This was a sweet one (pun intended). If you enjoyed Joan Bauer's "Close to Famous", definitely check this one out too.Tess Dobson moves with her mom and brother to the town of Schenectady, NY. Her mom dreams of opening an ice cream shop in their new town, but Tess isn't thrilled with the idea. Tess is used to her mother coming up grand ideas, but never following through, especially when her mother's condition that Tess calls "Shooting Stars" enters the picture. (Adults reading this will guess pretty quickly what condition 'Shooting Star' actually is). Tess is used to having to pick up her mother's slack, and take on her responsibilities, including taking care of her younger deaf brother. Just when Tess starts to get on board with her mom's idea, she finds herself in the same old situation. I used this book for a YA Mother-Daughter book club, and it was definitely a hit. While some of the mothers pointed out that Tess had to take on way too much responsibility for a 12 year old, and some of the resolutions seemed a little far fetched, it was still an enjoyable read. Rose Kent maker her point, and tells a sweet story in the process. The ice cream parlor creates a fun setting for the book, and much of the ice cream discussion will have you craving a bowl of your favorite as well. I definitely recommend this title for a YA Mother-Daughter book club, as it will create a fun night of eating ice cream and discussing mother/daughter relationships. It is also one of those books that is suitable for both upper and lower end of YA. Recommended Age:12+Overall Rating: 3.5 starsOverall Review: Although I've never moved across the country in the middle of the winter to open an ice cream shop, I was immediately intrigued by Tess's story and her unique, fiery family. I enjoyed Tess's growth throughout the novel, and particularly loved all the interesting details about setting up and opening her mother's ice cream store. Perhaps my favorite part of the story, though, were the wonderful characters Tess and her family come to know when they accidentally move into a retirement community. Soul-singing Winnie, militant Chief, and the other residents of Tess's apartment complex made the book come alive for me. While at times I felt that the storyline dragged a little, and there were moments where I had trouble connecting to some of the characters, overall, I enjoyed Rocky Road and would recommend it to any preteen or young teenager who likes a good read. Rocky Road would be an especially good book for those dealing with difficult circumstances, or for those who (like all of us at one time or another!) have found it hard to find the courage to speak up when we see problems around us.Content Analysis: Profanity/Language: 9 religious exclamations. 2 mild obscenities.Violence/Gore: A preteen throws a pear at another preteen. A preteen throws a milk pail at another preteen. Characters argue and insult each other.Sex/Nudity: NoneMature Subject Matter: Mental illness, deafness, moving to a new home, parental abandonment.Alcohol / Drug Use: A character's father is described as having been an alcoholic. A man smokes a cigarette. A character (now adult) says that she began smoking as a teen. A recovering smoker "pretends" to smoke by puffing on a straw or toothpick when stressed. A woman gets a job as a barmaid. An adult woman smokes a cigarette.Reviewed By CindyBThis book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Random House
What do You think about Rocky Road (2010)?
Surprisingly sweet and touching. Even though the crazy mom was a bit much.
—JustAKiss32
