Surviving the Applewhites audiobook

I read this in my quest to read every children's book featuring modern homeschooled characters (there are shockingly few out there). It's a fun story about a homeschooling family that takes in a rebellious boy who has been expelled from school for getting into too much trouble. The story is about how the boy relaxes into his new situation and finds the freedom to discover himself in the midst of it.The book relies on the stereotype of homeschoolers as eccentric, artsy types, but they're not too off-the-wall for my tastes. Non-artsy talents are definitely recognized and valued through the plot of the book, which I found very important. The story is very well-written. In particular, I was impressed by the way things that seemed upon introduction to be random colorful details--such as the angry goat, E.D.'s butterfly project, and Govindaswami--turned out to be crucial to the plot. Almost nothing here was extraneous, and it all tied together very nicely.I do worry about Jake, the rebellious kid, though. He was sent away from home partly for his behavior but also because his parents had been sent to prison on nonviolent drug charges. He barely thought about his parents for the whole story after that. What kind of relationship does he have with them, and what will happen when they're out of prison and it's time for him to go back home? Maybe this is addressed in the sequel--which I plan to read sometime later, when my kids are old enough for this book.

My goodness, reading this with my son was definitely something. Having read this as a child myself I was very happy my son decided to read it himself, but let's say he didnt get some of the references lmao, I guess you gatta be a 90s kid.

I admit I have not read this book in years, but I remember it being one of my favorite books when I was younger. I still get really excited whenever I see a Great Spangled Fritillery. As a homeschooler myself, I thought the Applewhite family was a hilarious. Yes, they are all completely over the top and absurd, but I think they are better done than most characters you will find in books targeting at this same age group. What also really appealed to me for this book is that the youngest kid, I forget his name, IS one of my brothers. I don't know how the author did it, but that kid IS my brother. Of course, my brother has yet to discover a talent in singing, but there's time yet!I identified a lot with E.D., and actually, after reading this book, I was inspired to try doing the same thing she did with her school. I, too, live in a crazy homeschool family (NOTHING like the family in the book, but still crazy!) and this book actually really inspired me to take charge of my education and not have my school be something my mom hands to me. This book, I think, is partly responsible for where I am today and inspired the drive I apply to my schoolwork. For, as this book showed me, I can really decide what I want to do, and do well in it if I work hard enough. If you've read the book recently and are banging your head against the wall at my inaccuracy, then I apologize. I literally have not read this book in six years. It left a deep enough impression, though, that I still remembered it clearly enough to write the above!Read it, it's a great story and may inspire you to do a play, or categorize every butterfly in your state, or something bigger!

Very good. But I read this in 3rd grade in my book club and got, I think 2nd, 3rd, or 4th place.

Jake Stemple is considered one of the ultimate bad boys. He's been kicked out of every school he's ever attended. Then he ends up at Wit's End. Wit's End is where the Applewhite family lives. The Applewhite children are all home schooled and Jake's grandfather has decided that Jake will be joining them. Jake moves in with the Applewhites and realizes that they are all crazy artists, but he is eventually sucked in and joins the family for a massive project that will take everyone's skills.I liked watching Jake find his place in the Applewhite family. He gets sucked in so subtly he clearly doesn't realize it at first. I also like that you get into Jake's brain as he realizes how many of the things he's doing weren't about him but were in fact about how he wanted others to perceive him.I like the insight into E.D. as well. She is clearly the odd one out but she still plays a vital role in the family. The play could not have been pulled off without her. I guess I've been reading too much fiction where relationships play a heavy role. I was totally expecting E.D. and Jake to end up in some kind of relationship and that never happened and it felt so much more right because of it.There was lots of humor and lots of hard work. Destiny is a great example of that. He's a funny kid but he takes a lot of work. It was also interesting to see the amount of work that went into putting on the play.

