Truth Be Told

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen: Review

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 05:38 PM PST

Flipped

Written by: Wendy Van Draanen

Published in: May 2003

Published by: Random House Childrens Publisher

224 Pages

Format: Paperback

Source: Bought

Genre: Young Adult (Contemporary)

Synopsis
Flipped is a romance told in two voices. The first time Juli Baker saw Bryce Loski, she flipped. The first time Bryce saw Juli, he ran. That's pretty much the pattern for these two neighbors until the eighth grade, when, just as Juli is realizing Bryce isn't as wonderful as she thought, Bryce is starting to see that Juli is pretty amazing. How these two teens manage to see beyond the surface of things and come together makes for a comic and poignant romance.

My Review
Flipped was an adorable novel that tells a story about Bryce and Juliana and their journey with school aged crushes. At first glance, this story may seem like it is only geared for very young readers. This book is rather short, and the main characters start off at age 7 and go until 13, or middle school. Even though the story is suited for younger readers is it one that can touch just about any person's heart. Told in alternating viewpoints, Flipped is sure to remind you of your middle school loves.

The alternating perspectives are very distinct and each time one ends, you are left wanting to know more about that character. I love the way the first few chapters told the same story, but different versions. For instance, I would read that Juliana was crazy and overly energetic from Bryce, and then from Juliana, it would say that she was struggling to stay calm because he was so cute. It was kind of funny to see how each one of them sort of distorted the real version.

The biggest character growth happens in Bryce, in my opinion. Bryce's thinking changes over the last few chapters and you could really see him start to consider what his future would be like if he didn't do the right thing, and only worried about what others thought of him. I also loved the last two chapters for Bryce, he had completely "flipped", even if it took years, he finally realized what needed to be done. His last action caused me to tear up.

Juliana was a really fun character to read about. She had this bright energy that flowed through the pages. I enjoyed the way her words were so distinct and she stood out easily from girls her age.

This book isn't only about school crushes; it's also about doing right instead of wrong, and also about supporting your family.