Unfinished Angel

Biblio Bits The Unfinished Angel by Sharon Creech, Harper Collins, 2009 (ISBN 9780061430954)

Reading Level/Interest Age Ages 10-12

Genre Magical Realism

Plot Summary

Narrated in short chapters by an unfinished angel, this latest book by acclaimed author Sharon Creech, takes us back to the Ticino (the region in Switzerland you may remember from Bloomability). The Angel is an endearing character who is not quite certain about where s/he (gender neutral) fits into the grand scheme of things and is not sure s/he understands the rules and expectations of being an angel. When Zola and her father move into the Casa where the Angel has taken up residence, the Angel realizes that Zola is one of the few humans who can actually see her/him, and they fall into an unlikely friendship. Zola seems a little bossy at first, trying to tell the Angel how to be, and what to do, but eventually they unite in an effort to solve the problem of a small group of homeless children.

Critical Evaluation

A short book, told in short chapters, may appeal to some reluctant readers. The Angel's vivid observations about "peoples" and indignation about the trouble they cause are humorous and a great source for reflection. What is most enjoyable about this story is the dialect and invented language, malapropisms, and portmanteaus of the Angel ("surprise" + "please"="surplease"). Observing Creech's fun with language is truly a language-lover's delight! There are some areas of the plot that are not quite explored fully, such as why Zola's mother and brother come to Switzerland so much later, but readers will probably be distracted by the many other details of the story that are brought completely to life through the Angel's unique narration.

Reader's Annotation

Imagine I am not surpleased by the appearance of these peoples in my Casa, this Zola and her many layers of dresses in so many colors, who can also see me! Yes, she does, and I am thinking, could she also be an angel herself, here to teach me the better ways of being an angel?

Author Information

Sharon Creech is the Newbery award-winning author of Walk Two Moons (1994) as well as many other titles for tweens and teens. She grew up in South Euclid, OH with her four siblings and parents. She has taught high school English in Switzerland and England, and currently lives in New Jersey with her husband. She is the mother of two grown children. (Information in this author bio comes from the author's website.)

Challenge issues

I imagine there might be people who are offended by an angel being personified as slightly unsure of the Plan and his/her role on earth. It is not a very dignified representation of an angel, and that might bother some.

Booktalking Ideas

The most obvious booktalking buddy for this book would be Cynthia Rylant's The Heavenly Villiage because it shares the sweetness and endearing comfort of The Unfinished Angel while introducing some philosophical and spiritual themes to readers.

Curriculum Ties

Religion, philosophy, and spirituality could be ties. But perhaps it could also have a place in a curriculum unit on Renaissance art, and the depictions of angelic beings who appear to have such human characteristics, as opposed to previous artistic movements which had less realism.

Why this book?
For Sharon Creech fans, just the name on the cover will draw them in. A great choice for those who enjoy playful language, those who are in the mood for a feel–good story, and those who are interested in questions of philosophy and spirituality.

Awards
Too new to tell.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.

Bloomability

Biblio Bits Bloomability by Sharon Creech, read by Mandy Siegfried, Books on Tape, 2009 [1998], (ISBN 9780739385425)

Reading Level/Interest Age 850 lexile/ages 11-14

Genre Realistic fiction

Format Audio Book on CD

Plot Summary

Dinnie's from a nomadic family, always on the move to find better opportunities. When her teenaged sister comes home after a weekend away from home with a marriage certificate (and shortly thereafter shows signs of pregnancy) and her brother ends up in jail, Dinnie's aunt and uncle come to kidknap her (Dinnie's impression). They take her to Switzerland to the upscale boarding school at which they are both employed and Dinnie must come to terms with her new circumstances: away from her family for the first time, in a new educational setting, and in a new country. Dinnie's emotions are mixed, as she navigates a new group of friends and new experiences and begins to develop her own ideas and sense of self in this context.

Critical Evaluation

This is an engaging story that has periods of being more or less compelling. Essentially it's the story of Dinnie's self discovery, but sometimes it felt like self-absorption (completely age-appropriate, but sometimes boring to read). The secondary characters really shine here, especially Guthrie (lovable) and Lila (love to hate her), and their function in the story and in Dinnie's life were a way to explore the various ways to see the world. This volume was not as tightly constructed as Walk Two Moons or Chasing Redbird but fans of Sharon Creech will still enjoy her flair for dialogue and humor, as well as believable characters. The reader, Mandy Siegfried, did a good job of creating a wide variety of voices; at the beginning of my listening, I found her pace a little fast, but I became used to it.

Reader's Annotation

Getting whisked away to a Swiss boarding school never sounded so good. But will Dinnie just adapt into the woodwork, like she has in the other schools she has attended?

Author Information

Sharon Creech is the Newbery award-winning author of Walk Two Moons (1994) as well as many other titles for tweens and teens. She grew up in South Euclid, OH with her four siblings and parents. As a child, Creech visited her cousins in Kentucky and formed many happy memories there; she created the fictitious Bybanks, KY out of the memories of these years, which has appeared in several of her titles. She has taught high school English in Switzerland and England, and currently lives in New Jersey with her husband. She is the mother of two grown children. (Information in this author bio comes from the author's website.)

Challenge issues

Passing references to marijuana and alcohol use, as well as the teen pregnancy of Dinnie's sister.

Booktalking Ideas

This could be a good selection for a discussion about nontraditional families; Dinnie's aunt and uncle serve as her parental figures, as well as the family she creates through her friendships at school. Other themes might be living abroad or stories set at boarding schools.

Curriculum Ties

Social issues like friendship would be the obvious tie or simply growing up and changing perspectives, perhaps in a health unit.

Why this book?
I remember reading and (I thought) liking this book from when it was first published. I still enjoyed it this time around but it wasn't quite all that I remember it to be; perhaps I was remembering Absolutely Normal Chaos. Still, an appealing read for the tween that is considering what it means to fledge the nest, whether through developing new ideas or physically being apart from ones family.

Awards
Parenting Magazine Reading Magic Award 1999

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes