Pieces of Georgia [Kindle Edition]

Jen Bryant (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up-In a blend of free verse and diary/journal, 13-year-old Georgia pours her heart out to her mother, who died six years ago. She and her father are still suffering. Because of their financial situation (shaky) and Georgia's frequent stomachaches and lack of participation in class, she ends up on an At Risk list that requires her to see a school counselor. Mrs. Yocum makes a deal with her: if Georgia will write down all of the things she would like to talk to her mom about, she can skip the weekly sessions and just check in occasionally. Through this journal, the finely drawn characters come to life, particularly Georgia's dad and her best friend, Tiffany. Her father's grief has caused him to withdraw emotionally and he doesn't give his daughter the time or attention she craves. Tiffany is pushed to be an overachiever, the strain of which brings her to the brink of destructive behavior. Georgia shares all aspects of her life and thoughts, and readers come to understand the depth of her loss. This is a remarkable book. Through the spare writing, readers come to understand and empathize with these three people. Their story is a universal one of love, friendship, and loss and will be appreciated by a wide audience.-Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-9. A free membership to the Brandywine River Museum. That's the perfect gift for a grieving 13-year-old with artistic talent and a need to remove the "at risk" label from her permanent school record. It is also a passport for Georgia McCoy, an avenue out of her shyness, into the art world of her deceased mother, and toward an understanding of her struggling father. Georgia's free-verse journal entries describe her lonely existence, her grief at losing not just her mother but also her father, and her perceptive insights into the art of three generations of the Wyeth family^B. It's a lovely, quiet novel, a study in a child's struggle for survival and the adults who recognize her pain and decide to help. Readers will be able to go to the Brandy-wine River Museum Web site and see the paintings Georgia describes, an interesting art extension that adds depth to an involving story, suitable for both recreational reading and reading and discussing in class. Frances Bradburn
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 336 KB
• Print Length: 178 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0440420555
• Publisher: Yearling (November 13, 2007)
• Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000W93CGI
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #241,458 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #57 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Children's eBooks > Arts & Music > Art

More About the Author

Jen Bryant writes picture books, novels and poems for readers of all ages. Her biographical picture book: A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, illustrated by Melissa Sweet,received a Caldecott Honor award and her historical novel in verse Ringside 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial is an Oprah Recommended Book for ages 12 & up. Other titles include Pieces of Georgia (IRA Young Adult Choices Pick), The Trial (about the 1935 Lindbergh baby kidnapping trial), a 1960's-era novel Kaleidoscope Eyes (a Jr. Library Guild selection), Georgia's Bones, celebrating the creative vision of artist Georgia O'Keeffe, Music for the End of Time, based on a true story about WWII, and Abe's Fish: A Boyhood Tale of Abraham Lincoln.

Jen has taught writing and Children's Literature at West Chester University and Bryn Mawr College and gives lectures, workshops and school presentations throughout the year. She lives with her family in Chester County, PA.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Review by Muse Enigma(FlyRocker), April 21, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Pieces of Georgia (Hardcover)

Pieces of Georgia by Jen Bryant was an interesting book. It is fasinating when it talks about the Wyeths paintings. In addtion, I thought it was interesting how the girl delt with her problems in life. I would recomand this book to anybody ESP. for people who feel like life is horrible.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pieces of Georgia great book review!, April 15, 2010

By 

8th Grade Reading - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pieces of Georgia (Paperback)

The realistic-fiction book, Pieces of Georgia by Jen Bryant, follows the life of a 13 year old girl named Georgia whose artistic mother passed away 6 years ago. From this passing Georgia's father rarely talks to her because everything about Georgia reminds him of his wife, and he doesn't like remembering her because he loved her so much that the thought of her makes him upset. Georgia just started the 7th grade but is so shy and quiet that her teachers begin to worry about her and place her on an "At Risk List." This means that she has to go a counselor everyday to talk about the difficulty and hardships of her mother passing. The counselor, Mrs. Yocum, a caring young woman who tries to search deep in the child she is helping, gives Georgia a notebook. By giving Georgia this notebook, Georgia can say anything and everything to her mother as if her mother was still alive. One day Georgia joined the art class at her school, but she didn't tell her father because she knew it would distant their relationship even more. Miss B, Georgia's art teacher, decided to enroll her in an advanced art school. The only problem is Georgia doesn't know how to tell her dad because she knows he will get very angry, and she's trying to work on her relationship. Will Georgia ever fix her relationship? Will she get to go to the advanced art classes? These questions will be answered in this fascinating book.

In this story the three main characters are Georgia, Miss B, and Georgia's father. Georgia is a shy, timid girl that didn't like to express her feelings to anybody, so she turned to art. I thought of Georgia as a smart young girl who wasn't very social after her mother passed. Miss B on the other hand is a very bright outgoing art teacher. Miss B sees a lot of potential in Georgia but only wishes she would express it more. I thought of Miss. B as, a lad back teacher that wanted the best for her students but tried to help them students figure out their own mistakes. Finally there's Georgia's father a miserable man who is lost in this world without his wife. I thought of Georgia's father as a loving man but didn't want to show his love because he was to hurt on the inside. These characters are just one of the many reasons why you won't want to put this book down.

My opinion of this book was very intriguing. It kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting more. I thought the plot of the story was very exciting but sad at the same time. I would recommend this book to those who find realistic-fiction books interesting.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!, July 16, 2008

By 

Charles C. Graham "rani823" (Middle, OF Nowhere) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pieces of Georgia (Paperback)

I literally read this book in one day. Written in a free-style poem form, I found it was extremely easy to zip through the storyline and characters of this book. Although "Pieces of Georgia" wasn't the kind of story that gnaws at your mind like a good one does (even after you are finished with it), it was still a novel that made you think about your life and how it related to Georgia's. I would recommend anyone to buy this book, and I truly believe the moral is even greater than the price! :-)