Those Kids from Fawn Creek

by Erin Entrada Kelly Narrated by Ramon de Ocampo

Overview

“A powerful and thought-provoking story.”-Shelf Awareness (starred review)

“An emotionally resonant story about authenticity and belonging.”-Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A raw, real exploration of belonging that's also sweetly hopeful.”-Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Every day in Fawn Creek, Louisiana, is exactly the same-until Orchid Mason arrives. From Erin Entrada Kelly, the winner of the Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe and a Newbery Honor for We Dream of Space, this contemporary school story set in small-town Louisiana is about friendship, family, deception, and being true to yourself and your dreams.

There are twelve kids in the seventh grade at Fawn Creek Middle School. They've been together all their lives. And in this small factory town where everyone knows everything about everyone, that's not necessarily a great thing.

There are thirteen desks in the seventh-grade classroom. That's because Renni Dean's father got a promotion, and the family moved to Grand Saintlodge, the nearest big town. Renni's desk is empty, but Renni still knows their secrets; is still pulling their strings.

When Orchid Mason arrives and slips gracefully into Renni's chair, the other seventh graders don't know what to think. Orchid-who was born in New York City but just moved to Fawn Creek from Paris-seems to float. Her dress skims the floor. She's wearing a flower behind her ear.

Fawn Creek Middle might be small, but it has its tightly knit groups-the self-proclaimed “God Squad,” the jocks, the outsiders-just like anyplace else. Who will claim Orchid Mason? Who will save Orchid Mason? Or will Orchid Mason save them?

Newbery Medal and Newbery Honor winner Erin Entrada Kelly explores complex themes centered on family, friendships, and staying true to yourself. Those Kids from Fawn Creek will enchant fans of Rebecca Stead, Jerry Spinelli, and Kate DiCamillo.

Editorial Reviews

MARCH 2022 - AudioFile

Narrator Ramon de Ocampo gets interpersonal relationships just right when describing the upheavals that erupt when 12 seventh graders from Fawn Creek (aka Yawn Creek), Louisiana, meet the newly arrived, mysterious Orchid Mason. Orchid, born in New York City and recently hailing from Paris, regales them with stories from all over the world until her true identity is revealed. De Ocampo differentiates the many alternating perspectives, deepening several through their responses to Orchid. Grayson, referred to by his brother as “Gayson,” grows into his own gender individuality. Shy Dorothy becomes Deedee and speaks up to bullies. De Ocampo even portrays the regret of bullying Janie and strengthens themes of self-acceptance, friendship, and hope. S.W. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

Publishers Weekly

★ 01/31/2022

In this uplifting small-town novel about friendship and identity, Newbery winner Entrada Kelly realistically captures the complex hierarchies of middle school. When new student Orchid Mason joins Venezuela-born Mr. Agosto’s class one November day, the 12 seventh graders can’t help but be excited—Orchid has traveled all over the world, while little changes in Fawn (aka “Yawn”) Creek, Louisiana. Ignoring the small cued-white class’s well-established social hierarchy and garnering disdain from local mean girls, Orchid gravitates toward introverted Dorothy, who longs to connect with her detached parents, and soft-spoken Greyson, who’s struggling with his father’s characterization of him as “soft.” But while Orchid’s stories of life in New York City and Paris enthrall her classmates, her reticence to share much about herself causes her classmates—especially those threatened by Orchid’s popularity—to doubt her claims. Told by alternating narrators who each confess to feeling confined by unrealistic expectations and preconceived roles, this contemporary novel, timely in themes of self-acceptance and bullying, builds on the experiences of the author’s childhood to create a raw, real exploration of belonging that’s also sweetly hopeful. Occasional art by Krampien highlights the setting. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sara Crowe, Pippin Properties. (Mar.)

