Feature Book of the Week #2 See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles

Tuesday, September 10, 2013




Feature Book of the Week

See Your At Harry's

by
Jo Knowles

Twelve-year-old Fern feels invisible. It seems as though everyone in her family has better things to do than pay attention to her: Mom (when she’s not meditating) helps Dad run the family restaurant; Sarah is taking a gap year after high school; and Holden pretends that Mom and Dad and everyone else doesn’t know he’s gay, even as he fends off bullies at school. Then there’s Charlie: three years old, a "surprise" baby, the center of everyone’s world. He’s devoted to Fern, but he’s annoying, too, always getting his way, always dirty, always commanding attention. If it wasn’t for Ran, Fern’s calm and positive best friend, there’d be nowhere to turn. Ran’s mantra, "All will be well," is soothing in a way that nothing else seems to be. And when Ran says it, Fern can almost believe it’s true. But then tragedy strikes- and Fern feels not only more alone than ever, but also responsible for the accident that has wrenched her family apart. All will not be well. Or at least all will never be the same.


A Guest Post from  Jo Knowles


Many years ago, my agent suggested I write a book that reflected my childhood experience growing up in the restaurant business. It would be a humorous book, with silly stories about the trouble my sister, brother and I got into while my parents were too busy running the business. I began collecting memories from family members, and waiting for a story to take shape. Then, my brother died unexpectedly, and the idea of writing our story was simply too hard. When my brother died, a woman gave me the poem by Merrit Malloy that Fern receives in the book. I must have read that poem, and in particular the last line, "When all that's left of me is love, give me away" a hundred times. In one way it comforted me, and in another, it reminded me that I would never see my brother again. And that was unbearable.  It took me years to accept my brother's death, and to understand how to fill that void with love instead of constant sadness. But as I finally began to heal, I also wondered how I could "give him away," and what that meant. Eventually, of course, it became obvious. I would share our story after all. I imagined writing a book about our childhood as a gift to my brother, in which I could rewrite our past and make it kinder and more gentle. But, as with all stories, I quickly realized the characters forming on the page weren’t us, and fate had other plans for them. Ironically, by writing this story about strangers I came to love, I was able to understand my own family story perhaps even more clearly. By writing about someone else's loss, I was better able to come to terms and accept my own. And I think that was the gift my brother would have wanted most of all.


About the Author

I grew up in a very old, drafty farmhouse in a small New Hampshire town. My family had lots of animals while I was growing up: Dogs, cats, chickens, two ponies and three horses. My favorite pet was my pony, Smoky. He was already quite old when we adopted him, but he was a good sport about going to 4-H shows with me. I won a blue ribbon in my first ever show—the immensely challenging “Walk/Trot.” That show was a thrilling experience for both of us! Smoky lived to be over 30 years old. He was a good friend, even if he was stubborn and would only trot when heading back toward the barn.

I also grew up with lots of books. My mom and my sister were ALWAYS reading. I didn’t become “a reader” until high school, so I loved when my sister read to me. Even now, when I read certain books to my son that my sister read to me, it’s my sister’s voice I hear in my head.

My parents tried out lots of businesses when I was growing up. The first one I remember was called “Kellers’ Restaurant.” It was a family restaurant, but it was an ICE CREAM factory. Oh, we were popular children in the beginning.

Later my parents sold Kellers’ and bought a huge old Victorian home and converted it into a much fancier restaurant called The Hathaway House. The carriage house was converted to a bar and my brother, sister and I used to get into LOTS of trouble there. Our favorite hangout was the loft, where we’d lean through the wooden railing and try to throw popcorn into people’s drinks down below.

My favorite celebrity customer was Miss America. She brought my sister and me to her dressing room and showed us her “shoe” suitcase. We were very impressed. Another big celeb who ate there was John Travolta. This was a few years before Grease came out. Oh, if we’d only known!

I wrote some pretty amusing stories about The Hathaway House and other adventures when I was young. I think I always loved writing stories and poems about my family and pets. But it wasn’t until high school that I started to read. I have Robert Cormier’s The Chocolate War to thank for that. I’m convinced that is the book that turned me into an avid reader, and eventually a writer. There is something about the raw truth of that book that showed me how powerful words can be.

In college I took a children’s literature course, got hooked, and went to grad school to learn more. There, I took a course on writing for children. I loved it so much, I decided to write my first YA novel for my graduate thesis. That semester I was lucky enough to meet Robert Cormier, my hero. I told him how his book had turned me into “a reader.” He gave me his address and said to send him my novel when I finished. That message helped me finish my book. I sent it. He wrote back and told me I had talent, and that he hoped one day my book would be published with a blurb from him on the back. I have that letter framed in my office.

In February 2006, I sold my first novel, Lessons From A Dead Girl, to Candlewick Press. My dream of becoming a published author finally came true.

Now, I live in Vermont with my husband and son. I’m a freelance writer, and I work on my fiction whenever I can find the time. And I read. I try to read at least one novel a week. If you want to be a writer, I suggest you try to read a book a week, too. Reading makes us better writers. I’m a firm believer in that. (Bio obtained from author website)




36 Delicious Comments:

Anonymous said...

I haven't read this book yet, but it sure looks like a good one! It's one of the next one's on my list. I can't wait to start!!!!! :)

-Hazelwood West Middle

Anonymous said...

Looks like a good book ;)

~Hazelwood West Middle School

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to read this!

~HAZELWOOD WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL!

Anonymous said...

EATING BOOKS YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(AW YEAH)

*Hazelwood West Middle School*

Anonymous said...

I liked how the main characters' names all came from books. It just shows the power of characters and people do actually fall in love with them.

St. Clare of Assisi

Anonymous said...

