Customer Reviews

Hurt Go Happy

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As an eighth-grade English teacher, I read young adult novels in hopes of finding a piece of writing that I can offer to my students -- one that they will enjoy, learn from, find easily, and connect to whatever else I am teaching at the time. I will admit that I don't read as many books as I should, but I do a lot of research on the prospective books in advance by reading reviews from others (thanks, Amazon!), so I can use my limited reading time wisely.

HURT GO HAPPY came to me as one of Florida's 2008-2009 Sunshine State recommended texts for students in grades 6 through 8. Researching these fifteen titles to find the couple of diamonds among them requires the use of feedback from Amazon reviewers, and this book came with glowing recommendations.

I was worried by the description that this book would be one of those formulaic, teen adventures, in this case with a deaf girl trying to save a chimpanzee -- NOT what I would call a genre I was giving much hope to. Luckily, these other reviews dispelled that dread, giving me hope that there was something more to this interestingly titled piece.

As an English and Drama teacher, I have to admit that my favorite part of what I teach is the subject of Theme (not as in "essay," or "recurring motif," but "the lessons, morals and wisdom a story has to offer"). I embrace books that come to their themes honestly, creatively and passionately. The greatest works offer themes that sink so deep into our minds, hearts and souls that we cannot remove these lessons from ourselves, no matter how hard we try. You don't have to read TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD more than once to feel that the power of its lessons will NEVER leave you; you only have to think about this type of book years afterward, and you can still feel the impression it has left on you without even trying. These are books we love and consider our favorites.

I didn't think that this book would be anywhere nearly as successful as it turns out to be. Its multiple themes (primary and secondary) are all, oxymoronically, both bold and subtle. However, it is the major theme of HURT GO HAPPY that stays and drives the entire work: We must live up to our responsibilities -- to each other, to our world, to ourselves. This theme shows up in HURT GO HAPPY in each of the key relationships in the story, as well as in some of the minor ones. Some characters have lived up to their responsibilities and others have not. A strong writer will show you both sides of the coin, as it were. Author Ginny Rorby has wisely allowed us to see how our actions (and inactions) affect us and others, sometimes in an intensely painful way (both emotionally and physically). Great authors tend to not shy away from the ugly side of life, and Rorby has written a book that has a tremendous number of layers to it (both beautiful and ugly).

Deeply, deeply felt, HURT GO HAPPY is powerful, and surprised me greatly. The relationship with Joey and her mother seems very one-dimensional at first, but drives the theme in a devastatingly real way as it proves to be very much three-dimensional. Joey's mother Ruth spends her life avoiding her past and, apparently, the future, as well. Her denial for Joey to live in the world in which Joey actually exists (deaf, friendless, and wanting) is painful for us, and when Joey tries to break out of this awful reality, Ruth insists that that cannot be. We begin to see Ruth as selfish, and she is, but as Ginny Rorby develops this magnificent tale of a young girl finding that her responsibilities are to be the driving force of her life, we get to see Ruth as a hurt, wounded creature who has failed in her own life. A small, but beautifully poignant moment in the middle of the book started me on the path to getting excited about HURT GO HAPPY. The rest of the book only heightened that initial excitement.

Joey is a magnificent protagonist, one of my favorites of the past few years, who has to fight to be heard (yeah, I guess that pun is intended). Her observations and reactions to life are pieces of gold for teachers like me. Metaphorically speaking, this is a treasure trove as well -- a trove of metaphors, that is. Rorby has developed wonderfully subtle metaphors as well as bold metaphors that should shake a student's understanding of what finely crafted writing is -- so much so that any student should be able to truly understand and appreciate that the best writing requires great thought, constant planning and driving passion.

Perhaps I fell in love with this book when the meaning of the odd title revealed itself late in the text. It made wonderful, heartfelt sense on a very basic level, but it really sank into that part deep within my heart, soul and mind when I understood that it was the PERFECT title because, metaphorically, it dealt not only with Sukari the chimpanzee, but far more importantly, it spoke of Joey and Ruth and of their failures of the past. At that point, this became the book I was looking for. I can't imagine that any other book I read in the next year will be able to compare.

