Paperboy

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Vawter, Vince.  2013. Paperboy. New York: Random House. ISBN:9780385742443

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In Memphis, Tennessee, during the summer of 1959, Vince, known as Little Man, agrees to take over his best friend’s paper route for a month after busting his lip with a baseball. Little Man is excited about the job because being a really great baseball pitcher should make it easy. However, he is concerned about collecting money each Friday because a severe stutter makes it difficult for him to communicate, and he is easily embarrassed by his speech difficulties. Throughout the month Little Man meets a rather unique group of people including an alcoholic housewife, a brilliant merchant marine, and a “TV boy.” Problems arise with the neighborhood junkman and Little Man’s housekeeper, Mam, risks her life to intervene and help. In the end, Little Man’s experiences that summer change him and his outlook on life for good.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This books gives a realistic look at life in Memphis in 1959.  Social injustices and race inequalities are evident through Mam’s conversations with Little Man, and Vawter does a great job describing the details like the heat of the summer and the smell of Ara T. Readers can even hear the southern dialect of the characters throughout the book.

I listened to this as an audiobook, and it really helped bring the main character to life. The technique that he uses to force out words without stuttering is unique to my ears and helped me to really hear how he would have sounded as he tried to push out a little air before forming a sound. I would not have read it the same way in my head, and I think hearing it aloud not only gave life to Little Man but also gave me the opportunity to really think about how he was perceived by others and what he thought of himself.

The interactions with the other characters lead to the major plot development in the story. While some of the conversations seem inconsequential, each exchange brings about a change in Little Man. The lessons that he learns from talking with Mr. Spiro eventually allow him to stand up for himself against another paperboy and admit to Mam the trouble he is having with Ara T. Ultimately, he finds an inner strength that leads him to be able to come to terms with his personal struggles. His perseverance is a timeless tale that many young readers will appreciate.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2014 NEWBERY HONOR BOOK

ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book

IRA Children’s and Young Adults’ Choice

IRA Teachers’ Choice

Junior Library Guild Selection

Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year

From Publisher’s Weekly: “[A] tense, memorable story.”

From School Library Journal: “Vawter portrays a protagonist so true to a disability that one cannot help but empathize with the difficult world of a stutterer. Yet, Victor's story has much broader appeal as the boy begins to mature and redefine his relationship with his parents, think about his aspirations for the future, and explore his budding spirituality. The deliberate pacing and unique narration make Paperboy a memorable coming-of-age novel.”

From Booklist: “In some ways, the story is a set piece, albeit a very good one: the well-crafted characters, hot Southern summer, and coming-of-age events are reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird. But this has added dimension in the way it brilliantly gets readers inside the head of a boy who stutters. First-time author Vawter has lived this story, so he is able to write movingly about what it’s like to have words exploding in your head with no reasonable exit. This paperboy is a fighter, and his hope fortifies and satisfies in equal measure.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other books about children with stuttering problems such as:

•                      Christopher, Matt. Glue Fingers. ISBN 0316139394

•                      Kline, Suzy. Mary Marony and the Snake. ISBN 0440411327 (or others in the Mary Marony series)

Gather other books set in the 1950s such as:

•                     Holm, Jennifer L. Penny from Heaven. ISBN 037583687X

•                     Levine, Kristin. Lions of Little Rock. ISBN 039925644X

•                     Holt, Kimberly Willis. My Louisiana Sky. ISBN 0440415705

Use with a history unit on the 1950s.

Use with a guidance lesson on learning differences.