Helpful Score: 2
A cow. That's what Brian Nelson calls D.J. Schwenk on the first day he works for their farm. D.J. is a cow because she does everything her injured but grumpy father tells her to do, which is basically to run the farm by herself, forced to give up her athletic passions along the way. Brian's accusation may be harsh, even after he apologizes and they start becoming friends, but D.J. is forced to admit that what he said is true. Most people in the world, she realizes, simply do what they are expected to do, whether they know it or not.
And certainly a bigger group of cows there can not be than her own family, the Schwenks. They are poor and uncommunicative and repress their feelings when it would be better to speak up. As a result, D.J.'s older brothers don't talk to the family anymore. Her mother hides away in her active principal's office even during the summertime. Her younger brother Curtis speaks about once every blue moon, and her dad simply complains about D.J.'s faults without helping one bit.
The summer before her junior year certainly gives D.J. new things to think about. She's stuck on Brian's cow comment, for example, and how she can make herself stand out from the "herd." She learns something shocking about her best friend Amber. Most of all, she's experiencing a totally new emotion with Brian, who is popular, athletic (under her training, of course), smart, good-looking...everything she will never allow herself to hope for.
Maybe, however, junior year and her new decisions will make her life turn out a lot differently than what she expected.
DAIRY QUEEN was a joy to read! D.J.'s troubles may begin to sound like a soap opera after a while, but her down-to-earth farm-girl manner of talking keeps things fresh and interesting. D.J. may put herself down, but readers will not hesitate to want to befriend her, and to find out what happens in this great book's sequel, THE OFF SEASON.
And certainly a bigger group of cows there can not be than her own family, the Schwenks. They are poor and uncommunicative and repress their feelings when it would be better to speak up. As a result, D.J.'s older brothers don't talk to the family anymore. Her mother hides away in her active principal's office even during the summertime. Her younger brother Curtis speaks about once every blue moon, and her dad simply complains about D.J.'s faults without helping one bit.
The summer before her junior year certainly gives D.J. new things to think about. She's stuck on Brian's cow comment, for example, and how she can make herself stand out from the "herd." She learns something shocking about her best friend Amber. Most of all, she's experiencing a totally new emotion with Brian, who is popular, athletic (under her training, of course), smart, good-looking...everything she will never allow herself to hope for.
Maybe, however, junior year and her new decisions will make her life turn out a lot differently than what she expected.
DAIRY QUEEN was a joy to read! D.J.'s troubles may begin to sound like a soap opera after a while, but her down-to-earth farm-girl manner of talking keeps things fresh and interesting. D.J. may put herself down, but readers will not hesitate to want to befriend her, and to find out what happens in this great book's sequel, THE OFF SEASON.
Helpful Score: 2
I freaking loved this book.
When I first heard about it, I kinda shyed away from it, because it dealt with football. Don't get me wrong, I love the Steelers, but football isn't my favorite subject, especially to read about.
But I loved this book.
I love the way D.J. is just a random girl, a farm girl for that matter, that decides to try out for the boys football team, and is amazing at it. I love how I learned a lot about football & farming from this book.
It's a great read.
It should be awarded.
When I first heard about it, I kinda shyed away from it, because it dealt with football. Don't get me wrong, I love the Steelers, but football isn't my favorite subject, especially to read about.
But I loved this book.
I love the way D.J. is just a random girl, a farm girl for that matter, that decides to try out for the boys football team, and is amazing at it. I love how I learned a lot about football & farming from this book.
It's a great read.
It should be awarded.
wow- great novel of a girl coming of age thru love, friendship and parents
I really enjoyed this book. More than I thought I would. And now I see there is a sequel coming out so I can find out what DJ gets up to!
Funny read about a girl on a dairy farm. Plot twists surprised me more than once.
This is a very well written book :)
Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com
The only sport that D.J. will truly ever know is football, what with most of her family playing it and the cows having names like Joe Namath. The only life D.J. Schwenk is used to is the farm life. Now that her two oldest brothers are gone to college, and never seem to stay in contact with them, and her father having a bad hip, it's up to D.J. and her brother, Curtis, the one that hardly ever talks, to get things done.
But this summer it looks like D.J. will be getting an extra hand from Brian Nelson, the football player from Hawley, the enemy school. Even though Brian is helping, he isn't very good at it. Let's just say his farm work is as bad as his football skills. But for some reason, everyone thinks he's the next greatest football player. What's worse is that D.J. is actually starting to like Brian, but he's the enemy and can hardly throw a ball. So what does D.J. do? Well, she starts to train Brian, since she would always have to help her brothers during football season, and maybe now Brian would see her as more than just a farm girl.
That's not the only issue that D.J. has though; her mother is working two jobs to support the family and it seems like she is keeping something from them. And D.J.'s best friend isn't being so friendly anymore. And what about the idea that just so suddenly pops up into D.J.'s mind, the one that says she should try out for the football team. Let's just hope that not everyone in her town will go crazy over this idea, especially her parents. But can she do it?
DAIRY QUEEN is an extremely cute coming-of-age novel. It goes against all the clichés where girls are just not good at guy sports. And D.J. is the perfect heroine, showing that anyone can do anything if they just put their mind to it. A wonderful story that is far from ice-cream -- but it still fills your heart with joy!
The only sport that D.J. will truly ever know is football, what with most of her family playing it and the cows having names like Joe Namath. The only life D.J. Schwenk is used to is the farm life. Now that her two oldest brothers are gone to college, and never seem to stay in contact with them, and her father having a bad hip, it's up to D.J. and her brother, Curtis, the one that hardly ever talks, to get things done.
But this summer it looks like D.J. will be getting an extra hand from Brian Nelson, the football player from Hawley, the enemy school. Even though Brian is helping, he isn't very good at it. Let's just say his farm work is as bad as his football skills. But for some reason, everyone thinks he's the next greatest football player. What's worse is that D.J. is actually starting to like Brian, but he's the enemy and can hardly throw a ball. So what does D.J. do? Well, she starts to train Brian, since she would always have to help her brothers during football season, and maybe now Brian would see her as more than just a farm girl.
That's not the only issue that D.J. has though; her mother is working two jobs to support the family and it seems like she is keeping something from them. And D.J.'s best friend isn't being so friendly anymore. And what about the idea that just so suddenly pops up into D.J.'s mind, the one that says she should try out for the football team. Let's just hope that not everyone in her town will go crazy over this idea, especially her parents. But can she do it?
DAIRY QUEEN is an extremely cute coming-of-age novel. It goes against all the clichés where girls are just not good at guy sports. And D.J. is the perfect heroine, showing that anyone can do anything if they just put their mind to it. A wonderful story that is far from ice-cream -- but it still fills your heart with joy!
I really liked this book. Character development, interesting setup for the main character, good ending. Read it -- you won't be sorry.
I recommend this to any teenager! This book wasn't blatantly about teenage hormones. It was about resisting conformity while still doing what had to be done. It put rural America into a new light for me. And the whole Hawley QB vs. Red Bend LB/ Romeo and Juliet thing was great. I love the fact that DJ was willing to go against the status quo to join the football team. It was really empowering.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. i recommend it to anyone. there is some language, but not a lot.
This is such an adorable book. The other reviewers really nailed it. DJ is adorable and real. Going to college in Iowa I met a lot of Wisconsonians and I would peg the narrator for a native!
The story is not all fun and rainbows, but it is definitely realistic with a hint of storytelling tucked in. Delightful and I'm hooked enough to read the next book.
The story is not all fun and rainbows, but it is definitely realistic with a hint of storytelling tucked in. Delightful and I'm hooked enough to read the next book.