You MUST read this book.

(And as a side-note, I will be using this book as a companion piece to THE MIRACLE WORKER -- not only because of the subject of deafness, but because I teach THE MIRACLE WORKER to explore metaphor and deeper meanings. I can't wait!)

As a Language Arts and Reading teacher, I make it a point to read every Sunshine State book each year. This year's standout book is "Hurt Go Happy". This book touched me greatly. I instantly told all my students that if they only read one Sunshine State book, it should be this one. The story is of a young girl who is deaf and her family who refuses to allow her to learn sign language. She meets an older gentleman and his monkey one day and her life is never the same. This is a good book for teaching kids tolerance for those who are different, and that just because some has a "disability" does not make them any less human

This book made me cry. I read almost a book a day, which is about 350 books a year. Not many of them make me cry, but this one did. Hurt Go Happy is the most touching and emotional book I have ever read. Ginny Rorby's writing allows you to become the character(s), and see everything through their eyes.
Early in the story, we meet Joey Willis, a rambunctious 13 year old who has been deaf for 7 years. She comes across Dr. Charles Mansell and his pet chimpanzee, Sukari. She immediately likes them and they become friends quickly. Joey's mother, on the other hand, is disgusted by the thought of being near a chimp, and thinks that Charlie is a perverse old man. Joey is amazed that anyone could not like Sukari, an adorable, chocolate colored, three and a half year old chimp.
Sukari can speak in sign language and acts like a normal child. She wears diapers and clothes, has temper tantrums and has a time out corner. She is covered in thin, silky brown hair, white on her bottom (hence the name Sukari, which means "sugar bottom") She carries around a doll and loves to be tickled and to have books read to her. Her favorite snack is raisins, which she begs for constantly.
Most of the action in the story takes place in Charlie's home. His house is built onto the side of a mountain. It is surrounded by huge trees and hills and lots of mushrooms. The inside is a mess, due to Sukari's constant temper tantrums and quick changes of ideas for entertainment. Her room is laced with ropes that she can hang on and a platform. Strewn around are various toys and dolls.
While Joey loves spending time with Sukari at Charlie's house, her mother still does not approve. The main conflict in the story is between Joey and her mother. In addition to not wanting her to be friends with Charlie, her mother also refuses to let Joey learn sign language. Joey has always wanted to learn, but her mother won't let her because she wants her to be "normal", and she (her mother) thinks sign language will make her stand out even more than being deaf already does. However, Joey rebels by secretly learning sign language so she can better communicate with Charlie and Sukari.
The main theme of this story is to not give up on your dreams. Joey always dreamed of learning sign language, and being with other deaf people. She had to work through many difficulties, but once her mother saw how dedicated she was, she allowed her to go to a school for the deaf. This success all happened because Joey was focused on what she wanted, and did not give up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to everyone, whether they like to read or not. Hurt Go Happy was a wonderful and moving story that I loved, and I'm sure that you will, too.

This book keeps you captivated. I couldn't put the book down. I would have to force myself to, just so I could do other things in my day.

Well, I think it is very educational. There are so many parents of deaf children who still today feel like thier child needs to "fit it" to the hearing world. In order to do that, they really do need to learn ASL. Reading lips is hard to do, they don't always catch on to every word and then they are to figure out what is said. How can they truely communicate? What about when they are no longer children, but adults? Still struggling to communicate. How far do you think they can succeed trying to complete the partial sentences they interpret from lip reading. In the story, Joey's mom feels that learning sign will make her "handicap" more noticeable. Yet, being deaf is not a handicap. So Joey trys to learn ASL through a new friend even though her mom is against her learning it. She struggles to convince her mom of this and how alone and isolated she is more so not knowing sign.

It's a good book, it really is.