From the Publisher

’A stranger comes to town and changes everything’ is likely a story first told by cave dwellers. In Those Kids From Fawn Creek, Erin Entrada Kelly makes this trope feel brand-new by the sheer power of her narrative voice. Her trick is straightforward prose. She is deceptive in her simplicity. And she is working at the top of the middle grade children’s literature game. . . . Her narrative unfolds slowly in chapters that alternate between different kids’ perspectives. . . . [Kelly] asks us to consider not just how we see ourselves, but also how we treat one another.”
— New York Times Book Review

“Small-town life for the twelve seventh graders of Fawn Creek, Louisiana, gets turned upside down . . . when new student Orchid Mason arrives . . . Kelly has created a strong ensemble cast of students . . . with realistic problems rooted in family life, friendship, and school. Having grown up pigeonholed into expected roles, how can they fit in while following their own passions? . . . An emotionally resonant story about authenticity and belonging.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“In this uplifting small-town novel about friendship and identity, Newbery winner Entrada Kelly realistically captures the complex hierarchies of middle school. . . . Told by alternating narrators who each confess to feeling confined by unrealistic expectations and preconceived roles, this contemporary novel, timely in themes of self-acceptance and bullying, builds on the experiences of the author’s childhood to create a raw, real exploration of belonging that’s also sweetly hopeful.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Fawn Creek, Louisiana, is such a small town that there are only twelve students in seventh grade. . . . These dynamics are shaken up, however, with the arrival of Orchid. . . . Kelly does a brilliant job . . . . Carefully constructed protective public shields fall away as the various characters pop into fully realized 3-D and realign themselves with family and friends. . . . Orchid is the . . . a borderline magical character who appears in town and effects startling change. The novel’s hopeful denouement is entirely earned.” — Horn Book (starred review)

“Fawn Creek . . . is a tiny, tight-knit company town in Louisiana. The seventh graders . . . have their cliques and are used to living within those confines. . . . Then, in floats Orchid Mason . . . She voices unasked questions, offers different perspectives, and refuses to be pigeonholed. . . . Newbery medalist Kelly has captured the middle-school mindset, with its attendant anxieties, dreams, and hopes. . . . Another gem in the crown of Erin Entrada Kelly.” — Booklist (starred review)

“An outsider inspires twelve kids from a sleepy Louisiana town to see their inner strengths and share their best with each other in Erin Entrada Kelly’s heartfelt and inspirational Those Kids from Fawn Creek. . . . Newbery Award-winner Kelly delivers another poignant and pitch-perfect middle-grade novel and lays bare quiet truths and universal childhood experiences with tremendous emotional resonance. . . . This powerful and thought-provoking story champions acceptance and serves as a bittersweet reminder to see the beauty in oneself as well as others.” — Shelf Awareness (starred review)

“Fawn Creek, LA, isn’t the kind of town where much changes, so the seventh grade students are instantly intrigued when Orchid arrives. . . . Kelly shakes up the idealized small-town story trope by showing the realities of life in a small, poor town, and the limitations the characters face as they worry that they might never see what else the world has to offer. . . . A well-told, relatable novel about misfits and outsiders that will ring true with middle grade readers.” — School Library Journal

Booklist (starred review)

Fawn Creek . . . is a tiny, tight-knit company town in Louisiana. The seventh graders . . . have their cliques and are used to living within those confines. . . . Then, in floats Orchid Mason . . . She voices unasked questions, offers different perspectives, and refuses to be pigeonholed. . . . Newbery medalist Kelly has captured the middle-school mindset, with its attendant anxieties, dreams, and hopes. . . . Another gem in the crown of Erin Entrada Kelly.

New York Times Book Review

’A stranger comes to town and changes everything’ is likely a story first told by cave dwellers. In Those Kids From Fawn Creek, Erin Entrada Kelly makes this trope feel brand-new by the sheer power of her narrative voice. Her trick is straightforward prose. She is deceptive in her simplicity. And she is working at the top of the middle grade children’s literature game. . . . Her narrative unfolds slowly in chapters that alternate between different kids’ perspectives. . . . [Kelly] asks us to consider not just how we see ourselves, but also how we treat one another.”

