Surviving the Applewhites facts for kids

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Surviving the Applewhites

Cover of Surviving the Applewhites
Author	Stephanie S. Tolan
Original title	Surviving the Applewhites
Cover artist	Laurie Keller (2004 HarperTrophy edition)
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Fiction
Publisher	HarperCollins
Publication date	2002
Media type	Hardcover
Pages	216
Awards	Newbery Honor
ISBN	0-06-623602-9

Surviving the Applewhites is a 2002 children's novel by Stephanie S. Tolan. The book received a 2003 Newbery Honor and many other awards.

Summary

Jake has been kicked out of every public school in Rhode Island, he burned down the last school that he attended. This 13-year-old protagonist is troubled and misguided. During the 1st chapter of Surviving the Applewhites, the reader learns that both of his parents are in jail. Consequently, Jake struggles to make sense of the world and discover his true self amid the turmoil of his family life. Following his arsonist incident, Jake's grandfather, Henry Dugan, is fed up with his teenage rebelliousness. Dugan arranges for Jake's placement in a home-school run by an eccentric family of artists, the Applewhites. Their educational framework, trademarked as The Creative Academy, is nothing short of unorthodox. Now, Jake is challenged with navigating academic, social, and emotional life among the offbeat Applewhites. He becomes acquainted with E.D., the 12-year-old only regular person of the Applewhite clan. Together, they recognize their differences, build on each other's strengths, and find ways to succeed.

Characters

Edith Wharton "E.D." Applewhite is one of the main characters in the story. She is named after Edith Wharton, and thrives on a sense of organization and structure, while the rest of her family is spontaneous and craves freedom. She clashes with Jake at the beginning of the book and ends up working with him on several occasions.

Jake Semple is one of the main characters of the story. He is unsure about his feelings because his parents are in prison and he's been expelled from several schools. If Jake did not adjust to life with the Applewhites, he would be placed in a juvenile detention facility.

Henry Dugan Jake's grandfather and the Applewhites' neighbor. After attending Lucille's workshop at the middle school, he pushes for Jake to "enroll" at The Creative Academy.

Cordelia Applewhite E.D.'s creative and independent older sister, on whom Jake forms a crush.

Archie Applewhite a wood sculptor and the brother of Randolph Applewhite.

Destiny Applewhite is E.D.'s four-year-old brother. He is very active and asks many questions. The youngest of the kids, he forms a friendship with Jake.

Hal Applewhite E.D.'s reclusive older brother. Fifteen years old, he is often holed up in his bedroom, only emerging at night to eat. He is a sculptor in most of the book.

Randolph Applewhite the father of the Applewhite children. He is known to be hot-headed and difficult to work with. He has shaggy dark hair and a goatee.

Debbie Applewhite AKA Sybil Jameson the mother of the Applewhite children. She has glasses and she is a famous detective writer. Later in the story, she starts a new book.

Winston the family dog who forms an attachment to Jake.

Lucille Applewhite Archie's wife, who came up with the idea to have Jake attend the Creative Academy. A poet, she lives life in a very happy state.

Jeremy Bernstein a young journalist who stays with the Applewhites to document their artistic endeavors.

Zedediah Applewhite is the father of Randolph and Archie and grandfather to the Applewhite children. The family patriarch, Zedediah works at his own woodshop. He and Archie make wooden furniture.

Govindaswami is Lucille's guru. He cooks really spicy Indian food and likes to meditate.

Awards

Surviving the Applewhites was named a Newbery Honor book in 2003 and ALA Booklist Editors’ choice and Book Links Lasting Connection.

Tolan, Stephanie S. Surviving the Applewhites. HarperCollinsPublishers Inc: New York, 2002 B002MWIEGG

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