Molly Ringwald Books

Perhaps I an too old to get it, but I bought this book as a read for my students before putting it in the class library. This book is so boring that school has long since been over here in Florida and seconds from beginning and I have not completed this story. I would not recommend this particular story. But, if you are a fan, then go for it. Just not my cup of tea...

This book was nominated for the Massachusetts Children's Book Award for the 2006-07 school year. The students in my class who read it, enjoyed it. It was an interesting story.

amazing, if you want a book about if you want to save something do what ever you can to save it.

"I prefer not to" those are the words of Margaret Rose Kane she says them every time she is asked to do a summer camp activity. Actually she doesn't really want to be at this summer camp at all but she is forced to while her parents are in Peru. The summer camp experience would not last for long though as her uncles come and rescue her from the apprehensive camp director and the cruel cabin mates. They bring her back to their exquisite house at 19 Schuyler Place.
This story takes place in the year of 1983 when many things happen. For example Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space but in the town of Epiphany something even more exciting is happening! As you know the main character in this book is Margaret Rose Kane who also is the one who is telling the story. Some other main characters are her uncles Alexander Rose and Morris Rose. Also there is the camp director, the very strict Mrs. Kaplan and her son Jake Kaplan. Jake isn't as bad as his mother and actually helps Margaret. Some final important characters are Margaret's cabin mates, Peter Vanderwaal and Loretta Bevilaqua who also help Margaret. When you read this book you will instantly get hooked. After Margaret gets home from her awful camp experience she learns why her uncles did really want her to stay with them. In the uncles back yard they have everything from peppers to roses but most of all 3 amazing towers that the uncles have been building for the past 45 years. The towers were made of steel and they were built like a network of ribs which cast more light than shadow, almost like a spider web. All of the towers also had rungs on them, from each rung hung thousands of chips of glass and shards from porcelain and the inner workings of old clocks. They were of all different colors and different sizes making each and every one of them unique. Margaret is appalled to find out that the city has demanded that the tower must come down because they are not safe and could fall in something like a wind storm and damage property. Margaret is astonished by this and tries to do everything it takes to save the towers even if she needs a little help. This book had many good scenes and in my personal opinion was one of the greatest books I have ever read. It could go into a little more detail though. Also in the very end of the book I think it should have explained a little more about what she was doing. This book could definitely have a sequel.
All in all this is a must read book for any age. It's a great book that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time you're reading it. I would recommend this book to anybody because it is an all around book that anybody would enjoy!

Margaret never wanted to go to summer camp. She wanted to go to Peru on a mission with her parents, or stay with her uncles. The brothers live together and own a watch shop. They build towers out of clock parts. Her parents insist that she will love camp, but she is determined not to. When the girls go water skiing she refuses, she does this for many of the camp activities.

I enjoyed the book because Margaret's camp life was interesting. The girls didn't like her because she refused to go by her camp nickname. The girls pulled pranks on her. One of the meanest tricks the played was peeing on her bed, to make the counselor think Margaret wet the bed. Because of this she was given the nickname dippers. The head counselor called Margaret's uncle to come pick her up. Her uncle didn't have a car so the camp handyman was assigned to drive Margaret and her uncle home. The handyman, Jake, is assigned to drive them home. Jake is the soon of the camp owner, he becomes friends with Margaret and her uncle on the drive home.

This story has an interesting and original plot. The handyman Jake, is also quite the artist, he volunteers to paint a rose mural in Margaret's room. Margaret accepts. Jake falls in love with the towers, and is shocked when Margaret tells him they are about to be torn down. The historical comity for the historic section of town the uncles live in has deemed them to as not historically accurate. The uncles have tried to save them but their neighbors don't let them win. Margaret contacts two former neighbors who love the towers one, Peter, works for an art museum and decides to form a comity of art experts to save the towers. Margaret also contacts Loretta, who is a lawyer for a phone company. She plans to save the tower by using the law for her. She orders Margaret to buy the towers from her uncles and get the deed. She buys them for a dollar.

The book's ending was very suspenseful. With Jake's help Margaret plans to chain herself to the towers to prevent them from being taken down. The construction workers come, but cant get Margaret down so they leave they come back and try to hose her down. The people from Juvenile detention center come and take her away. With her one phone call she calls Jake. Jake gathers all the girls from Margaret's cabin. Jake reminds them how mean they were to her and convinces them to come help her. He takes them to Margaret's house and they climb the towers. News people get coverage of the girls in the towers. Loretta is able to convince her company to buy the towers and use them as cell towers, the towers are taken to a nearby park, where they become cell towers, and remain landmarks.

This book was a quick read. It was original, suspenseful, and interesting. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good book, but I think middle school girls would like it most.

-C.Goggins