Shelf Awareness (starred review)

An outsider inspires twelve kids from a sleepy Louisiana town to see their inner strengths and share their best with each other in Erin Entrada Kelly’s heartfelt and inspirational Those Kids from Fawn Creek. . . . Newbery Award-winner Kelly delivers another poignant and pitch-perfect middle-grade novel and lays bare quiet truths and universal childhood experiences with tremendous emotional resonance. . . . This powerful and thought-provoking story champions acceptance and serves as a bittersweet reminder to see the beauty in oneself as well as others.

Horn Book (starred review)

Fawn Creek, Louisiana, is such a small town that there are only twelve students in seventh grade. . . . These dynamics are shaken up, however, with the arrival of Orchid. . . . Kelly does a brilliant job . . . . Carefully constructed protective public shields fall away as the various characters pop into fully realized 3-D and realign themselves with family and friends. . . . Orchid is the . . . a borderline magical character who appears in town and effects startling change. The novel’s hopeful denouement is entirely earned.

School Library Journal

03/01/2022

Gr 4–7—Fawn Creek, LA, isn't the kind of town where much changes, so the seventh grade students are instantly intrigued when Orchid arrives. There's Greyson, whose interest in style makes him feel misplaced in his own family; Dorothy, who has taken to hiding behind her hair; and Janie, clinging to her ringleader best friend, Renni. Not only does Orchid have stories of living all over the world, she barely notices the small, divisive cliques that make up her new class. Her classmates begin to see possibilities that they never dreamed of, but not everyone is happy about the change. As secrets unravel and the community dance gets closer, the students start to see that maybe a shake-up is just what they need. This story features an ensemble cast, with each character's backstory revealed slowly. Fawn Creek itself also feels alive; readers will feel like they're breathing in the humid air and traipsing down familiar trails with the characters. Kelly shakes up the idealized small-town story trope by showing the realities of life in a small, poor town, and the limitations the characters face as they worry that they might never see what else the world has to offer. The premise of this novel has similarities to Jerry Spinelli's Stargirl, but Orchid and Fawn Creek may feel more authentic to readers. VERDICT While the plot itself is nothing flashy, this is a well-told, relatable novel about misfits and outsiders that will ring true with middle grade readers.—Kristin Brynsvold

MARCH 2022 - AudioFile

Narrator Ramon de Ocampo gets interpersonal relationships just right when describing the upheavals that erupt when 12 seventh graders from Fawn Creek (aka Yawn Creek), Louisiana, meet the newly arrived, mysterious Orchid Mason. Orchid, born in New York City and recently hailing from Paris, regales them with stories from all over the world until her true identity is revealed. De Ocampo differentiates the many alternating perspectives, deepening several through their responses to Orchid. Grayson, referred to by his brother as “Gayson,” grows into his own gender individuality. Shy Dorothy becomes Deedee and speaks up to bullies. De Ocampo even portrays the regret of bullying Janie and strengthens themes of self-acceptance, friendship, and hope. S.W. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2021-12-15
Small-town life for the 12 seventh graders of Fawn Creek, Louisiana, gets turned upside down.

When new student Orchid Mason arrives—a rare occurrence in a town that hardly ever sees change—her stories of living in Paris and New York City seem too good to be true. Painfully shy Dorothy and her best friend, Greyson, who doesn’t fit his father’s gender expectations, are enraptured by Orchid’s stories of the world, which give them hope for something better than life in a place where Gimmerton Chemical is the main employer. But not everyone is as welcoming, and Janie, the queen of the social scene, plots to put the new girl in her place. Lessons on similes, metaphors, and poetry from Mr. Agosto, their English teacher whose family left Venezuela for Fawn Creek when he was small, are brilliantly used to enrich the characters’ observations. Kelly has created a strong ensemble cast of students, all of whom present White, with realistic problems rooted in family life, friendship, and school. Having grown up pigeonholed into expected roles, how can they fit in while following their own passions? The book begins with the mystery of Orchid and ends with universal lessons in self-acceptance, standing up to bullies, and the power of kindness. The rural Southern setting is well developed and is enhanced by occasional full-page illustrations.

An emotionally resonant story about authenticity and belonging. (Fiction. 8-12)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940176225068
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/08/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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