Pack of Dorks by Beth Vrabel

Pack of Dorks Site

7/10

 Okay, I absolutely did not the beginning of the book. I don't think the actions are appropriate for upper elementary readers.  It is a lot like the book Loser by Jerri Spinelli.  The book redeems itself in the remaining chapters.  There is a definite transformation in the character and it is well written.  I do like the ending a lot.  

The way the author shows perceptions is really good.  She compares this group of students to a wolf pack that the character is researching.  Lucy starts with one perception, and ends with another.  She perceives her newborn sister differently from her parents and the general public.  Her perceptions change on her views of age, strength, popularity, athleticism, love, family, friendship, bullying, adults, and self.  She becomes a better person because of it.

Look at some of the dialogue tags this author used in this chapter book:

asked     called     whined     muttered     yelled       whispered    snapped blurted   glared    laughed    bellowed     nodded     repeated      bellowed cried       finished screamed 

Theme:
It takes place in a family where a Down's Syndrome baby girl has just been born.  It is in 1st person, the character struggles with many different perceptions in her journey from her own, to strangers, to friends, to social status'.