Flipped
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 Cover of Flipped |
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| Author | Wendelin Van Draanen |
|---|---|
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Young Adult Romance novel |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Released | October 1, 2001 |
| Media type | Hardcover Prebinding |
| Pages | 220 |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-375-82544-4 |
Flipped (2002) is a young adult novel by Wendelin Van Draanen. It is a stand-alone teen romance in a he-said she-said style with the two protagonists alternately presenting their perspective on a shared set of events. In the beginning, Juli falls hard for Bryce, or more accurately, for his blue eyes... Naturally, being 7, Byrce has no interest. However, as the novel progresses, both children grow up, and their emotions change drastically.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
From the very first moment Juli heard a boy her age was moving into her neighborhood, she couldn't wait for him to arrive. All the other kids were too old or too young to hang out with, and she wanted Bryce to be the playmate she'd always wanted. But Bryce was much more than Juli had hoped for. When she sees him, with his shiny black hair and bright blue eyes, she knows it's love. She knows this boy is ‘carrying around’ her very first kiss. She flipped.
Unfortunately, Bryce has a very different first impression of Juli. She's an annoying, know-it-all kid with muddy shoes and a bad habit of glueing herself to his side. From the very first moment he sees her climbing over the boxes in the moving van, “helping” and leaving tracks of muddy footprints all over, he knows this girl is no good. The situation is made even worse when his mother catches sight of the kid holding his hand and thinks it's all very cute. In an effort to keep Juli at bay he spends his first week inside, watching TV. “Buddy,” he tells himself, “beware.”
Over the years Juli and Bryce continue to bump into each other, and as Juli's love for him grows, his aversion to her becomes stronger. He feels the need, however, to be nice to her. After all, during tests she whispers the answers in his ear and you just can't ignore someone that's keeping you from failing English.
Then, when Juli catches Bryce throwing away the eggs she's been giving him every week for free (from her pet chickens) she starts to see Bryce in a different light. With the help of Chet, Bryce's grandfather that has taken a liking to the girl, she realizes that she doesn't know him at all. All these years, she's never even had a real conversation with him. Maybe, she thinks, he's not worth it.
As fate would have it, Bryce is finally beginning to see Juli for who she is. He had never noticed how her eyes sparkle, or how smart she is, or how she does everything with a passion, with an enthusiasm that never wavers. Bryce hates to admit it, but maybe Grandpa is right, maybe there is something special about Juli. But why was Juli being so...normal these days? Why isn't she staring at him or trailing after him? It's starting to drive Bryce crazy.
When Bryce is chosen as a ‘basket boy’, a boy whose lunch is auctioned off, (though it's usually the boy himself the girls want when they buy the lunch) Juli ‘buys’ another boy. Bryce flips and tries to kiss her in a desperate attempt to show her that he cares, before she starts trailing after this other boy.
Juli is shocked. Does Bryce love her? And if so, is he even worth her time?
[edit] Reception
[edit] Critics
- "Van Draanen has another winner in this eighth-grade 'he-said, she-said' romance." - School Library Journal, Starred
- "We flipped over this fantastic book." - The Chicago Tribune
- "A highly agreeable romantic comedy." - Kirkus Reviews
[edit] Awards
- 2003
- Won: Virginia Young Readers Program Award
- Won: South Carolina Children's Book Award
- 2004
- Won: California Young Reader Medal
- Won: Nevada Young Readers Award
- Nominated: Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award
