Bloomability facts for kids
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| Author | Sharon Creech |
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| Cover artist | Lisa Falkenstern |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's |
| Publisher | Joanna Cotler |
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Publication date
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September 30, 1998 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 242 pages |
| ISBN | 978-0-06-440823-3 |
| OCLC | 42402580 |
Bloomability is an exciting children's book written by Sharon Creech. It was first published in 1998. The main character is a young girl named Dinnie Doone. At the start of the story, Dinnie lives with her family in the United States. They move around a lot, never staying in one place for long.
Dinnie gets a special chance to go to a boarding school in Lugano, Switzerland. Most of the story happens at this school. The school in the book is inspired by The American School In Switzerland, where Sharon Creech used to teach English.
The unique title, "Bloomability," comes from one of Dinnie's friends at the school, Keisuke. Keisuke is a Japanese student who is learning English. He created "bloomability" to mean "possibility," like something blooming or growing into something new.
Contents
Discovering a New Life: Dinnie's Swiss Adventure
Domenica Santolina Doone, known as Dinnie, has spent most of her life traveling. Her dad often moves for work, so Dinnie's family never has a permanent home. She feels used to this moving routine. But one night, everything changes for Dinnie.
Her older brother, Crick, has joined the Air Force. Her sixteen-year-old sister, Stella, has gotten married and had a baby. With her dad still traveling for work, Dinnie's aunt and uncle step in. They take Dinnie to Switzerland. Her Uncle Max is the new headmaster of an international boarding school there.
Starting School in Switzerland
Dinnie becomes a student at the school. She quickly starts making new friends. She also sees many exciting new places and has lots of adventures.
She becomes friends with a girl named Lila. Lila seems nice at first, but she sometimes complains a lot. Dinnie still likes her very much. Dinnie also meets Guthrie, who is very fun and full of energy. He often says "fantastico!"
New Friends and Relationships
Dinnie also gets to know Keisuke and Belen. Keisuke is a boy from Japan, and Belen is a girl from Spain. They care for each other, but their parents are not sure about their relationship. Later, an Italian girl named Mari joins their group of friends.
During a school ski trip, Lila and Guthrie get caught in an avalanche. An avalanche is a large amount of snow, ice, and rocks sliding down a mountain. Dinnie saw where they fell, which helped rescue workers find them. Both Lila and Guthrie survived and recovered fully.
Dinnie's Journey of Growth
Throughout the book, you'll find Dinnie's diary entries. She also gets postcards from her two aunts, Tillie and Grace. These postcards tell Dinnie what's happening back home with her family. At first, Dinnie tries to show signs at her window that she wants to go home.
However, as the school year goes on, Dinnie starts to love her new life. She thrives in the diverse environment of the school. She also enjoys the stability of staying in one place.
At the end of the year, Dinnie's aunt and uncle give her a choice. She can go home to America for the summer and return to school in the fall. Or, she can go back to America permanently. The book doesn't say what Dinnie decides. But she keeps her skis in the closet. This suggests she plans to come back to Switzerland someday.
Meet the Characters
Here are some of the interesting characters you'll meet in Bloomability:
- Mrs. Stirling
- Mrs. Stirling is the elegant founder of the international school. She is the director and is highly respected by everyone. Even though she is older, she is very smart and knows everything happening at the school. She speaks English, French, and Italian fluently.
- Keisuke
- Keisuke is a boy from Osaka, Japan. He is Guthrie's best friend. English is not his first language, so he sometimes says words differently. For example, he might say "stew pod" instead of "stupid." He also invents new words, like "bloomability" for "possibility." His friends often pick up his new words. Keisuke is cheerful and smart. He has a special relationship with Belen Martinez.
- Belen Martinez
- Belen is a girl from Barcelona, Spain. She is Lila's roommate. She and Keisuke have a relationship, but Belen knows her parents might not fully approve of her dating a Japanese boy. Belen is a mature girl who can seem a bit moody. She has strong opinions but is not as confrontational as Lila.
- Mari
- Mari is an Italian girl from Rome, Italy. She joins Dinnie and her friends later in the story, after the school's ski trip. Mari is friendly and cheerful, though she can be a little hot-tempered.
- Dinnie's Family
- Dinnie's family includes her father Jack, her mother, her older brother Crick, and her older sister Stella.
- Jack (Dinnie's Dad): He often moves for work, which means the family travels a lot.
- Dinnie's Mother: She is an artist who travels with Dinnie's dad. She sends Dinnie unique postcards.
- Crick (Dinnie's Brother): He joins the army before Dinnie goes to Switzerland.
- Stella (Dinnie's Sister): She gets married and has a baby named Michael before Dinnie leaves for Switzerland.
- While Dinnie is in Switzerland, she gets news about her family from her aunts, Tillie and Grace. They live in Bybanks, Kentucky. They often argue but show great love for Dinnie in their letters. They always send encouraging news.