This is one of my daughter's favorite names, perhaps because she goes by the same initials of the female lead. I enjoy it, it's a light read that makes me take another look at how our family chooses to homeschool. The characters are quirky and fun. I've seen criticism that Jake's family problems should leave him more "hardened" than he is, but, after some consideration, I don't think that necessarily pans out. As one reviewer noted, "His parents are in prison for selling pot, it's not like they're running a meth lab." Disregarding the political issues involved in "levels" of drugs - which this novel does not touch - I think it makes a convincing reason why Jake is more "bad" in appearance than actuality. As he states, he does most things for effect, starting when he was three and learned the power of "bad" words. When those things - such as his hair or smoking or profanity - are ignored, he has to figure out who he "really" is.As a homeschooling mom, I won't lie - the thing I most enjoy is the homeschooling. This is a great description of unschooling, which I can't quite let myself manage, but it's great to see a family in action that can (even if they're fictional).

So you know when you read a book and you can't stop reading it, even though it's just a kid's book, and when you finish you just sigh because it was amazing? This was one of those books.The Applewhites, all their differences, and unique traits were all very memorable, as were the 'adopted Applewhites,' Jake, Jeremy, and later the Aunt's geru or whatever he was. (i don't remember)(view spoiler)[I like how at first they were all pretty selfish. I mean, they were always concerned about their work their new project. But then the theatre show was canceled because Mr. Applewhite (what was his name? Richard?) wouldn't hire the lady in charge's daughter. Then THEN E.D. got this brilliant idea, and they all banded together to put on the show. The show must go on! (hide spoiler)]Definitely a good read, even though it's meant more for middle grade. (note, I am still reading The Watcher Key and Heaven Without Her. In fact, I am almost done with Heaven Without Her, and then I will focus solely on The Watcher Key.)

I wasn't expecting to really like this book when I started it; the thought of another troubled-teen-turned-around book annoyed me. The back cover begins by saying, "Jake Semple is a scary kid. Word has it that he burned down his old school and then was kicked out of every other school in his home state." He is then sent to be home-schooled by the Applewhite family in North Carolina, where the students (consisting only of the family and Jake) are given creative license to learn according to their own plans. This is Jake's last chance - if he is thrown out, next stop is Juvenile Hall.But the rest of the story really doesn't revolve around Jake at all, but rather around the family's attempt to stage a production of the Sound of Music. And Jake never really shows any signs of rebellion except trying to smoke once or twice, which the family largely ignores. I actually enjoyed the story in itself: it is well-written and the characters are fairly likeable, but I think that the marketing of a bad-boy-turned-good story is misleading.

This a story about a juvenile deliquent boy who is sent to live with a very unusual and artistic family instead of being put into jail. In some ways, he finds it harder than actually being in jail. It's about fitting in by not fitting in and being true to yourself. There's a lot in the story about putting on a play, so if you are into drama, you would probably like this story.

I have just re-read this book. I was looking for another story to base a musical on, and this is not it, but I did find that I enjoyed the book again. It is a bit wacky and over the top, but it is good hearted and speaks to my interest in stories where kids find their way through some adolescent confusion to discover more about themselves.

Light and enjoyable. Wacky artsy family runs creative homeschool for their kids and takes on a "bad kid" from the big city. Dad tackles directing The Sound of Music for the local community theatre, everyone gets involved, including the family's only well-organized, non-artsy kid and the city boy. Easy to predict how it will all come out, but it's fun to go along for the ride.

{3.5 } This book was... interesting. We have a love/hate relationship. Give me a moment while I try to collect my thoughts. LIKES ECCENTRIC HOMESCHOOLERS WELL-WRITTEN INTERESTING PREMISE FUNNY AND SNARKY! sadly, my friends, the list ends there.I guess I'm weird but the characters all made me WANT TO PULL MY HAIR OUT. There was like 0% communication in this book, which I guess was kind of the point, but still. Also: the beginning was... boring.I'm sorry, but it is true. It was also hard to keep the characters straight! I never knew who was who! I did think that they did a pretty good job of being 'homeschooled' because, like them, my family doesn't really watch tv and most of our schoolwork is online and therefore takes up maybe four hours out of our day so we have plenty of time to explore our interests. I DO think that this family's approach was TOO lax, because I guess I am a nerdy school-loving bookworm.All in all, this is a 3.5 star book. But do not take my word for it- read it yourself.

