Ruby Pepperdine's life is spinning. Her best friend Lucy is mad at her. Her new friendship with Nero isn't going too well either. And she regrets what happed with her grandma Gigi. Now it all depends on Bunning Day when the whole town ears her essay.
The Center of Everything
By Linda Urban
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 4 - 8 | Grades 4 - 5 | R | 4.9 | 27942 |
Spring 2013 Kids' Indie Next List
For Ruby Pepperdine, the “center of everything” is on the rooftop of Pepperdine Motors in her donut-obsessed town of Bunning, New Hampshire, stargazing from the circle of her grandmother Gigi’s hug. That’s how everything is supposed to be—until Ruby messes up and things spin out of control. But she has one last hope. It all depends on what happens on Bunning Day, when the entire town will hear Ruby read her winning essay. And it depends on her twelfth birthday wish—unless she messes that up too. Can Ruby’s wish set everything straight in her topsy-turvy world?
For Ruby Pepperdine, the “center of everything” is on the rooftop of Pepperdine Motors in her donut-obsessed town of Bunning, New Hampshire, stargazing from the circle of her grandmother Gigi’s hug. That’s how everything is supposed to be—until Ruby messes up and things spin out of control. But she has one last hope. It all depends on what happens on Bunning Day, when the entire town will hear Ruby read her winning essay. And it depends on her twelfth birthday wish—unless she messes that up too. Can Ruby’s wish set everything straight in her topsy-turvy world?
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 9780544340695
ISBN-10: 0544340698
Published on 2/3/2015
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 208
Book Reviews (41)
I would recommend this book for sixth graders and up because it contains characters that middle school students can really relate to. The book tells the story of 11 year old Ruby Pepperdine who feels like her whole world is turning upside down. The book follows her as she struggles with her feelings that nothing is the way it is supposed to be. She is deeply sad because her grandmother has died and she feels like she let her down because she didn't understand her last words to her which were "listen, its all coming together". She also finds herself caught between between two friends. Her best friend Lucy isn't even talking to her because of her new friendship with a boy named Nero. But that friendship isn't going very well either. Somehow Ruby decides that if she can just read her winning essay at the town parade the wish she makes when she turns 12 will make everything right again. The story is written from the perspective of a third person narrator which made it a little difficult for me to really connect to Ruby as much as I might I have if it was written from her point of view. But I liked the way the author followed Ruby's personal journey as she tries to make some sense of her world by figuring out what her grandmother was trying to tell her .
It looks great...........cant wait/......
Looks good. Yum yum donuts
must get this book... the preview was really great!
The Center of Everything is a thoughtful novel into the world of a naive eleven year old just trying to figure her life out. It keeps you on your toes, jumping through many chaotic plot lines, and the past and present. I love how the author uses many metaphors, through common items like donuts she portrayed a bigger picture regarding not only her small town but the universe around them. She learns about risks, chances and rewards, and finally pushes through her confusion and pain to come out strong in the end. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a thought-provoking story with an intricate plot.
This book is funny, adventurous, and sad. I think people who can follow more than one story line at a time would really enjoy this book. For me this book was confusing because the scene jumped around a lot.
This book was confusing, yet really good. When you start it, you don't realize what a complicated story it is, but as it goes on it changes from a girl giving a speech, to a story of friendship, how the universe works and acting. I really enjoyed the story about the genesis of the donut, though it made me really hungry. I also loved the cover, i kept turning to the cover to remind my self the scene. I wish i could recommend this book to everyone!!!
The Center of Everything by Linda Urban, was a pretty good book. A Crooked Kind of Perfect is my favorite of hers, but this one is almost the same just a different plot. Ruby Pepperdine's life has turned upside down. After a tragic loss, losing her best friends trust, she is confused. She hopes everything will go back to normal On the town's famous Bunning Day but there is no way to tell for sure. It is a little confusing and a lot like When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, so if you liked that book you will love this one. It was a really unique way of writing and i made the story really interesting when you go back in the past and in the next chapter coke back to the present.
On top of the roof at Pepperdine Motors in the small town of Bunning New Hampshire, is the Center of Everything. Imagine if Pepperdine Motors were the Sun. Everything else in Bunning -- such as DeNiro's Donuts or the Okeda Martial Arts Studio -- are the planets; constantly circling around the Sun. This, at least, is how it must feel to Ruby Pepperdine. That is, until this year. Now things are changing. Planets are falling out of alignment. "The Center of Everything" by Linda Urban, is an honest and amusing portrayal of what it is like to be a twelve year old girl and to have your life suddenly uprooted in a matter of months. This book darts from past to present, all leading up to the legendary "Bunning Day" festival. Will things be a total disaster, or will everything just fall into place?