Review: Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (Dairy Queen #1)

Title: Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilberft Murdock
Published: May 22nd 2006 by Houghton Mifflin
Source: Library
Grade rate: A

When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Harsh words indeed, from Brian Nelson of all people. But, D.J. can't help admitting, maybe he's right. When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Stuff like why her best friend, Amber, isn't so friendly anymore. Or why her little brother, Curtis, never opens his mouth. Why her mom has two jobs and a big secret. Why her college-football-star brothers won't even call home. Why her dad would go ballistic if she tried out for the high school football team herself. And why Brian is so, so out of her league. When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Welcome to the summer that fifteen-year-old D.J. Schwenk of Red Bend, Wisconsin, learns to talk, and ends up having an awful lot of stuff to say.

My Review

A while ago one of the topics for the Top Ten Tuesday hop was “best series” and I say the Dairy Queen books listed in several blogs and of course I had to read it.  I have to say that you guys were right, I LOVED this book!

D.J. is an amazing character.  She has a peculiar family that chooses to not talk about real issues.  I found the way she was taken for granted by her family unfair and she thought so too, but never complaint or voiced her concerns.  D.J. has an amazing voice and she was hilarious in her observations, it really felt like being inside the head of a 16 year old.  D.J.’s father was so unfair to all his children that I can’t understand what kept the family together at all.  Curtis limited “talking” was probably a survival skill to survive this family!  I liked Brian and I am glad that he came to his senses by the end of the book.

The story is told in the first person, from D.J.s perspective and she is telling her story to the reader her way.  The writing is fluid, funny and fresh.  Ms. Gilbert Murdock  is a genius!  I hope the next two books are just as good, I am really looking forward to reading them soon.

About the cover:  It’s funny, right?   Since D.J.’s family has a dairy farm (that she pretty much runs by herself) she is made fun off and called “dairy queen” so I guess is not as funny for her.