When Robert Cormier's I Am the Cheese was published in 1977, it broke with nearly every accepted practice of young adult fiction and still managed to become a classic. This book provides an examination of the controversial novel and its author. (20020701)
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up-Keeley briefly discusses other works by Cormier and how they relate to the progression of style and content found in this novel. Major characters are covered in detail, and minor characters in brief. Well-organized, prolific notes document chapters for ease in further research. The writing is informative and clear with no glaring biases. A useful tool for unlocking a literary masterpiece.-Kim Harris, Newman Riga Library, Churchville, NY
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Reviewed with Patrice Cassedy's Understanding Flowers for Algernon.
Gr. 7-12. Two novels that have become YA classics get serious attention in these readable entries in the Understanding Great Literature series. Each book includes biographical information; historical context; details about plot, characters, and themes; a chronology; source notes; and a bibliography. The literary criticism is lucid without being simplistic. Cassedy talks about the sf elements in Flowers for Algernon (1966) and discusses how they reflect what was happening at the time the book was written, including the perception that scientific advancement could be a mixed blessing. Keeley's book includes e-mails she received from Robert Cormier in 1999, which are especially poignant given Cormier's recent death. Most interesting is her discussion of how Cormier's work--especially his complex style, political themes, and bleak endings--changed the realistic YA novel and the perception of the teen audience. For junior-high and high-school students as well as adults interested in what teens read. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Only valuable for middle/high school kids writing papers,
By A Customer
This review is from: Understanding Great Literature - I Am the Cheese (Hardcover)
Considering the unusual complexity of I Am the Cheese for a young adult novel, Jennifer Keely has written a surprisingly shallow analysis/history. The book is written at a reading level closer to the younger end of the book's readers, which is fine, but she fails to give much insight into the novel beyond quoting numerous newspaper reviews (some of which are obviously, in hindsight, ridiculous) and she leaves out much of the controversy that The Chocolate War has stirred up over the years (one of the most frequently banned books in schools), although she mentions that book quite a lot. There is also scant mention of the major motion picture adapted from I Am the Cheese, which might be a useful research/teaching tool for young readers. Unless you're writing a paper for an English class, Understanding I Am the Cheese is worth flipping through at your public library, but not worth purchasing.
0 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
jason's review,
By A Customer
This review is from: Understanding Great Literature - I Am the Cheese (Hardcover)
The book was ok but it was confusing.I liked the book because bikes interest me.After you get into the book it starts to make sense.
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