"...every school library in America
should have several copies of this
beautiful book. It's that good."
"December 5, 2003
I have just finished reading your newly released
book Dear Katie Dee, and rush to tell you what
a delight it is. The author, Joe Reese, must really
know what makes kids "tick," because he has capt-
ured not only the way a 13-year old girl talks and
feels, but what truly matters to someone of that
age. Kate Hawkins is someone I think I know. She
may even be me when I was in 8th grade.
I especially like the way Mr. Reese runs some words together, such as when Kate is
describing the color of the sky as "that redpinkgoldorange-blue and everything else color that
always happens just before the first sliver of sun comes up." That is good writing. And the way
Kate adds sound effects to help the reader feel the action, as when she is telling how "fat men
with mustaches and yellow rubber aprons grab fish out of the boats and slimeplop them onto
the ice—and then WHAP cleaver off their tails and WHAP cleaver off their heads and SLIT
butcherknife up through their bellies, peeling back this white blanket of meat and laying it
down as tender as a bubble onto another bed of fresh ice."
But those are just some of the little things the author handles so well. What I really appreciate
are the stories themselves: "Tomatoes" is such a sweet, touching episode it could stand as a
book by itself And the characters in "Streetcars" are priceless. The story of the assassination
of JFK was made even more poignant for me because I read it just before the anniversary
date of that unforgettable day. It was interesting to read Kate's thoughts on the situation.
But I think the relationship Kate has with her mother is the best part of the book. It is so real,
so beautiful, that I think you should send this book to some movie producer. It would make a
terrific film.
Anyway, speaking as a retired elementary school librarian, this is one book I would have
definitely recommended to my students. I'll even say that every school library in America
should have several copies of this beautiful book. It's that good.
