Customer Reviews

What's in a Name

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

 

 

Ellen Wittlinger has written some truly wonderful young-adult novels, and WHAT'S IN A NAME lives up to the standards set by her other books. The format here is slightly different from her others: ten different characters tell their own stories while also contributing to the overarching plot, which concerns the efforts of some of the residents of Scrub Harbor to change the town's name to Folly Bay. As always, Wittlinger's stories are character-driven, so the plot never seems contrived; she also has a knack for making you sympathize with characters that you probably didn't think you would like. For me, this happened with the characters of Quincy and Gretchen, both "popular" kids in their high school. I expected their stories to be less interesting than the other characters', who are a little quirkier, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that Quincy's and Gretchen's stories drew me in just as much as those of the other kids.

I have to disagree with one of the editorial reviews, which said that the characters all seemed defined by their circumstances. In my opinion, one of Wittlinger's strengths is that she never allows her characters to just be caricatures. As I said above, they have their quirks, some more than others, but in the end, they are all real (and interesting) people.

I highly recommend WHAT'S IN A NAME.

This book really potraits the different sides and things that teenagers go trough. I got this book from a friend of mine and I totally fell in love with this book. As a teenager, it is a very great book to read and see other people like you with their own little problems.

I read the bulk of What's In a Name? in one sitting. The story is actually 8 chapters - 1 narrator per chapter - and set in a small town which is debating over changing its name. Each story has a character exploring his or her identity and the meaning of their popularity, sexuality, long term boyfriends/girlfriends, family, friends, school, future and so forth.

It was a very quick and enjoyable read. I enjoyed Ellen's writing style. The teens were thoughtful, not vacant; they spoke like kids but also didn't say "like" or curse every other line. I only wish there had been one final wrap-up chapter to catch us up one last time with all of the characters we had met. However, I like the book as a hold and recommended to friends who liked small town coming-of-age novels.

Scrub Harbor? or Folly Bay? That is the arguement that is going on amongst a group of kids, each who have their own problems on and off of school. But this debate about changing the name of a small town has all the kids in an uproar. At home and at school. So much so, that they are taking sides against their friends, each other, and this is starting to be a real mess. Is the name of a town really so important? Well I guess you'll have to see.
Ellen Wittlinger's book is all about acceptance, and friendship and labels and how one cannot labels define who they are. Which is what the teenagers of this book are learning. I also like how this book takes place in different perspectives. Each chapter is each kids different perspective. I like that. This book is a short read, but a good book.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the fact that it is told in the viewpoints of ten different teenagers. It's not too long so you can read it in one sitting which I believe is the best choice because you can easily get the characters mixed up. The characters in this book are likable and since the chapters are so short, the author leaves you wanting more.

It's not very complex or difficult to understand so if you're looking for a good YA book to read on a boring afternoon, this will definitely hold your attention.

This tells the story of a small Massachusetts town, Scrub Harbor, during a time when some people want to change the name to Folly Bay to make it sound better. It is told through ten different high schoolers, each with a different opinion. Ms. Wittlinger uses all the basic high school stereotypes: the outcast, the nice-to-everyone girl, the jock, the popular rich girl, the new kid, the shy girl, the smart kid, the weirdo, and the exchange student. Each of them has a different opinion on the name changing, and each of them realizes that, maybe, it's not something's name or label that matters, but what's inside. This book made me see how limiting stereotypes could be, and how they grow old and don't always fit anymore.

What's in a Name?



What's in a Name? by Ellen Willinger is a realistic fiction about ten seniors from Scrub Harbor High. Some of the richer people want to change the name of the town from Scrub Harbor to Folly Bay, the town was automatically split into two groups, the richer were Folly's and the poorer were Scrubs. A lot of people don't want to change the name because they have lived there they're entire life's. The main person that came up with the idea to change the name was a woman named Mimi and her daughter Gretchen. I like this book this book because it was written so that every chapter was a different student. It was also hard to put the book down. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes realistic fiction, I really enjoyed it.

The theme of finding out who you are is evident in each of the different narrators on the chapters of What's in a Name. Wittlinger creates 10 different views of who-am-I through different high school students.

Having each chapter written by a different narrator is like reading a series of related short stories. And while I find it enjoyable to see the connections through the different characters and find it exciting when one I'd put out of my mind returns, I would have preferred to see a few of the characters narrate more than one chapter. The opening character Georgie comes on strong and then is absent for much of the story. The huge weight of O'Neill's story is a minor backdrop for one character and then thankfully comes up again with brother Quincy.

The best portion of this book were the Nadia-Nelson-Shaquanda chapters where all three of them played off each other, giving the reader a real sense of each of these teenagers. Where Shaquanda comes off as cold and closed-minded in Nelson's chapter, in her own chapter she is much clearer and well rounded. And where Nadia comes off as a Nelson chaser in Nelson's chapter, in her own she shines as her own individual.

The conclusion to the book couldn't be better. When Gretchen takes over the narration, the book turns to the prep whose mother is the source of the name change issue in town. I was not looking forward to her chapter. But Gretchen shows herself to be what we all are at that age: in search of ourselves. The big question of the book--who am I--is resolved in the only way it can be. We all are only who we are in the moment. As Gretchen says, "You think you know someone, but then they surprise you."

I was given this book for my birthday. When I started to read it, I couldn't stop. The book takes place in a town named Scrub Harbor. Each chapter has a different teenager's view, opinions, and life. Some people of Scrub Harbor wish to change the town's name to Folly Bay. The town soon becomes separated into Scrubs and Follys and so does the high school. This book is for anyone who has ever asked "Who am I?" and for anyone that likes to read.

Whats in a Name is an intriguing tale about high school identities told from the point of view of ten different high school students. I recommend this book to anyone who has ever asked him or herself the question, Who am I? It is an easy story to relate to because in the book there are characters such as the jock, the new kid, and the snob. Not only is this story easy to relate to but it is also an interesting read! This story is about an election in town, in which the citizens are trying to decide whether to change the town name. The election turns friends into enemies and also makes people wonder if by changing the name they would also be changing the identity. It reminds the students of their own identities. I enjoyed the book very much because all through out the story suspense is built as you try to find out, What is ONeills secret. Or Who is Adam really? As you can see, I took pleasure in reading this book, Whats in a Name. I believe it is an entertaining, suspenseful, and intriguing novel. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good read!