Customer Reviews

Absolutely Normal Chaos

5 star:		(109)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I remember when I got this book in my Easter basket two years ago. I picked it up, and didn't stop reading until I was finished. Since then I've read it about 65 times, and I still read it almost every day. "Absolutely Normal Chaos" led me to read "The Odyssey," which is another one of my favourites, and I've also taken up Mary Lou's expressions such as Omnipotent, cabbageheaded and all that other sum and substance. It is also my inspiration for journaling. I recommend "Absolutely Normal" to absolutely everyone I meet. And they all tell me I'm exactly like Mary Lou... har har har. Anyway, I guess I should go ahead and review the book.

Absolutely Normal Chaos is about a 13-year-old girl named Mary Lou Finney who is assigned by her English teacher, Mrs. Zollar, to keep a journal over the summer. Mary Lou has no idea what a journal really is, so she decides to just write away and hope she's doing it right. Over the summer, Mary Lou's cousin, Carl Ray, comes to stay with her family. She also becomes involved with Alex Cheevey, a boy from school. What happens next is an odyssey in itself, and I don't want to give away the ending to this wonderful book.

For my final sentence, two words: READ IT!

The book Absolutely Normal Chaos was written by Sharon Creech and is realistic fiction. It is about Mary Lou Finney whose English teacher asks her to write in a journal over the summer. The thirteen year old tells about her ups and downs with family and friends, and her first boyfriend, Alex. Her cousin, Carl Ray, comes to live with them and slowly they become good friends and share many secrets.

I liked the book because it was about a girl that was my age and I could relate to the things that she writes about in her journal. I didn't like that her best friend, Beth Ann, left her out and started to ignore her when she got her first boyfriend and when some girls at school started a new club and wanted her to join but they never did include Mary Lou. They made her feel jealous and left out when they would get together for their "secret" sleepovers. Mary Lou Finney was my favorite character in this book because she is a typical thirteen year old who treats everyone nicely, even her odd cousin, Carl Ray.

My favorite scene is when Carl Ray tells Mary Lou who his real father was and why his parents sent him to live with the Finneys. This is my favorite scene because my parents are very important to me and Carl Ray finally realized who his real father was. I would encourage any middle school age girl to read this book because it is written in diary form, it is easy to read, and it includes many funny incidents that happen in a girl's life. How would I feel it I was adopted, finally met my father and he dies shortly thereafter, is one question that I ased myself after reading this book. My strongest reason for recommending this book is that you never know what is going to happen next!

This might be on my top 5 best books Iv'e ever read. This is about a girl named Mary Lou Finney that has to keep and record a journal over the summer. But the thing that she didn't know that all the intersting things would happen that summer. She got carried away, that she wrote 6 journals. Some of the things that are intersting are that her cousin Carl Ray (boring cousin) comes down to stay at their house. But at their suprise Carl Ray was hiding something and Mary Lou has to figure out. And her friend Beth Ann thats crazy over boys. Then she goes over to Carl Ray's house in West Virginia which doesn't have electricity or plumbing. She has a very fun adventure when she goes there. This book I thought was much better then "Walk Two Moons". This had much more action than Walk Two Moons. This book was very funny at times and this book had drama and fighting. It had most of all genres. I would reccommend this book to anyone. It was a great book!! Ü

I love this book. Sharon did a great job of writing this book. This is a book of a thirteen-year-old girl, Mary Lou who keeps a journal over her summer vacation. She has a large family that she lives with. Her cousin comes to live with them for a while and the story is very intense. Any young girl would love reading this book because it deals with all aspects that teenage girls deal with. It deals with family ,friends, and of course boys. I think the book is a good realistic novel. I felt like I was Mary Lou. The way she acts about her friend Beth Ann, I could understand everything she was saying. I really connected with her and I think many young girls could too. This also reminds me of Beverly Clearly's Ramona books. Both books have similar events and have common themes. One theme is over coming life's hardships. It is a fun book and I think it would be a good book for a teacher to read with a class. While reading this book with or to my class I would have them keep a journal like Mary Lou. This would start after the first few days of reading the book. I would correct the errors in their journals then five of them would be put in to a booklet. The booklet cover would be designed by them with the title MY JOURNAL. The writing activity would be a great exercise for the students tp practice there writing techniques and also help to express their feelings . I think what makes this book so great is that I know it was based on Sharon's growing up. It was a great book and I would love to have it in my classroom. It is a great book because it can hold a readers attention, expands awareness, tells the truth, and shows originality. I would recommend this book to anyone who was interested in life drama's of a teenage girl.

