This is definitely a book worth picking up and reading. From the beginning to the end of okay for now, the main character doug and most of his family have changed significantly. The dump is what doug swieteck calls his new home in upstate new york. It is a companion to schmidts 2007 novel the wednesday wars and features one of its supporting characters, doug swieteck. How netflixs i am not okay with this compares to the book. Long island, new york is the place where the swietecks live when the novel opens. I really liked the main character, doug, and came to appreciate even. Okay for now, his latest novel, explores another seemingly improbable alliance, this one.
See your best ideas come together start and develop your story in small, easy steps. Start writing a book using easy writing tools now novel. How i am not okay with this compares to the book while the series does a remarkable job bringing forsmans characters to life, there are drastic differences amongst the wellcrafted similarities. Printable educator guide to okay for now by gary d. Aug 12, 2011 the ending of the book is just like the rest of the story. Apr 05, 2011 2011 national book award finalist as a fourteenyearold who just moved to a new town, with no friends and a louse for an older brother, doug swieteck has all the stats stacked against him. Schmidts latest book, which features eighthgrade doug as the main character. Together, they find a safe haven in the local library, inspiration in learning about the plates of john james audubons birds, and a hilarious adventure on a broadway stage.
In okay for now, how do the main characters change throughout the book. He hates stupid marysville, so far from home and his beloved yankee stadium, and he may have moved away, but his cruel father and abusive brothers are still with him. He lands there in the summer of 1968, when the apollo space missions are under way, joe pepitone is slugging for the new york yankees, and the vietnam war is raging. If you likes the wednesday wars you will love okay for now. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. It is a book about a kid named doug who is trying to adjust to a new life in a new town, without any of his friends. Brian robeson undergoes a difficult transition when his parents file for divorce. So its easy to understand why doug, the protagonist of our latest book for nprs backseat book club, okay for now, is anything but a happygolucky kid. Historical fiction, realistic fiction, young adult publisher. At home he lives with a father who has lost his way and a. The age range for okay for now is around 1014, or in middle school. This incredible book deals with some very heavy themes, yet it never presents them in a sappy or preachy way, so in a sea of comingofage novels that come off like afterschool specials, okay for now dares to not sugarcoat anything but to still display the true meaning of family in dire times. You also learn about dougs tough home life, he has troubles with his father and his brother. The vietnam war and apollo 11 are in the background, and between a war in a distant land and a spacecraft heading to the moon, doug swieteck starts a new life in tiny marysville, n.
And instead of dougs 410 ways to get a teacher to hate you, okay for now is 360 pages to get a reader to love you. Schmidt this novel will capture teenagers attention as it expertly weaves multiple themes of loss and recovery in a comingofage story teeming with distinctive, unusual characters and invaluable lessons about love, creativity, and survi. The plot was a little strong with the characters and their. Schmidt dougs dad resources lucas swieteck antagonist and a foil to dougs mom alcoholic not around often mean when he is around becomes a lot nicer in the end dougs dad loses his job so they. Jul 23, 2011 while okay for now, the more recent of the two, is about a different central character, it seems to repeat events, characters, situations, linguistic turns, etc.
Schmidt won newbery honor awards for lizzie bright and the buckminster boys and the wednesday wars, two comingofage novels about unlikely. Brainstorm all your characters protagonists, antagonists and more, as well as key story settings, plot points, scene and chapter outlines. Dougs voice is unforgettable as he tries to help and protect his mom. While okay for now, the more recent of the two, is about a different central character, it seems to repeat events,characters, situations, linguistic turns, etc. To create this article, 27 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. So begins a comingofage masterwork full of equal parts comedy and tragedy from newbery honor winner gary. Feb 25, 20 so its easy to understand why doug, the protagonist of our latest book for nprs backseat book club, okay for now, is anything but a happygolucky kid. Partially resolved, he is no longer beating doug up, but will probably go back to his old ways 3.
He is in junior high school, in the summer between. Doug is a likable and complex character whose conversational, often sarcastic tone belies his sensitivity. Okay for now, his latest novel, explores another seemingly improbable alliance, this one between new outsider in town doug swieteck and lil spicer, the savvy spitfire daughter of his deli. One of the pictures shows an arctic tern, and this fascinates doug because it depicts a swiftly falling bird. It is a companion to schmidts 2007 novel the wednesday wars and features one of its supporting characters. Resolved, principal peattie holds up his end of the bargain and gives up the. The backbone and temporal anchors that working through the prints in the audobon book gave okay for now created a structure that was perfect and a steady pace. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The ending of the book is just like the rest of the story. This study guide consists of approximately 28 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and. Doug begins the story as a rather shy young man who feels stifled by his. Okay for now is recommend for late tween and early teen readers. This is an overview of the first edition of okay for now, a humorous young adult novel by awardwinning author, gary d. While there is much stacked against him, he is a character filled with hope that the reader cannot help but root for.
