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    The Pull of Gravity
    Unavailable
    The Pull of Gravity
    Unavailable
    The Pull of Gravity
    Ebook184 pages2 hours

    The Pull of Gravity

    By Gae Polisner

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    While Nick Gardner's family is falling apart, his best friend, Scooter, is dying from a freak disease. The Scoot's final wish is that Nick and their quirky classmate, Jaycee Amato, deliver a prized first-edition copy of Of Mice and Men to the Scoot's father. There's just one problem: the Scoot's father walked out years ago and hasn't been heard from since. So, guided by Steinbeck's life lessons, and with only the vaguest of plans, Nick and Jaycee set off to find him.
    Characters you'll want to become friends with and a narrative voice that sparkles with wit make this a truly original coming-of-age story.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateMay 10, 2011
    ISBN9781429923156
    Unavailable
    The Pull of Gravity
    Author

    Gae Polisner

    GAE POLISNER is the award-winning author of In Sight of Stars, The Memory of Things, The Summer of Letting Go, The Pull of Gravity, and Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me. She lives on Long Island with her husband, two sons, and a suspiciously-fictional looking dog. When Gae isn't writing, you can find her in a pool or the open waters off Long Island. She's still hoping that one day her wetsuit will turn her into a superhero.

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    Reviews for The Pull of Gravity