The book "Absolutely Normal Chaos" is a great book. This book has a mixture of Genres. This book is interesting and a book you can't put down. The book makes me crack up. For example, Carl ray comes to live at the Finney's house. So, Mary Lou has to do his chores for him. She has to do his bed and to do house-service. It also is about Mary-Lou and her family having a crazy summer. This book is a funny book that you could read at least 5 times. I would recommend this book to people who like to read about peoples live and how a family can get closer. If you like diary's you will love this one. I would rate this book a five.

I am an 12 year old who just finshed reading Absolutly Normal Chaos. As I read I couldn't help thinking i've done that or i've said that before escpecially the part about Alex Cheevey. I would recommed this book to anyone over the age on 11 it was really good and has inspired me to read the real Odyessey (I have read a shorter version) and I have realized that Robert Frost guy is pretty intesting. So in closing everyone read this book

I found the book Absolutley Normal Chaos to be a great read for a preteen girl. It is a journal of Mary Lou Finney's supposedly normal summer. The summer starts out absolutely normally, with Mary Lou just hanging out with her friend Beth Ann Bartel. Then things take a crazy turn when Mary Lou's seventeen-year-old cousin, Carl Ray, comes to stay with the already large family (five kids). Though he says he came for a job, Mary Lou later finds out the real reason why he came. Mary Lou also meets the "permanatley pink" Alex Cheevey. This book chronicles the wildest summer of Mary Lou's life! I would reccommend this book and all of Sharon Creech's other books to anyone, but especially preteen girls. They are funny, inspiring, and just plain GOOD!

OK, it says above that I am 12, but I am actually 14, because I don't want to open an account with Amazon but I do want to review this book as it is really fantastic.

Absolutely Normal Chaos tells the story of 13-year-old Mary Lou Finney, and one summer of her life. During this summer she is assigned by her teacher to keep a journal. This is a perfect portrayal of adolescence, and change. It explores different themes but it such an easy-going read that anyone will enjoy it. If you are looking for an easy, fun read, go for this, but if you are expecting something a little deeper, go for Walk Two Moons, another book by Sharon Creech which is also amazing but is a little less superficial than this. I utterly enjoyed Absolutely Normal Chaos, and I'm sure any other teenage girl would too as it deals with the sort of issues that we stress about. Great!!

This book was great!! I have read it 4 times and the fourth time I read it, it was as good as the first time. This book is about a thirteen year old girl, Mary Lou who has to write a summer joarnal for her new english teacher. Her best friend, Beth Ann is boy crazy!! From Derek the Devineee to Carl Ray??! Mary Lou's older sister, Maggie is also crazy about her boyfriend, not-very-well-trusted-by-dad-Kenny. Carl Ray is Mary Lou's tall, freckly 17 year old cousin. He comes to her house to stay there while he was supposedly looking for a job. Then her neighbor, Mr. Furtz dies!! While everyone is viewing the not-looking-very-dead-body Mary Lou finds Carl Ray, CRYING!! Then there is pink faced Alex Cheevey, (sigh)who becomes Mary Lou's boyfriend. This book is like a great roller coaster ride!! It will never leave you board. I reccomend this book to anyone between the ages of 9-99! Try Sharon Creech's other books also. They are also great! To find out what else happens to all the characters, read Absolutly Normal Chaos

Mary Lou Finney and her best friend Beth Ann plan to spend the whole summer together-but plans change. Her cousin comes to her house from out of town. Mary Lou's family assume that hes looking for a job but there's something he's not telling them. Ride along with Mary Lou Finney and her CRAZY adventures to find out the truth about Carl Ray. If you've ever read any of her other books I would say Absolutely Normal Chaos is the BEST! I gave it five stars because it was an exciting, mysterious, great book and I recommend it to everyone!