Dan Quixote: Boy of Nuevo Jersey: (School and Library Edition)

by Shevi Arnold (Illustrator), Shevi Arnold

Overview

Thirteen-year-old Dan Tyler is the ultimate dreamer, and he needs his best friend Sandra Day Goldberg, an aspiring lawyer, to keep him grounded. But can their friendship survive a bully in the form of queen bee Jade, a mean teacher nicknamed the Dragon, Dan's budding romance with Gwen, and Sandy's desire to fit in despite having a best friend who does nothing but stick out? Based on the classic humorous novel Don Quixote by Cervantes, Dan Quixote: Boy of Nuevo Jersey encourages kids to reach for their dreams while staying true to their real friends and to themselves. "Without being preachy, Shevi Arnold speaks to young readers and tells them it's all right to be different and take the less traveled path in life." Author Dolly N. "With Dan Quixote Boy of Nuevo Jersey, author Shevi Arnold gives her young readers essential lessons for life and brings new interest to some very important literary classics." Author J.D. Holiday

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781470057084
Publisher:	CreateSpace Publishing
Publication date:	02/19/2012
Pages:	150
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.35(d)

Editorial Reviews

Gr 5–8—Dan and Sandy navigate eighth grade together with a strong, resilient friendship that tries to survive taunting and bullying from the popular crowd and a downright mean history teacher known as "The Dragon" in this story by Shevi Arnold. The main characters mirror many of those in Miguel De Cervantes's classic, with Dan battling metaphorical dragons to save damsels in distress. The author tackles a common teen conflict between the need to bend to peer pressure and the desire to stay true to oneself. The conversational style mimics teen speech and interjects a rapid-fire give-and-take with humor and sarcasm. The author's narration is a mixed bag, often sounding brittle when trying to be emphatic, and sounding a bit forced when giving each character a unique voice. While the story itself is strong and would interest middle school listeners, it could use some good editing and professional narration.—Tina Hudak, St. Albans School for Boys, Washington, DC

School Library Journal