Gentlehands (Harper Keypoint Book) [Paperback]

M. E. Kerr (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 1990 | Series: Harper Keypoint Book

Buddy Boyle lives year-round with his family in unfashionable Seaville, New York, in a cramped little house on the bay. Skye Pennington spends the summers nearby on lavish estate complete with ocean view and a butler named Peacock.

But Skye and Buddy fall in love anyway. And every once in a while they visit Buddy's estranged grandfather, who makes them forget they're from opposite sides of town. Then a reporter appears, searching for a man known as Gentlehands, a man with a horrifying past. Who is Gentlehands? And what is his connection to Buddy's handsome, aristocratic grandfather? The mystery threatens to shatter Buddy and Skye's relationship, and change their lives forever.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When a newspaper story claims that Buddy Boyle's grandfather is a former Nazi, the ensuing chaos threatens the boy's familial ties and a romantic relationship. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Buddy's world is turned upside down, first when he falls in love with rich Skye Pennington and then, catastrophically, when he discovers that his refined and cultured grandfather is the notorious Nazi war criminal Gentlehands." -- ALA Best Books for Young Adults Committee.

"Kerr at her provocative best." -- SLJ

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (October 30, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064470679
• ISBN-13: 978-0064470674
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #718,302 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #51 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Fiction > Holocaust

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting read, January 18, 2002

By 

Alexandra der (Calgary, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gentlehands (Harper Keypoint Book) (Paperback)

This book began as the typical young adult novel, a good looking boy falls for the rich, classy and beautiful girl, but somehow, the author managed to pull it off in the end.

Buddy Boyle is young and immature to the ways of the world. But when Buddy meets Skye Pennington, he realizes that there is a whole other world, and it has class. Unfortunately for Buddy, he lives in a middle class lifestyle and has nothing to impress Skye with (since all boys seem to have a need to impress their girlfriends) So Buddy takes Skye to meet his wealthy and estranged grandfather.

I enjoyed this book because it is quite different from most of the books that I've read before. I am more into historical fiction type books and although this book may seem like that type, the theme is mainly concerning discrimination. I've never read a book about the holocast, and this book gave an interesting point of view. At one point in this book, I really felt like crying because of how cruel some people can be. This book touched me on a real emotional level surprisingly since it started out quite differently. The symbolism is wonderful. The grandfather talks about how all birds are prisoners of their own territory and yet he always feeds the birds. I thought Gentlehands was marvelous, but the only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because it ended rather abruptly. It's one of my pet peeves when books end too quickly, and this book did. But give this book a chance, it gets boring at some parts, but it really is a great book and has a great lesson: that the past is all in the past.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!, January 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Gentlehands (Harper Keypoint Book) (Paperback)

I cannot even begin to say how much this wonderful novel has affected my life. I first read it in junior high school ( I have just graduated college), and have re-read it about four times! The story, dialouge, and characters completely draw you in, and Kerr is able to comment on some incredibly fundimental issues while still keeping the reader's attention. In fact, although Gentlehands is a young adult novel, it is better off read by someone at the college level, so that all of the subtleties can be understood. One of the few books every American should read.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gentlehands, July 30, 2001

By 

Ann N. (Climax, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gentlehands (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (School & Library Binding)

I think this is a very well written book for teens AND ADULTS! I think it moves along well and has very thought provoking topics.

Perhaps it should be rated at a Young Adult level because of the topics and the main character's age. I think older teens would appreciate the issues Buddy has to deal with in regards to his little brother, his parents, his boss, and his rich girlfriend. I think his interaction with his parents fairly typical for a son testing new waters, ones in which his folks have never journeyed.

This book really made me think about the humanity of the grandfather and his relationship to his grandson. It made me think how a single person can appear as a beast to some and yet be a source of love to another. I read this book a month ago and I'm still struggling with my feelings on that issue.

To me, this is the sign of a very good book - when you are still pondering it's messages long after you have closed it's pages!