I am 13 years old and I have read a lot of books. My english teachers always try to find new books for me that I haven't read, but so far they have come up empty handed. In all the books that I have read, I have never had a favorite book before. Until now. Hurt-Go-Happy is my all time favorite book. I read it over and over and I never get tired of it. This book had inspired me to do something about animal testing. It also showed me the hardships of being deaf. When you read this book you find yourself crying along with Joey the main character, and laughing with her. I love this book, and I hope you will experience as much joy as I did when you read this book.
Banana

There are children's books that are enjoyable. There are children's books that stay in your mind long after you've read them. And there are children's books that contain excellent writing in terms of story layout, themes, and rock solid emotions. You are lucky if you can get a combination of two of these requirements. You are blessed beyond words if you somehow manage to find a book that fulfills all three. Pick up a copy of "Hurt Go Happy" and you can actually tick off these requirements one by one as you read the first chapter alone. Funny, horrifying, intelligent, and full of more twists and turns than you could hope to expect, "Hurt Go Happy" is without a doubt one of the strongest children's books of the year.

Joey wasn't always deaf, but at the age of thirteen she has been for seven years. Things wouldn't be so bad either if not for the fact that her mother is overprotective towards her and refuses to let Joey learn American Sign Language. Depending on reading lips only, Joey feels isolated from the world around her. That is, until she meet Sukari and Charlie. Charlie's an elderly caregiver to Sukari, a chimp with a knowledge of sign language. Instantly Joey bonds with the two, in spite of her mother's disapproval, and her world begins to grow larger as a result. Yet when Charlie dies and Sukari ends up in the hands of a research lab that tests pesticides on animals, it seems the only person who can save her is a nearly deaf girl who isn't sure she has the strength to go it alone.

Now, to be blunt with you, this doesn't really sound like a book that I would have enjoyed reading. I was never one of those kids that thought monkeys and apes were fascinating creatures. Yet as an author, Rorby wins you over. Suddenly I found myself re-intrigued by the whole concept. Animals that can communicate with humans through a kind of language? How cool is that! Kids that love animal stories will gravitate to the book all on their own. But the fact that what we have here is something interesting AND really well written just bowled me over. Can I tell you how many "good" books I've read this year that'll make kids' eyes glaze over before they reach page three? In "Hurt Go Happy" Rorby introduced Sukari on page 22 and that's still just the first chapter! A well put together work, this.

I loved that the mother in this book was such a complex individual. On the one hand she has really denied her only daughter the chance to communicate freely with the world around her. By preventing her from learning sign language the book makes it clear that Ruth (her mom) is working on a couple different levels. She'll adamantly tell you that it's for Joey's own good that she not learn to sign. Ruth says it's restrictive. It takes Charlie to point out that the real reason may be buried deep in Ruth's psyche. On some level Ruth believes that if she allows her daughter to sign, people will come to question how Joey lost her hearing in the first place (a secret that Ruth isn't eager to share with the world). She just wants her daughter to be "normal" and she's convinced that if Joey reads lips she'll attain that. Characters in "Hurt Go Happy" can grow and change, and that's something you don't see nearly as much as you should in children's literature. Nine times out of ten the good guys are always good and the bad guys are always bad. What's wonderful about Ruth is that even when she's repented and allowed Joey to learn sign language she still doesn't let her daughter know that Sukari was left to her in Charlie's will. Three steps forward, one step back seems to be the motto with Ruth.

As for Rorby's grasp of language, if you read her Afterword you'll see that she sells herself short. In discussing where this book came from she mentions entering a creative-writing class. "I enrolled and learned in short order that I was a dismal failure as a writer - except when I was writing about children or animals, the powerless and dependent." Ms. Rorby needs to cut herself some slack. Consider the following sentence: "If she took a book, she could completely lose herself in its pages, then look at the waterfall and the leaves trembling in a breeze and fill her sight with sound." That's descriptive writing of a particularly nice nature. The book contains the same.

