Who Killed Mr. Chippendale? [Hardcover]

Mel Glenn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1996 | Age Level: 10 and up

Told entirely in free-form poetry, a dual mystery and exploration into contemporary high school life follows the investigation into the murder of an English teacher and reveals the secret lives of several students.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Glenn's (Class Dismissed) diverse collection of free verse describes the aftermath of the murder of an English teacher at Tower High School. Focusing on the feelings and opinions of the characters more than on suspense or action, the text cleverly embraces varied narratives?a press memo, a police interview, a letter from the Board of Education?but consists mainly of the dramatic monologues of students and staff at the school. "I hope his soul goes straight to heaven./ What that man did for me,/ .../ He made feel smarter than I am," says one; "I hope his soul goes straight to hell,/ What that man did for me,/ .../ He made me feel stupider than I am," says that student's twin. The girl who had a crush on Chippendale, the students he encouraged or flunked, the guidance counselor who loved him?all are represented in one-page poems. Clues and red herrings drop somewhat obviously, and the killer is apprehended in one of the final poems. While the format allows Glenn license to experiment with different voices, the verse seems like a plain-spoken prose text divided up arbitrarily into line lengths to resemble poetry. The language is gritty and colloquial, but the characters aren't individuals so much as types. However, YA readers who share Glenn's taste for heavy irony might enjoy the Spoon River-esque storytelling. Ages 12-up. (June) Nonfiction
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up?High school English teacher Robert Chippendale is shot and killed one morning while running on the Tower High track before class. Moments earlier, he'd had a confrontation with a shadowy figure in a red-hooded sweatshirt. That's all readers learn early on in this mystery in poem format. But more than a whodunit, this unique offering explores a multitude of issues in its pages. Single-page conversational poems are presented, each of which bears the name of a different student, teacher, or community member touched by the murder. Not only do the poems clue readers into the characters' personalities and sensibilities, but they also provide a telling commentary on the attitudes toward violence reflected in our society at large. The cast is large, ranging from students who loved or hated "Mr. C" to guidance counselor Angela Falcone, who ties the book together. An epilogue takes readers 13 years into the future to show what the characters, including the murderer, are doing with their lives. Glenn delivers a starkly realistic view of modern high-school life. A clever idea, executed in a thoughtful, compelling, and thoroughly accessible manner.?Sharon Korbeck, Waupaca Area Public Library, WI
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st edition (June 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525675302
• ISBN-13: 978-0525675303
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,871,727 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This was an excellent book., March 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Who Killed Mr. Chippendale?: A Mystery in Poems (Mass Market Paperback)

"Who Killed Mr. Chippendale?" is one of my favorite books. I have reread it many times. I love how it is all in poetry, and how there are so many different characters. It kept me guessing who the killer was until the end. I would recommend it to anyone. I wish the author (Mel Glenn) would write more of these types of books.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Murder at Tower High! Mr. Robert Chippendale, DEAD!!!!!!!, December 19, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Who Killed Mr. Chippendale? (Hardcover)

Murder at Tower High!! Mr. Robert Chippendale, DEAD!! He was assassinated while jogging on the track field. This book I would have to say would be classified as a mystery of poems. The author Mel Glenn does an exceptional job with the characters and how they relate to real life. What is also quite interesting is that Mel Glenn had so many different suspects. There were at least four or five different possibilites. Also he tricks you at the end on the book. Just when you think you know who is the murderer, boom, you're wrong, just like that. It's over. There is just one thing that I didn't like, and I think you would agree with me...the ending. It just ended so abruptly. It didn't leave you hanging but, come on, you just can't write a 100 page book and end it on page 99, you just can't do that. I think people would like to know why he did it, and what happened after that. What about Mr. Chippendale's family?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting form of mystery, but ending falls flat, December 20, 2008

By 

fra7299 "fra7299" (California, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Who Killed Mr. Chippendale?: A Mystery in Poems (Mass Market Paperback)

While out for an early morning jog, Tower High English teacher Robert Chippendale is cut down by a bullet to the head. This shocking event deeply affects those at Tower High School and the surrounding community. Thus, a mystery ensues: Who committed this murder? Why would any one want to kill Mr. Chippendale? Was it one of the students at Tower High? Or could it be one of the faculty?

Mel Glenn presents this riddle in the form of poems, as students, faculty, and community react to the teacher's death in poetic form. Not only do their statements give insight into who they are or what ties they might have to Chippendale, but also illustrate their general reaction to school and potential for violence. Angela Falcone, one of the counselors at Tower, seems to have had a close relationship with the fallen teacher. Several students comment about how Mr. Chippendale was their inspiration in life, or in school, teaching them to take on life's obstacles. Some students didn't see eye to eye with their instructor, and could care less that he's been shot. As each character tells their bit, we learn more and more, and finally get closer to the truth......

One criticism (which has been cited already by a reviewer) I have is the book's abrupt ending. The ending could have been so much more powerful had we been given some kind of deeper insight into the "whys" of several of the pertinent suspects and those close to the teacher. Instead, we are just given the answer, and then a snapshot of how the event affected the characters' lives thirteen years later.

Although this book states an interest level as being high school level, it is probably better suited for a more mature student due to the serious themes and issues of violence explored. Therefore, I cannot say this would be recommended for all students, but a select few. It is a powerful book, though, and I really like the creative touch of narration explored by the author.

3 1/2 stars