Everywhere [Library Binding]

Bruce Brooks (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

The deep bond between a boy and his grandfather may be the only thing that can save the old man's life when he suffers a heart attack. But first the boy must overcome his feelings of helplessness and guilt.

With the imaginative assistance of Dooley, the nephew of a local nurse who knows a mysterious ritual called "soul switching," the narrator discovers, in a reluctant flight to the farthest edges of faith, the miraculous and healing power of love.

In the best literary tradition of Truman Capote and Carson McCullers, award-winning novelist Bruce Brooks tells this spellbinding tale with a compassionate understanding of the capacity of children to transcend pain with amazing grace.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The heart attack and near-death of the narrator's grandfather are the focus of Brooks's new novel, a lyrical, mystical excursion into the realm of the spirit and a testament to the power of hope and love. The events of the novel are not in themselves momentous. Spanning a single day, the plot concerns the efforts of another boy, Dooley, to effect a "spirit switch" that will save the old man by sacrificing a turtle in his stead. Although Dooley loses his nerve at the crucial moment, the narrator learns this only belatedly, by which point the kindly subterfuge has indeed worked a sort of magic. Brooks's ( The Moves Make the Man ; No Kidding ) achievement lies in the degree to which readers, along with the narrator, will suspend disbelief and begin to trust in Dooley's mysterious and clearly improvised ministrations. His active insistence that the grandfather can and will be saved proves totally compelling. And the precise prose throughout paints a memorable portrait of a sensitive, reflective child, while highlighting the large and small moments from which the closest human ties are forged. Ages 9-up.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-While his beloved grandfather hovers between life and death, a boy is comforted by a new friend who seems to save the man through a technique extracted from comic-book lore. Polished prose, with serious issues thoughtfully explored.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Library Binding: 80 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (September 15, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060207299
• ISBN-13: 978-0060207298
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,170,991 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Memories of Everywhere, December 19, 1999

By 

Monique (Bremond, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Everywhere (Library Binding)

I am a fourth grade teacher and would love every child and parent to read this book. So many times we find ourselves at a loss on how to deal with health/death issues. Using this book will help the young and old discuss their feelings by sharing the lessons of what this book has to offer. Take the time to read this short, but meaning filled book. Everyone will go away with a happy heart!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Read this book!, May 28, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Everywhere (Hardcover)

Katherine Naula
May 28,2003
Everywhere
By: Bruce Brooks.

Bruce Brooks choose the setting for the book every where in the capital of Virginia, which is Richmond. They lived in a small house where the boy's life was pretty sad, because at the beginning some thing bad happens to the boy's grandfather and that attaches with the theme that is love between the boy and this grandfather. After Dooley and the boy (which they never tell his name) have to find a turtle, Dooley remembers seeing in a comic book about saving lives. If Dooley gets a turtle and he puts something on that his grandfather loves his grandfather will get better. His grandfather loves bowties so they have to put a bowtie on the turtle. As in the book "trade off the animal for the person" They had to also fix something that was broken. Dooley, grandfather, and the boy were the main characters. Read the book to find out if his grandfather gets better and what they have to fix!!!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Everywhere, December 1, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Everywhere (Library Binding)

Dylan Shugrue
Book report
HU/LA

The title and author- Everywhere by: Bruce Brooks

A short description of the main character/s in the story- its wrote in first person so the main character is me, or I but there is also Dooley. The person that talks the whole time- he is very boring, like he just likes to sit back and listen to the Yankees play on the radio and smell daisies all day. He never plays and runs around he's not very friendly. Dooley is always wanting to have fun he's always having to do something he's athletic he never sits around he can climb very well.

A short description of the plot- (I or Me means the person who talked the whole time) I was sitting at home on the porch just starring off in the distance when Lucy the nurse that was coming to take care of my grandfather who had a heart attack and was laying in bed. Her so Dooley came with her to hang out with me. When Lucy went in we started talking about stuff and he said im sorry that your grandfather is going to die and I said he's not going to die. Dooley said than you better tell me what he looks like I said why he said because we have to do a soul switch. I was like what is that he said we go catch the animal he looks like and we switch there souls. I said sure he said im serious my moms a nurse come on believe me so I said he looks like a lion. Dooley said im going to check him out so Dooley climbed to grandpa's window and came back down and he said he looks more like a turtle to me. I said a turtle he said yap he might look like a lion when he's not sick but he looks like a turtle now. So they went to a creek and caught a turtle and Dooley switched there souls. The Grandpa lived and the Boy was very happy and he loved Dooley now.

The setting- The creek the main characters backyard and his house in Richmond virgina.

The theme- The Miraculous and healing power of love and faith.

Whether or not you liked the story and why- I didn't like the book that much I would never recommend it to anyone I think it was boring and it had very hard words in it. I mean it just lost your interest when you were reading it. It made you fall asleep very easily and after you read it you wanted to go outside and have fun.