Reviews for Bobby's Story

The average rating for Bobby's Story based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2010-01-21 00:00:00 Kazuaki Yamada This is Johnson's second book for young readers, and much better than her first book, Soul Moon Soup. Thirteen-year-old Winona and her parents have trouble adjusting to a move from Chicago, where Winnie is a member of a school clique called the Starlings, to a remote small town in Minnesota, where they live in a house on the grounds of a mental institution. What I liked best about this book, which I read all in one sitting, was the way Winnie grew as a character through her interactions with the small town kids, the institution's staff and patients, and a Native American boy from the Indian section of town. Several of the characters have secrets which are revealed in the course of the story, showing how keeping secrets may not always be best. I also enjoyed the 1959 setting, which Johnson brought out with references to fashions and music of the time period. The only fault I found with this book was the lack of a historical note at the end explaining some of the background history behind why mental institutions were the way they were back then, and explaining some of the other attitudes of the period. After reading this, I certainly want to read more about the history of mental institutions and the treatment of the mentally ill. Highly recommended!

Review # 2 was written on 2014-07-27 00:00:00 Linn Reese Worlds Apart by Lindsay Lee Johnson is about a young girl named Winnie who has lived her whole life in Chicago and has lived and had a life there. Until one day she has to move to Minnesota for her dads job that requires them to move. She doesn't know why but her parents have asked her to pack and move right away. Her life in Minnesota is not the same as it was in Chicago. She and her mom have trouble adjusting to Minnesota, everything is different. Winnie doesn't feel the same no more. How can she handle being in a new place with new people and a new place thats a mental institution were she is surrounded with people with many diseases. She fights to go back home because living there for her is just a horrible thing. I would recommend this book because it makes you think bout how there is situations were we need to adjust to because not everything can come out perfect.