Loved this children's book! Its amazing to have authors write about children doing, creating, and learning things on their own, many of which we automatically assume they cannot do on their own.

3 November 2002 SURVIVING THE APPLEWHITES by Stephanie S. Tolan, HarperCollins, August 2002High on a hill was a lonely goatherdLay ee odl lay ee odl lay [uh-oh!]Loud was the voice of the lonely goatherdLay ee odl lay ee odl [oh-no!]Folks in a town that was quite remote heardLay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee [crash!]Lusty and clear from the goatherd's throat heardLay ee odl lay ee odl [oh sh__!]What would you get if you crossed the Marx Brothers with Maria von Trapp and plunked it all down in the hills of North Carolina? If you can begin to imagine that, then you'd have a sense of what you'll discover in SURVIVING THE APPLEWHITES. This is a hilarious tale of a middle grade boy from Rhode Island, whose transcript rivals that of Martin Anderson (from David Lubar's HIDDEN TALENTS). And, in fact, "hidden talents" is an apt phrase for this book too.Jake Semple, the young lad with "spiked scarlet hair, a silver ring through one dark eyebrow, and too many earrings to count," has relocated to North Carolina to live with his grandfather after his parents' clandestine agricultural pursuits land them in jail. Three weeks later, Jake's worn out his welcome at the local middle school, and his social worker has worked out a last-chance opportunity: go live with his grandpa's neighbors, the Applewhites, who own the sixteen-acre scattering of cabins they call Wit's End, and be homeschooled along with the Applewhite kids at their self-proclaimed "Creative Academy."The Applewhites are a most idiosyncratic and creative crowd, who seem to get more and more crowd-ed as the story progresses. (Think Monkey Business.) Set off in contrast to her more flamboyant--or in one case, reclusive--relatives is E.D. Applewhite, named after Edith Wharton, who is Jake's age and who, as the "straight man" as well as the only seemingly organized one of the bunch, is given charge of Jake's education. (All of the Applewhite kids figure out their own educational needs.)Jake's facade--that of the hardcore delinquent--begins to wear away when, first, he is not faced with the usual rules and authority figures he is used to battling, and second, as he is "adopted" by a chunky old hound dog named Winston and by the youngest of the Applewhites, four-year-old Destiny:" 'How did your hair get that color?' he [Destiny] asked. Even if Jake had intended to reply, he couldn't have. The boy went right on, leaving no time for Jake to squeeze in so much as a syllable. 'Did it just grow that way? Mine just growed. My hair's blond. Did you know they don't gots a blond crayon even in the sixty-four box? I think they should, don't you? Lots of people gots blond hair. What do you call your color? I bet they have a crayon for it. I like it! And how do you make your hair all stick up in points like that? When I wake up in the morning, mine sticks up sometimes. But not in points. Mommy always combs it down. Can you comb your points down?' The boy took a breath and kept going. 'Does it hurt to have that ring sticking through your eyebrow? It looks like it hurts. How come you gots so many earrings? What does your shirt say?&n! ! bsp; Is that a pirate skull? It doesn't have the crossbones like a pirate flag. I like pirates. I wanna be a pirate when I grow up. And a painter. And a king...' "This is a great read for any kid who has seen The Sound of Music. (You'll have to read it to find out why.) For all the talk of Jake's foul language, we never do actually hear any of those words, so this would make a great classroom read aloud for fifth grade and up. But if you read it when you're supposed to be asleep or when you're supposed to be doing something else, then be sure to laugh quietly!Richie Partingtonhttp://richiespicks.com