FIRST-BOY

1. [Ebook free] First Boy First Boy Gary D. Schmidt audiobook | *ebooks | Download PDF | ePub | DOC #6006467 in Books 2005-10-11 2005-10-11Formats: Audiobook, UnabridgedOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 4 4.90 x .95 x 5.60l, Running time: 287 minutesBinding: Audio CD | File size: 17.Mb Gary D. Schmidt : First Boy before purchasing it in order to gage whether or not it would be worth my time, and all praised First Boy: 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Political Romp in the midst of beauty and sadnessBy LizPCooper Jewett's grandfather and only guardian just died, leaving him to run a dairy farm in New Hampshire by himself. Cooper's parents died in a car accident when he was a baby, at least that's what he's been told. After his grandfather's death, Mrs. Perley helps out by cooking for Cooper and sleeping downstairs instead of going home to her own house at night. Mr. Searle, another dairy farmer, helps out with the chores around the farm. Cooper does the best he can to keep up with his schoolwork and with his position on the cross-country team. But black sedans are following him, and soon he finds himself in the middle of a fight between President of the United States, who's running for reelection, and Senator Wickham, the challenger.Political dirty tricks are the basis of the book. Cooper is the tool, and he spends most of his time trying to keep himself from being used.Senator Wickham is the bad guy here, and he's very bad, and very one-dimensional. The President and the people working for her are slightly more three dimensional than the people working for Senator Wickham.Mr. Searle and Mrs.Perley are both good guys, and they're very good, in spite of their gruff New England top layer. The Methodist minister and his very large family, including Cooper's friend Peter, are also very good.Senator Wickham tries one destructive act after another to try to get Cooper to cooperate with him. While the acts move the story along, they seem contrived.Cooper is the only multidimensional character. He's dealing with the loss of his grandparents, the fear of losing his farm, the work involved in maintaining the farm and going to school. Mr. Searle and Mrs. Perley love him, and this gives their characters a bit more multidimensionality.The descriptions of the farming lifestyle and Cooper's Farm in particular makes me want to live on a dairy farm in New Hampshire. I can almost feel the warmth coming from the cows as Cooper leans into them while milking them on a

2. cold morning.Over all, this is not a masterpiece, but a fun romp into political dirty tricks.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. First Boy is First RateBy PJThis is a great book to teach so many different themes, primarily the importance of life-long values one must have and live by. Family, friends, honor, a good work ethic, all play into this book. I use this book with my sixth grade class to teach them the importance of these themes as well as what unscrupulous people can attempt to do and succeed at if no one is watching. I also bring in the importance of paying attention to government; after all, these 12 year olds will be voting soon (I hope)!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Well written!By FlossieThis story is very well written and held my attention to the last word. Some books have good writing and a weak story; others have a good story but are not well written. Gary Schmidt scores high on both counts. Mr. Heavy Legs walked past Cooper and got into the jeep. He turned on the ignition and backed up to Cooper. He handed him a card with a single phone number on it. Im not forcing you to come, kid. Not yet. But things are going to start happening fast. Very fast. Call if you want me. And one thing more: Next time I see you, I wont be asking you to come.Do you know what happened to my father?Of course I do, said Mr. Heavy Legs. Then he drove away. Youre my first boy, Cooper, my first boy, his grandfather tells him just before he dies. Now, fourteen-year-old Cooper Jewett has no one, not even a dog to keep him company. The only thing that keeps him going is looking after the dairy farm. All of a sudden, strange and inexplicable things begin to happen. Big men in suits with black sedans are all over Coopers small New Hampshire town. The President of the United States invites Cooper for a chat at her headquarters. Her opponent insists that Cooper join him on his campaign. Coopers house is searched at night, and his barn is burned down. His neighbors, even the sheriff, are behaving strangely. Why? From School Library JournalGrade 5-8While not as richly layered as Schmidt's Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (Clarion, 2004), this novel touches on similar themes. When Cooper Jewett's beloved grandfather, whose endearment for the 14-year-old is, You're my first boy, dies suddenly, the teen finds himself completely alone. He's never even seen a picture of his parents. Cooper is determined to stay on the New Hampshire dairy farm that he loves, although school, cross-country practice, and endless chores make that decision nearly impossible. The Big Men in black sedans who begin to follow him, ransacking the farm and setting fire to a barn, set off a series of events that ends with him being kidnapped and meeting the president. Senator Wickham, a candidate for the Democratic nomination, wishing to smear the incumbent, uncovers a scandal and believes that the President and the First Gentleman (yes, that's right: a woman president and a nice touch) are the boy's parents. However, since the president refuses to take a DNA test, readers are never certain whether or not Cooper is indeed the First Boy. He just wants to be home with his friends who love him and, in the end, he is able to stay. Cooper's grief, solitude, and loneliness are poignantly and realistically drawn, and secondary characters add humor to this fast-paced tale. At times, but not nearly as often as in Lizzie Bright, the writing reaches the lyricism so compelling in that novel. Like Turner in that book, Cooper learns how memories keep loved ones alive.Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.From BooklistGr. 7-10. Schmidt's historical novel, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (2004), was both a Printz and a Newbery Honor Book. Here the author tells a contemporary story rooted in the New Hampshire countryside, blending political farce with a poignant account of one boy's search for home. When Grandpa dies, Cooper, 14, is alone on the dairy farm where his grandparents had raised him. He wants to stay, and helped by his kind neighbors, he manages to get to school and do the daily chores. But who is setting fires in his barn? Why are big, black sedans cruising in the small town? Why does the local senator want the boy on his campaign trail? Who were Cooper's parents, and why did they abandon him? The family secrets are decidedly contrived, but the political machinations are fun. Best of all, though, are the realistic portrayal of a young teen alone, the unsentimental details of his work, the lyrical sense of the place he loves, and, above all, the meaning of family. Hazel RochmanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved