Everyone Else's Parents Said Yes [Hardcover]

Paula Danziger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1989 | Age Level: 9 and up

Matthew cannot resist the temptation to play practical jokes on his older sister and all the girls in his class at school, so by the time of the big party for his eleventh birthday they have all declared war on him.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

If 10-year-old Matthew would stop bickering with his sister, pulling pranks on the girls in his class and fighting with his best friend, his sleepover birthday party would be a complete success. Matthew's health-nut mother is actually allowing him to have junk food, and his eight friends are going to bring great presents. What more could he want? How about a truce with the sixth-grade girls who have declared war on him? They threaten to ruin the party he has been anticipating for weeks, until Matthew finally swallows his pride. He and the girls reach an agreement, and Matthew's 11th birthday celebration turns out to be even better than he expected. Danziger once again combines insight and humor in her first book for younger readers (and her first starring a boy); her characters come alive through natural dialogue and universal experiences. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- Computer whiz Matthew Martin is eagerly planning a sleep-over party for his birthday; practical jokester Matthew Martin is steadfastly becoming the target for GET HIM (Girls Eager to Halt Immature Matthew). When the war against Matthew and the sleepover take place on the same night, Matthew finds himself having to do some quick thinking--and growing. In this book, readers meet a boy that they'll feel they already know. As they become more acquainted with him, they'll find that his practical jokes make him more and more interesting--and they'll understand why he irritates his friends. Reproductions of computer-produced invitations, lists, and letters will immediately attract young computer enthusiasts. While for younger readers than her previous books, Everyone Else's Parents Said Yes continues to reflect Danziger's awareness of what students of a certain age are like and what appeals to them. Sibling rivalry and parent/child conflicts are humorously yet realistically portrayed in this zany but basically credible story of the five days leading up to and culminating in Matthew's 11th birthday celebration. --Dona Weisman, Northeast Texas Library, Garland
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 115 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (September 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385298056
• ISBN-13: 978-0385298056
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,608,797 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in New York, Paula Danziger knew since second grade that she wanted to be a writer. Beginning her career as a teacher, Danziger taught at the junior high, high school, college levels. She received her Masters Degree in reading and during that time she wrote her first bestselling novel, The Cat Ate My Gymsuit. She returned to teaching, but the success of her book encouraged her to become a full-time writer. It was non-stop for Danziger since then. Among her titles are: the enormously popular Amber Brown books as well as Remember Me To Harold Square, The Divorce Express, and Can You Sue Your Parents For Malpractice?Danziger received numerous honors, including: Parent's Choice Awards, International Reading Association - Children's Book Council Awards, a IRA-CBC Children's Choice Award and many nominations for state reading and library association awards. Known as a flamboyantly funny and deeply honest writer and speaker, Paula Danziger knew how to relate to young readers at their level. She was vital, funny, and compassionate. She knew how kids felt, what made them laugh, what they wore, collected, read, and played with. From collecting novelty toys that would make any teacher cringe, to wearing jangly earrings, funky glasses and shoes covered with beads and sequins, Paula Danziger had a direct line into kids' hearts and funnybones. She will be missed always.In Paula's memory, The Amber Brown Fund has been established to bring authors and illustrators to schools and libraries which otherwise could not afford them. Donations may be sent to The Amber Brown Fund/ SCBWI Museum of Children's Books, 8271 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048. "I want people who want to become writers to read lots, write and rewrite lots, take acting lessons to learn about character development, observe people and not to be afraid of not being perfect. As for those people who don't want to be writers, I hope that you will always continue to read and also not be afraid of not being perfect." "I have two sets of heroes: One--bright, creative teachers, who manage to stay in the classroom. And, two--people who have difficult childhoods and manage to use the experiences to grow into caring, understanding adults."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I said, "Yes"!, March 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Everyone Else's Parents said Yes (Mass Market Paperback)

I read a book called "Everybody Else's Parents said Yes". It was a great book!It had many fresh,new ideas. It's about a boy in his sixth grade year and his adventures with the girls of G.E.T. H.I.M., and the tormenting of his older sister Amanda. It also involves a fight between Matthew and his mother over junkfood vs. health food. This was an all-around five star book. I would recommend this book to people of all ages! --MS

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone Else's Parents Said Yes, August 10, 2006

By 

Anna M. Ligtenberg "AnnaLovesBooks" (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Everyone Else's Parents Said Yes (A Dell Yearling Book) (Paperback)

ISBN 0440403332 - Who hasn't said that phrase? And who has kids and hasn't heard it themselves? That it rings true through the generations bodes well for the book - and the book lives up to it, for the most part.

Matthew's going to have a birthday party. And not just ANY birthday party - a MAJOR sleepover party! With junk food! Junk food might not be a big deal to most kids, but Matthew's mother hates junk food. It's a big deal, the menu he has planned. Of course, Matthew's got a big problem: himself. He's fighting with his best friend AND every girl in the sixth grade and if he doesn't learn how to co-exist peacefully with the girls, or make up with Joshua, the biggest party of the year is going to be the worst flop ever.

All kids can relate, to some extent, to the story - mom pushing health food when what you really want is sugary junk, the boys vs girls wars of middle school... This isn't the finest piece of writing to come from Danziger, and I'd say the readers most likely to enjoy it will be the younger end of the 8-12 range it's intended for.

- AnnaLovesBooks

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, June 3, 2001

By 

Judy Collins (Springfield, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Everyone Else's Parents said Yes (Mass Market Paperback)

I choose "Everybody Else's Parents Said Yes" to be the first book of a new, middle school Mother-Daughter Book Club I was starting at my daughter's school. I choose it primarially based on Paula Danzinger's other works I had heard of, & because my daughter thought it looked good. Overall, I thought it was disappointing & not up to Paula's usual standard, but it did have flashes of strength, & got better as the story progressed. Parts of it seemed dated as well. The girls enjoyed the sibling interactions, & said that parents often did seem that way to them! As a group, we gave it a fairly low rating, because no girl wanted to spend her own money on it.