Tiny infinities

Jean Heilprin Diehl

Book - 2018

Angry that her father has left, twelve-year-old Alice swears that she will live in her family's old Renaissance tent until he agrees to return; but after she meets her mute four-year-old neighbor Piper she finds herself becoming involved in the child's life--and when she hears the little girl speak a word for the first time in years she sets out to prove to Piper's parents that the dismal diagnosis they received for their daughter may be all wrong.

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Subjects
Published
San Francisco : Chronicle Books [2018]
Language
English
Main Author
Jean Heilprin Diehl (author)
Physical Description
344 pages ; 22 cm
ISBN
9781452163352
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

It's the summer before eighth grade and almost-13-year-old Alice is moving into a tent in her backyard, figuring it might be the only way to get her dad to return. Nothing's been right since her mom's accident, but at least she has swimming and a new friendship with Harriet, who's convinced Alice can secure a spot on the swim team record board. But another goal emerges midway through the summer when Alice's new babysitting charge, Piper, who's been mute for years, suddenly speaks just to her. Can she prove that it really happened and help Piper find her voice? Lush, layered, and languidly paced, Diehl's debut is frank in its depiction of a family mired in difficulties. Alice discovers no easy answers for the depth of her mother's woes, and yet, buoyed by curiosity, she perseveres and triumphs in small moments throughout the summer. Though accomplished and detailed, the writing at times feels too akin to adult literary fiction, which stretches believability. Still, this is a keenly perceptive and nuanced story awaiting just the right reader.--Barnes, Jennifer Copyright 2018 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 5-8-For 12-year-old Alice, swimming is her life, especially this summer since it's the only thing that hasn't changed. A serious car accident has left her mother homebound and their family scattered, living in four different places. In protest, Alice refuses to sleep in her home until the family is reunited, choosing instead to inhabit the backyard in the family's old tent. Late one evening she meets the new next-door neighbor, a young girl named Piper who does not speak. Soon Alice starts babysitting Piper and is surprised when she hears Piper speak-but no one believes her. With the help of a new friend, Harriet, and Piper's older half-brother, Owen, Alice sets out to prove that Piper isn't so silent after all. Alice is a strong, self-driven girl determined to excel in a sport underrepresented in children's fiction. The descriptions of swimming events are vivid and authentic, but, unfortunately, that does not extend to much of the dialogue, plot points, and characters. One-dimensional, absentee adults abound. Despite this, Diehl possesses real potential as a middle grade writer with descriptive imagery that can be quite beautiful at times. VERDICT An interesting, if uneven, story. A secondary purchase for most libraries.-Rebecca Gueorguiev, New York Public Library © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review

With her parents newly separated and her mother emotionally unstable, twelve-year-old Alice decides to live in a tent in the backyard. She makes a new friend (who is socially awkward and also a swimmer like Alice) and gains a babysitting charge--next-door neighbor Piper, who doesn't speak. Diehl's thought-provoking story about complex family and friendship dynamics features a unique and memorable cast of characters. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

The summer she turns 13, Alice struggles to hold on to the family life that has been slipping away since her mother's major car accident a year ago.At the request of her mother, who has been in bed and depressed since her accident, Alice's father is moving out, and her twin brothers are going to stay with their aunt. If she can't keep her family together, Alice hopes she can at least reach her swim team goals; she practices twice daily and has numerous competitions. The night Alice stays out late to avoid watching her father leave, she saves Piper, a young girl who just moved in next door, from being hit by a car. Alice soon realizes that something is wrong: Piper doesn't speak, doesn't seem to hear, and doesn't seem to express emotion as expected. Alice is hired as a mother's helper for the family, and one night she hears Piper utter a word. Telling Piper's parents about it upsets them, and Alice becomes determined to prove to everyone that she did not make this up. Diehl, a debut author, has a lovely writing style and wastes no time getting readers on Alice's side. While this is not a fast-paced novel and at times even feels meandering, its exploration of relationshipsamong family, friends both old and new, and crushesand responsibility are worth diving into. While some minor characters have names of diverse origins, the main characters are not described in terms of ethnicity or race, implying a white default.A quiet story with a likable protagonist. (Fiction. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.