Spelldown
The Big-time Dreams of a Small-town Word Whiz
Aladdin · Print & ebook · April 22, 2008
Thirteen-year-old Karlene Bridges is the best speller in her family, her hometown, and maybe even all of Shirley County, South Carolina.
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- Who it’s for
- A spelling-bee dream meets the tender, unruly business of growing up.
- Themes
- Adolescence, Spelling-bee ambition, Family struggles
- Genres
- Growing Up, Girls & Young Women
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Start with this bookAbout this book
Thirteen-year-old Karlene Bridges is the best speller in her family, her hometown, and maybe even all of Shirley County, South Carolina. The trouble is, every time she makes it to the final round of a spelling bee, she chokes. But when Mrs. Harrison, the new Latin teacher, offers to coach her, Karlene's spelling jinx miraculously disappears. The year 1969 is turning out to be her best ever, especially since she develops a surprising crush on her best friend, Billy Ray.
Continue reading
But as soon as Karlene aims to compete in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D. C., her father's drinking begins to spell trouble. How is a girl supposed to hold her family together, savor her first kiss, and become the best speller in America before the end of eighth grade? Debut novelist Karon Luddy spells out adolescence with unwavering faith and sass in a novel about big dreams and the people who make them happen.
Words and Growing Pains
A spelling-bee dream meets the tender, unruly business of growing up.
Come here for
- Spelling-bee suspense with a playful edge
- First-crush feelings and big small-town dreams
Expect
- A spirited, sassy take on adolescence
- Family strain alongside ambition and affection
Where it sits
| Growing Up | 53% |
|---|---|
| Girls & Young Women | 33% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Adoption Stories
- Girls & Young Women
- Growing Up
- Authors
- Karon Luddy
- Publisher
- Aladdin
- Published
- April 22, 2008
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Adolescence · Spelling-bee ambition · Family struggles
- Reading lane
- Adoption Stories