The plot is a bit of a roller coaster ride, but I didn't think that hurt its power in any way. "Hurt Go Happy" is adamantly anti-animal testing, so bear that in mind as you purchase it. Still, it doesn't get preachy. And though I mentioned earlier that most characters have seveal dimensions to them, the villains in this book, pure and simple, are the people in white lab gear. They hurt animals and they are bad and that's all there is to that. There's also an odd moment where a homeless man stalks Joey just to see her scared. It's a peculiar writing choice and probably one that I would have cut out of the book, but Rorby at least makes the distinction early on that not all homeless people are creepy drunks like this guy. Joey and her mother, after all, had to survive while homeless for a while, so there you go.

I would definitely recommend "Hurt Go Happy" alongside Delia Ray's excellent, "Singing Hands". The books complement one another with one told by a deaf girl in a hearing family and one a hearing girl in a deaf family. The attitude against signing is also present in both, in spite of the fact that one book is set in the past and one in the present. I consider this book to be one of the small jewels of the 2006 publishing season. Consider yourself lucky if you happy to get your hands on a copy. This is an author to watch out for.

I happened to hear the author read two selections from this book at our local library last weekend. Intrigued, I bought the book on the spot and had it read by 9:30 the following morning. That's how compelling this story is. I totally enjoyed it. Not only did I like the story, which was inherently interesting, but I enjoyed the wealth of natural detail and the fully-wrought characters. What was particularly compelling for me was the skillful presentation of the complexities faced, not only by the deaf, but by all of us, in all conditions, and all ages, things like anger, ambivalence, change, and courage in the face of adversity. How do you face these problems down, and keep your spirit intact? Without being preachy, the young heroine succeeds in doing just that.

Joey Willis, a deaf teenage girl, has been misunderstood since the age of seven. Her mother, Ruth, feels responsible for the accident, and doesn't allow Joey to learn sign language. Unable to communicate easily with classmates and family, she relies on Ruth as a translator-- even though she secretly longs to learn. When she meets her neighbors, Dr. Charles (Charlie) Mansell and Sukari the signing chimp, her will to learn sign language becomes stronger under Charlie's vehement encouragement.

This book had me from the beginning, front cover to back. As with all good books I've read, I found myself lost in the pages. Each character was believable, and easy to relate with. The character I was most intriugued by, however, was Sukari. The signing chimp has a way of drawing you in, and by the end of the book, it was hard to believe she didn't exist.

I learned very much about life in this book, and things I might not have known so well if I hadn't read it. The treatment of the chimps still makes me furious, and I understand better the ordeals that deaf people may have to deal with. This is a book that has touched me, and I won't easily forget it.

This book quickly grabbed my heart and never let go!

Joey Willis is deaf, and her mother refuses to let her learn sign language. While out collecting mushrooms, Joey meets an elderly man, Dr. Charles Mansell, and his baby chimpanzee, Sukari. He communicates with the chimp by signing.

Joey and Sukari have much in common. Both have been hurt by human ignorance. Joey struggles to free herself from an abusive past. Can she find the courage to save Sukari from a similar fate?

The greatest magic of this book is how the author depicts Sukari. I cared as much for her fate as if she were a human child.

I defy anybody to read HURT GO HAPPY without crying. It's that powerful. I plan to read it again.

I am an elementary school librarian and have been reading this exceptional book to two fifth-grade classes over the course of about 6 weeks.

Every week they came into the library, eager to continue the story again. First, we'd review what happened the week before, then I would read for about 30 minutes. When we came upon any new ASL words, we would look them up and learn them together. When I finally had to stop reading after the 30 minutes was up, I'd get "Don't stop" groans and then applause!!!

This is such a great read-aloud book! We had some really insightful discussions and we learned SO much! We laughed and we cried (Oh, boy, it's hard to read when you're crying!). None of us will ever forget Sukari and Joey. There are now 60 young people (and three "old" ones!) that will never look at a chimp or any other primate the same again.

Ms. Rorby, THANK YOU for this book! Can't wait to get "Dolphin Sky!"