In okay for now, how do the main characters change throughout the. Okay for now is a powerful story of selfdiscovery and transformation effectively told in the strong, distinctive voice of its young protagonist. This book isnt really a sequel, but carries on the story of one of the characters in wednesday wars. In the book, a picture of a bird begins every chapter. Would you call okay for now a hopeful book or a hopeless one. Schmidt won newbery honor awards for lizzie bright and the buckminster boys and the wednesday wars, two comingofage novels about unlikely friends finding a bond. An incredibly dynamic character, he starts out as a new york city boy who takes. The second half of the book, okay for now, everything gets better for doug. Books with characters who have physical disabilities books about kids and teens with physical difficulties can help build understanding, compassion, and tolerance among readers who dont face those challenges as well as give those who do a chance to see relatable kids powering through compelling stories. The memories of the divorce, fresh and painful, plague him throughout the book, although less so the more time passes.
Okay for now is included in the kids wings reading out of the box collection of literature guides for awardwinning novels and intermediatelevel picture books. Doug swieteck is the main character and narrator of the novel. Featured content includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay topics, and key themes like the cycle of abuse and prejudice against the poor. Guide book discussion and enrich your curriculum with questions, projects, and activities for okay for now, a novel by twotime newbery honor recipient gary d. As i read okay for now a national book award finalist, there were. Books about kids and teens with physical difficulties can help build understanding, compassion, and tolerance among readers who dont face those challenges as well as give those who do a chance to see relatable kids powering through compelling stories. Premium members can outline multiple stories and toggle between them an easier way to plan an entire series. In this stunning novel, schmidt expertly weaves multiple themes of loss and recovery in a story teeming with distinctive, unusual characters and invaluable lessons. In okay for now, what characters do some of the birds represent. This novel will capture teenagers attention as it expertly weaves multiple themes of loss and recovery in a comingofage story teeming with distinctive, unusual characters and invaluable lessons about love, creativity. Is it ok for a white author to write black characters. Okay for now educator guide okay for now by gary d.
I sometimes find myself looking for a book to read to my class that will serve as an example of good character or act as a literary pep talk. Throughout the school year, doug makes new friends and makes relationships with friends, teachers, and strangers. Brian robeson, brians mother, brians father, terry, jim or jake, the man with short blond hair, mr. Schmidt a guide for book discussion and classroom use about the book as a fourteenyearold who just moved to a new town, with no friends and a louse.
Ostensibly a sequel to his newbery honor winning title the wednesday wars, the hero of okay for now, doug swieteck, was a bit part character in the first book, and now has come entirely into his own in the second. This collection comes in a spiralbound book with cd and site license for one school. Get an answer for in okay for now, how do the main characters change throughout the book. Books with characters who have physical disabilities. This study guide consists of approximately 28 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of okay for now.
The book im publishing this summer, lady in the lake, has not only an african american ghost commenting from the sidelines, but 20 other voices as well. Brian robeson the thirteenyearold protagonist in the novel. In okay for now, how do the main characters change. Most basically, okay for now is, sort of, a sequel to the. If youve read the wednesday wars, you already know the main character of this novel doug swieteck. General questions about general knowledge that you should have picked up in this book what id the main characters first name. Fiction as a fourteenyearold who just moved to a new town, with no friends and a louse for an older brother, doug swieteck has all the stats stacked against him. It might be a book on fairness after an especially tough recess, a book on honesty after someones eraser collection goes missing, or maybe a book on perseverance to let a student who is feeling challenged know that it will all. Partially resolved, dad seems to have sobered up and lightens up 2. Get everything you need to brainstorm and develop story ideas, settings and characters, create outlines, plot and develop scenes, chapters and drafts, and finish writing your book. Schmidt would be the third type of sequel, i think. Gary schmidt reading from his ypl book okay for now at the 2011 nba finalists reading on vimeo gary d. Dougs voice is unforgettable as he tries to help and protect his momwhile there is much stacked against him, he is a character filled with hope that the reader cannot help but root for.