Here Today (After Words)

By Ann M. Martin

Book Overview

Newbery Honor medalist Ann M. Martin explores the fragile bonds of family and once again proves to be one of our strongest literary voices. "In 1963, Ellie's mother, Doris Day Dingman, was crowned the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0439856256
• ISBN13: 9780439856256
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: Scholastic
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.5" x 0.8" x 5.5"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

I loved this book

I thought this book was absolutely beautiful. I am a huge fan of realistic plotlines that are not commonly used. This book, in my opinion, would be great for 9-15 year olds (mostly girls) to read instead of goofy romancy novels or never-ending series about girls who never seem to get older. Anyway, this book tells the story of a young girl who is struggling with a mother who obviously has no desire to raise her children. It's more than an 11 year old girl taking care of her siblings and watching her mother go. It's about the bonds a mother has with her children. The hardest part of this book is that Doris truly does love her children, and that is the biggest conflict in the book. While it would be a great read for young girls I also found it to be very touching as a college student. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read historical and realistic fiction. The story is beautiful and I know this is a book that I will read again and hopefully will be able to use when I teach.

Here Today

Ellie Dingman is twelve years old and is starting sixth grade. She has a best named Holly Major. Ellie has a dog named Kiss and two younger siblings: Albert who is about ten years old and Marie who turns eight in the book. Ellie's mom, Doris, wins the Bosetti Beauty at Mr. Bosetti's store. After that President Kennedy is assassinated. Then Doris thinks she can leave her family to try out for auditions. Then when she leaves her family to go to New York City, everything falls apart and Ellie has problems of her own plus she has to take care of her family. Then she runs off to NYC to see Doris without letting her dad know. Her dad comes to get her and she goes home. Doris comes home after that and gets ready to go to Hollywood. Then when Ellie asks Doris why she never calls her mom Doris almost says,"I suppose because I never felt like a mom", but she doesn't say mom. When she cuts herself short she says,"'Mom' is so old fashioned." I think Here Today is a fabulous book because it can happen in real life. It also has a happy, but sad ending.

Here Today: A Heartwarming Story of Adversity and Triumph

The year 1963 was one of many trials and tribulations for eleven-year-old Eleanor Roosevelt Dingman, better known as Ellie. After her fame-seeking egocentric mother deserts the family to chase her acting dreams in New York City, Ellie is left to take on the maternal role for her younger brother and sister. At the same time, Ellie must endure the pangs of being seen as an "outsider" at school and the terrorizing acts of bigotry towards the "rejects" who live on Witch Tree Lane. In the end, Ellie must come to terms with the one thing she has been dreading. Will Ellie overcome this devastating blow in her life? Most importantly, what will come of this troubled young girl, who lives on Witch Tree Lane, in the small town of Spectacle? Once again, Ann M. Martin captures her readers through sharing the heartrending and genuine story of Miss Eleanor Roosevelt Dingman. While reading this beautifully written novel, I found myself riding along-side Ellie on the "emotional roller-coaster" she calls life. Ellie seized my heart and inspired my soul. As a result, I highly recommend HERE TODAY.

Powerful

Here Today is a perfect example of a classic Ann M. Martin book. Ellie's thoughts, struggles, and emotions are clearly portrayed and explained through Ms. Martin's clear, well explained words, analogies, and explanations. Many children can relate to the sadness, anger, fury, lonelinesss, confusion, and fear that Ellie experiences throughout the book. Being the mother role to her young brother and sister is hard on Ellie, as is being picked on mercilessly at school, and her mother packing up and moving away for a "better life" away from her family. This book is very clear and holds attention, and is a very good choice.

A heartbreaking and real, but ultimately hopeful story

Ellie tells how her family and life fall apart in the year 1963. Ellie is a Spectacular. She lives in the town of Spectacle where her mother, Doris Day Dingman, yearns to be the constant center of attention --- a Spectacular spectacle. Doris wins the Bosetti Beauty award, which gives her five free shopping minutes at the Bosetti Grocery Store, by stuffing the box with twenty-five forms. She then revels in the attention of the audience, and continues wearing the tiara long after the contest is over. Ellie's family lives on Witch Tree Lane, along with the other fascinating misfits in town. Ellie has many friends on the street, some of whom function as substitute mothers during Doris's many classes in dance, acting, and singing. Doris believes in making things happen. She has changed her name to that of the movie star, Doris Day. She talks the local A & P market into letting her be the Lehman's Spam Spread girl. Doris is gone five hours the afternoon she heads off to talk the local clothing store into a fashion show (starring herself, of course). In response to her absence, Mr. Dingman is too quiet, Ellie's brother Albert is furious, and her sister Marie cries. When Doris comes home late --- and drunk --- she and her husband argue loudly. As Ellie and her best friend Holly start sixth grade, they're impressed with their young cute male teacher and with the new girl, Tammy White, who is not in awe of the popular girls --- the ones who delight in torturing Ellie and Holly. Doris appears in Ellie's classroom dressed in a tight red dress and very high heels, with her hair in a bouffant tower. Ellie is humiliated, but Tammy is intrigued. As time goes on, Ellie can't sleep at night. She knows something terrible is going to happen. What will it be, and when will it come? In the meantime bad things are happening to Ellie and Holly at school, and to the residents of Witch Tree Lane. The world is shocked and saddened by President Kennedy's assassination, but self-involved Doris is angry because the Harvest Parade is called off and she won't get to be the Harvest Queen. Finally, inevitably, the something that Ellie has been dreading comes to be. It's so huge and devastating that it changes her world forever. Will she survive? Ellie's story is heartbreaking and real. At various times while reading HERE TODAY, I felt sad, angry, and frightened. I'll remember Ellie for finding strength when life battered her, and for leaving me with an uplifting surge of hope. Highly recommended. [...]