This keeps popping up on my recommendation list on Goodreads. This should be the next book I read! It looks like a good book! :)

~Hazelwood West Middle School

Anonymous said...

I WANT TO READ THIS SOOOOOO BAAAAADDD!!!!!!!

~Hazelwood West Middle

Anonymous said...

I love ice cream and this Dad would make my ideal Pops!
Wentzville Middle School

Anonymous said...

I WANNA READ THIS LIKE SO BAD!!!!!!!!!!!


~HAZELWOOD WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!!

:D

Anonymous said...

MY DEFINITE FAVORITE BOOK SO FAR! ED

-Hazelwood West Middle

Anonymous said...

THIS LOOKS SOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~hazelwood west middle school

Anonymous said...

i wanna read this ._.

~Hazelwood West Middle School

Anonymous said...

*curls up in ball* I wanna read it... I wanna read it....

—hazelwood west middle school

Anonymous said...

This looks like a really sweet book! Can't wait to read it!

Hazelwood West Middle

Anonymous said...

Great book you should try it!

Wentzville Middle School

Anonymous said...

this is a very great book filled with hungryiness!

Anonymous said...

This book reminds me of all those great visits to ice cream shops during the summer!!

Wentzville Middle School

Anonymous said...

This is a nice book it just makes me very,very hungry and/or thirsty.

Wentzville Middle School

Donae said...

lovess thee book its great we are gonna win !

donae said...

from southeat middle by donae

Anonymous said...

It reminds me of choclate ice cream and the ice cream trucks

Anonymous said...

Really great!
- St. Clare of Assisi

Anonymous said...

I'm super connected to the characters! A little obsessive... great book!

Anonymous said...

I'm super connected to the characters! A little obsessive... great book!

-St. Clare of Assisi

Anonymous said...

This was a very relatable book that made you laugh, cry, and wonder how dare he/she! It was marvelous, and really makes you ponder about life.
This was my favorite book battle book I’ve read yet. Even though it wasn’t a heart pounding thriller I was still pressed to turn the page each time. The character Fern wraps you up in her feelings and those of her family members as this unexpected tragedy occurs. This is just an all-around fantastic book.
Hazelwood North Middle

Anonymous said...

I think the accident must have been hard on Fern. It would be hard for anyone to go through. She feels invisible before it happens, but afterwards she feels that she is to blame, thus seeing herself as the center of attention. When she imagined being not invisible, I don't think this is at all what she had in mind.

I also think the author did a great job of really imagining how Fern must have felt and then describing it in a way that can relate to the readers.

St. Clare of Assisi

Anonymous said...

YES! I FINALLY GOT TO READ THIS!!! *looks up in triumph*

....I sobbed like a baby....

~Hazelwood West Middle School

Anonymous said...

This story made me cry. It was a joy to read though, and i couldn't stop until i was finished

Anonymous said...

Words cannot describe the emotions i tie with this book. But, I guess that's kind of an oxymoron, seeing as I'm using words to describe this book.

In short, I kind of hated it. The author tried to execute a book riddled with emotional turmoil, and she kind of failed. I felt nothing. The book, is filled with unnecessary details, and the climax is way to far back in the story. If the brother had died earlier, there would be much more room for development. Fern literally got over his death like *that*.

Don't even get me started on the name, "Random." But, that statement is drowning in an extreme bias that stems from my scene days, so, I guess it doesn't really count.

--Parkway Northeast Middle

Anonymous said...

THIS BOOK IS SOOOO POWERFUL!!! I was sobbing after I finished it! See You At Harry's is an amazing read. It really tugs at your emotions! I love this book!

~Hazelwood West Middle School

Anonymous said...

THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD! ANYONE WHO HASN'T READ IT SHOULD READ IT!!!!

-Hazelwood West Middle School

Anonymous said...

Can I just start out with saying that 'See You At Harry's' totally took me off guard. I had no idea what this book was going to be about when I first opened it, and by the time I finished it, I was shocked. Like, frozen shocked. There is SO. MUCH. LOVE. in this book. All kinds of love. And that's the kind of stuff that really tugs at my heart. I mean, yes, this book is VERY VERY sad, and yes, if you are sensitive you will cry. But I don't know. I feel like 'See You At Harry's' has a positive vibe to it; even after a horrible tragedy that affects everyone in the book, Fern and the others manage to cope with it. Well... cope isn't the word. I can't find the right word right now, but like, they weren't beating themselves up with the blame at the end. If I could describe one word for Fern, I'd say brave, and caring. (okay that's two words... DEAL WITH IT! ;D) But she helps out everyone in the story, whether she knows it or not, and that's what I love about her. But I'm just saying, 'See You At Harry's' is one of the best books on the list this year in my opinion. I think anyone would love this book, so if you haven't read it, you should totally read it, because it is just amazing.

(whew, I felt like I rambled there for a moment...)
Can I just start out with saying that 'See You At Harry's' totally took me off guard. I had no idea what this book was going to be about when I first opened it, and by the time I finished it, I was shocked. Like, frozen shocked. There is SO. MUCH. LOVE. in this book. All kinds of love. And that's the kind of stuff that really tugs at my heart. I mean, yes, this book is VERY VERY sad, and yes, if you are sensitive you will cry. But I don't know. I feel like 'See You At Harry's' has a positive

(Whew, I felt like I rambled there for a moment...) :)

~Hazelwood West Middle School

Anonymous said...

aah! What happened to the comment! its like double! D: ^^

Hazelwood West Middle School

Anonymous said...

This book is so emotionally powerful! Wow!

Hazelwood West Middle School

Anonymous said...

*looks at See You At Harry's* *starts crying*

Hazelwood West Middle

Anonymous said...

*looks at See You At Harry's* *starts crying*

Hazelwood West Middle

 
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