I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Graham Cracker Plot by Shelley Tougas Narrator: Olivia Campbell
Length: 4 Hours 34 Minutes
Published by Macmillan on September 2nd 2014
Genres: Young Adult, Social Issues, Friendship, Family, Parents
Pages: 288
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
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Meet Daisy Bauer and her sometimes best friend, Graham, who are determined to break Daisy's dad out of prison in this hilarious middle-grade debut.
No one believes her, but Daisy Bauer knows her dad has been wrongfully imprisoned and that it's up to her to break him out of jail (aka Club Fed). She has a plan that she's calling the Graham Cracker Plot because it was all Graham's idea. She just needs a miniature horse, a getaway truck, and a penny from 1919--the idea coin. This funny, nail-biter of a novel is about friendship and admitting you're wrong. Debut novelist Shelley Tougas balances humor and warmth against themes of family, broken trust, and unconditional love against all odds.
Why Did I Listen To This Book?
I listened to The Graham Cracker Plot by Shelley Tougas because initially it is a short book. Then, it turns out, the gist is that it is a middle grade book about a girl who has low socioeconomic status, meaning she’s poor, and because I feel like all the young adult I read is about rich chosen one white girls, I had to glom onto Tougas’s audiobook. Overall, I am quite glad I decided to give The Graham Cracker Plot a listen.
What’s The Story Here?
The concept behind The Graham Cracker Plot is that main character Daisy Bauer’s dad is in prison. Daisy believes that he is innocent of the crime he is locked up for. Meanwhile, her dad gets bullied while Daisy is there on a visit, and she reacts, and loses visiting privileges. And so, she hatches a scheme with her friend Graham, who is kind of a genius, and also this girl Ashley who is their getaway driver and also perhaps not the most brilliant character of all time ever. This is a story with pathos and is at turns madcap. It does not shy away from hard truths or whitewash, even at the middle grade age. I actually really respected that.
How Is Daisy As A Character?
So, there are moments where Daisy comes across as selfish and a bit mean and hurtful, but as a reader, I loved that. Hear me out. It’s not that she encourages children to be like that. It is that she’s written as an actual fully realized person. Her flaws are on display and she isn’t held up as some moral figure. This is something I really get behind. Beyond that, I loved her naivety about her father and how she has that childlike belief in her parents. I loved that she was headstrong enough to run away from home – which is a mess of a situation FYI – and go find her dad. It’s just such a real pre-teen thing to do.
How’s The Narration?
The Graham Cracker Plot by Shelley Tougas audiobook is narrated by Olivia Campbell and is just under 5 hours at 4 hours and 34 minutes unabridged. I’ll admit my attention wandered during the audiobook quite often. Campbell’s voice is age appropriate. It does sound like a kid Daisy’s age narrating. I think that for the actual intended audience this is a positive.
Who Should Listen To This Audiobook?
- Fans of The Pinballs
- Readers who do not have a wealthy socioeconomic background and want to see themselves reflected in a book
- Kids who have parents in prison
- Adults who think all children have magical innocent childhoods (they don’t)
Sum It Up With A GIF:
The only thing this GIF has to do with the book is the whole breaking out of prison thing.
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