 13 yr. old grand daughter and when she was finished reading it, I read it and could not put it down. Touching and tender story where youth and elderly come together.

When you finish a novel you should be left with a good feeling--yes, it could be sad, but still with a longing feeling about the characters that leaves you with a good taste in your mouth. This novel does. However, when I first started reading I really thought it would be only an average novel. The author sets up the situation and introduces us to those "colorful characters" talked about in summary. And it was somewhat cliche about a child not wanted by her or his parent and send to eccentric old relatives--as Ratchet is sent to her "Old Aunts." But the second half is riveting, and it soon became hard to put the book down. An new unwanted girl, Harper, joins Ratchet, and the two them are complete opposite personalities. By the end we really do love all four of the characters, and I was actually hoping there were be a sequel. But, alas, no. Therefore, I give the first half three stars and the second half five stars, for an average of four. Some of the one star reviewers complain about some of the scenes--too sexually or about drinking, and couldn't see reading this aloud to a fifth grader. Well, I would have loved this read to me when I was ten years old. I wouldn't have cared about those brief early scenes, and, anyway, the adult reader good skip this brief scenes, if they wanted, and read on. I do recommend this book for anyone fifth grade or higher.

I'm a librarian in a small rural library always looking for books that will grab reluctant teen readers. I just discovered this gem.Yes, it has some profanity. Yes,it can be a bit grizzley but the characters and their stories are so endearing and fascinating it doesn't matter. I understand why It won The National Book Award. This is a unique book for intelligent young adults with a sense of humor. I will be recomending it often.

This is my daughter and my favorite book to read together.

If the premise of the book sounds good to you, then I guarantee you will enjoy it. The tale is whimsical and meaningful, a rare combination. Though, I am not really certain the appropriate age group for the book, as an adult I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ignore the negative reviews unless you, like the nay-sayers, are prudish and uninspired, then simply skip this little gem.

I really liked the character development in this book. There was not much action, but the characters were really great.😉

A fun story for 10 year-old. My daughter loves the story, enjoys the humor, and would definitely recommend the book to her friends.