make lemonade
written Virginia Euwer Wolff
Bibliography
Wolff, V. E. (1993). make lemonade.
Brief Summary
The free verse novel describes the trials and tribulations of Jolly, a seventeen year old mother of two children, and LaVaughn, a fourteen year old girl who becomes the children’s babysitter. LaVaughn is serious about her school work, and is babysitting to earn money for a college education which will be her ticket out of the neighborhood.
Although LaVaughn is three years younger than Jolly, she not only becomes like a second mother for Jolly’s young kiddos, she helps Jolly put her life back on track. When Jolly gets fired from her minimum wage job after being sexually harassed, LaVaughn persuades her to return to school by enrolling in a special program for teen mothers. The program not only helps young mothers obtain their GED, but learn the basics of parenting and other important life skills as well.
My Impressions
I appreciate the irony of the storyline – LaVaughn is babysitting to earn money for her college education which will lead her to a life style completely opposite of the life which Jolly and her two children are experiencing. In LaVaughn’s quest, she is instrumental in facilitating a better future for Jolly and her kids. LaVaughn matures into a young lady in the process. Jolly not only becomes a much better parent, but lays the foundation for a brighter future for herself as well.
Reviews
“Wolff's latest novel stretches her considerable talents in a new direction. Written in a riveting, stream-of-consciousness fashion, with the lines laid out on the page as if they were the verses of a poem, the book plunges into the depths of inner-city poverty. But instead of focusing on the gangs that spread fear in city tenements, Wolff writes about ordinary folks trying to get by as best they can…There's humor as well as anguish in the tableaux she sets before us, with some of the funniest and most stirring scenes revolving around Jolly's children, both fully realized characters…Rooted not in a particular culture, but in the community of poverty, the story offers a penetrating view of the conditions that foster our ignorance, destroy our self-esteem, and challenge our strength. That education is the bridge to a better life is the unapologetic, unmistakable theme, symbolized by the sprouting of the lemon seeds LaVaughn plants for Jolly's children. At once disturbing and uplifting, this finely nuanced, touching portrait proudly affirms our ability to reach beyond ourselves and reach out to one another…Gr. 7-12.”
-- Booklist (June 1, 1993)
Stephanie Zvirin
“‘Radiant with hope, this keenly observed and poignant novel is a stellar addition to YA literature,’ said PW in a starred review, praising Wolff's use of ‘meltingly lyric blank verse’ to tell of two inner-city teenage girls struggling toward better lives…Ages 12-up.”
-- Publisher’s Weekly (July 11, 1994)
“The themes of parental love, sexual harassment, abuse, independence, and the value of education are its underpinnings. LaVaughn is a bright, compassionate teen who is a foil for Jolly, whose only brief role model was a foster parent, Gram, who died. The dynamics between the two young women are multidimensional and elastic--absolutely credible. LaVaughn's mother is a complete character, too, and even Jolly's kids become real. The tale is told in natural first-person, and in rhythmic prose arranged in open verse. The poetic form emphasizes the flow of the teenager's language and thought. The form invites readers to drop some preconceptions about novels, and they will find the plot and characters riveting. Make Lemonade is a triumphant, outstanding story…Gr 7-12”
-- School Library Journal (July 1, 1993)
Carolyn Noah, Central Mass.
Regional Library System, Worcester, MA
Suggestions for Library Use
Booklist and School Library Journal state the book is appropriate for grades 7-12; Publisher’s Weekly suggests ages 12 and up. I tend to agree due to adult content such as the issue of sexual harassment.
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