    4/5

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    • 5/5
      Nick's life is in a bit of a rut. His older brother irritates him relentlessly, his father is a morbidly obese couch potato, his mother works all the time, and his best friend, the guy next door, Scooter, has the ultra-rare disease, Hutchinson-Guilford progeria syndrome... he will die of old age before he's out of his teens.Nick's father suddenly decides to walk to New York City to lose weight, and he packs up and leaves. Nick thinks he'll return, but his brother is confident they've seen the last of him. And Scooter is getting worse. He is going to die soon.And into Nick's life walks Jaycee Amato, a strange, confident, determined girl, who it turns out, is also friends with Scooter. And she has promised him that she will find his father, who walked out on the family when he was a toddler. And she is determined that Nick is going with her on this mission.Scooter dies before they leave for their hunt, but the rest of the book is the quest to find Guy Reyland, Scooter's dad. Jaycee and Nick have slipped out of town to spend several days hunting for Scooter's father. We read about the mission, but also about the growing friendship between the two teens. And in the end, we learn that Scooter had some secret plans of his own in the works. And Scooter's plans are about the only plans in the book that don't go awry.
    • 4/5
      Rarely do I read a book more than once. This book is the exception. I read it once, loved it, put it down, misplaced it, found it, and then read it again. It’s not your typical coming-of-age novel, but then again it is. Nick reluctantly follows Jaycee on a journey, fights some demons (internal), and comes out stronger in the end. I loved the characters immediately. Nick is funny and insecure, and Jaycee is quirky and adorable. Polisner gets into the head of a 15-year-old boy, conveying convincing inner dialogue, and adeptly relaying his fear of uncharted territory: first love, the potential for a first kiss, staying in a hotel with a girl, and wandering around an unfamiliar city. Nick feels most comfortable when faced with Jaycee’s fever because he’s been through it himself. He is the Fever King! However, he still feels a bit of anxiety over whether he’s doing the right thing. Polisner does not portray him as an over-confident, unbelievable teen. Just when he’s starting to feel comfortable with the idea of being away from home with a girl, he makes a discovery that turns his world upside down. He’s angry and depressed and resentful. Just like a typical 15-year-old would react in this situation. Get this book. Read it. And maybe read it again. And then you might want to go out and get Of Mice and Men and read that again.
    • 4/5
      This book is one that makes you think, laugh, and cry, and that's all a good thing. Nick is a typical 15 yr old boy in a small town. Life is same old same old, until you keep reading his story. Gae does a wonderful job pulling the reader in, keeping them reading, and wanting more. The shorter chapter length makes you feel like you are flying through the book. Before you know it, you are at the end of the story and wishing there was more.
    • 3/5
      This nifty little tale tells the story of Nick, a teenager with an obese father, an insensitive older brother, and a next-door neighbor named Scooter, who’s dying of progeria. Not exactly your typical teen. He also has a new friend/crush named Jaycee, whose stepfather is a cardboard cut-out of a TV newsman. Unbeknownst to Nick, Scooter and Jaycee become friends, and Scooter entrusts her with a mission or—as the book jacket calls it—a “dying wish” involving a signed first-edition of Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” and Scooter’s estranged father.Nick’s adventure with Jaycee becomes a turning point in his life—it encompasses many “firsts” for the likeable protagonist (including his first kiss). Polisner’s charming prose will probably appeal to teens and tweens (this novel’s true audience) more than it will to adults, but adults will also enjoy this sweet, touching story despite some narrative loose ends.
    • 4/5
      The Pull Of Gravity may not sound too extraordinary, but the characters definitely make this story come to life with their Slinky bracelets, feverish dreams of evil cherry cola monsters, and wise Yoda-isms. Nick’s “nice guy” personality keeps Jaycee’s larger-than-life eccentricities at bay, and together they make the journey to find Scoot’s dad as memorable and one-of-a-kind as the destination. Every time they seemed to get a hold of a sticky situation, there always seemed to be another one on the ready to cause more hijinks. I would have liked to see the story go on a little longer if only to have more loose ends resolved, but a more charming and heartfelt book I do not think you will find. A perfect bedtime snack of a read or quick road trip – and MORE perfect if you are in dire need of a good book to keep your reading morale up.
    • 5/5
      So I could not possibly love this book more. If one of John Green's books had a baby it would be this book. And that would be so much more than okay! This is such an odyssey and I loved Nick and Jaycee by the end so much, I didn't want it to be the end!!! Plus the Scoot was so real to me that it made my heart hurt. I laughed so hard when Nick had the fever hallucination of the Cola Can chasing him.....not enough words in the world. I think I want my own copy of this book and the author is totally on my watch list. Cannot WAIT to see where she goes next!
    • 4/5
      We all hate required reading. In fact, anyone who says they love required reading is lying. Yes, we may love it later but we do not love it at the time we are required to read it.IMHO, the best thing for required reading is companion novels. So, if you have to read Of Mice and Men, also read The Pull of Gravity. Steinbeck, Star Wars, friendship, and a road trip: realistic teen characters will relate Steinbeck’s epic messages to today’s teens in a fun way. Yoda gets quoted just as much (maybe more?) as Steinbeck. Yes, there is some heaviness here (pardon the pun, Nick’s Dad): friend with terminal illness, depressed Dad, abandonment. But all is relayed with a lightness that is refreshing.The shorter chapters and keeping it at just barely over 200 pages, reluctant readers will be able to enjoy this while also being introduced to a key piece of American literature.
    • 3/5
      Scooter Reyland has Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, the disease that accelerates the aging process. Chronologically fifteen, physically Scooter is 80 and does not have long to live. One of his wishes is to find his father, who left when Scooter was a baby, and return the autographed first-edition of Of Mice and Men his father left him. His best friend and next door neighbor, Nick, has problems of his own. His obese father just sits on the couch, while his mother works. After a screaming match between Nick’s parents, his father decides to walk from upstate New York to Manhattan, reminiscent of Fat Man Walking. When the local news show films a segment on Nick’s dad, he meets Jaycee Amato, the newscaster’s step-daughter. Unbeknownst to Nick, she’s a good friend of the Scoot. She convinces Nick to help her find Scooter’s dad. While they plan, Scooter dies, but they decide to embark upon their quest.While The Pull of Gravity is nicely written, the story is not compelling. The Scoot is a character people will enjoy; his love of life and his Star Wars addiction. He is a bundle of hope in a hopeless situation. Readers will identify less with the uncertain Nick and the mind-reading Jaycee, although they will cheer on their budding romance. The trek to Rochester, Mr. Reyland’s last known residence, as well as the action in town is unrealistic and somewhat predictable. Much of the book, especially the ending seems disconnected. The Pull of Gravity is not essential to your collection.