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Overview
There's only one way Shelby and her sisters can describe their mother: She's a sexpot. Helen Kimura collects men (and loans, spending money, and gifts of all kinds) from all over the country. Sure, she's not your typical role model, but she's also not just a pretty face and nail polish. She is confident and brave; she lives life on her own terms, and her four daughters simply adore her. These girls have been raised outside the traditional boundaries. They know how to take the back exit. They know how to dodge crazed lovers in highway car chases. They do not, however, know how to function without one another.
Then suddenly they must. A late-night phone call unexpectedly shreds the family apart, catapulting the girls across the country to live with their respective fathers. But these strong-willed sisters are, like their mother, determined to live life on their own terms, and what they do to pull their family back together is nothing short of beautiful.
At turns wickedly funny and insistently thought-provoking, Outside Beauty showcases Cynthia Kadohata's unerring ability to explore the bonds that bind.
Synopsis
There's only one way Shelby and her sisters can describe their mother: She's a sexpot. Helen Kimura collects men (and loans, spending money, and gifts of all kinds) from all over the country. Sure, she's not your typical role model, but she's also not just a pretty face and nail polish. She is confident and brave; she lives life on her own terms, and her four daughters simply adore her. These girls have been raised outside the traditional boundaries. They know how to take the back exit. They know how to dodge crazed lovers in highway car chases. They do not, however, know how to function without one another.
Then suddenly they must. A late-night phone call unexpectedly shreds the family apart, catapulting the girls across the country to live with their respective fathers. But these strong-willed sisters are, like their mother, determined to live life on their own terms, and what they do to pull their family back together is nothing short of beautiful.
At turns wickedly funny and insistently thought-provoking, Outside Beauty showcases Cynthia Kadohata's unerring ability to explore the bonds that bind.
Publishers Weekly
Newbery Medalist Kadohata's (Kira-Kira) gifts for creating and containing drama and for careful definition of character prove as powerful as ever in this wise, tender and compelling novel. Although the 12-year-old narrator, Shelby, and her three sisters are as different as their respective fathers (whom they rarely see), they remain devoted to one another and to their stunningly beautiful Japanese-American mother, who uses her looks to collect men the same way she collects pieces of jewelry (and for much the same purpose). When their mother is critically injured-and disfigured-in a car crash, the girls are dispersed from their Chicago apartment to the care of the four fathers. At first Shelby's father, a Japanese-born gum manufacturer in rural Arkansas, reminds her of "one of those nearsighted Japanese men with cameras who moved in clusters throughout Chicago tourist attractions." But when one of the fathers appears to be mistreating a sister and Shelby tries to plan a way for all four to reunite, she begins to appreciate her father's kindness and generosity, and to find beauty in unexpected places. Her growing insight into the difference between beauty and perfection accompanies steady revelations about families and love. Ages 12-up. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Editorials
Publishers Weekly
Newbery Medalist Kadohata's (Kira-Kira) gifts for creating and containing drama and for careful definition of character prove as powerful as ever in this wise, tender and compelling novel. Although the 12-year-old narrator, Shelby, and her three sisters are as different as their respective fathers (whom they rarely see), they remain devoted to one another and to their stunningly beautiful Japanese-American mother, who uses her looks to collect men the same way she collects pieces of jewelry (and for much the same purpose). When their mother is critically injured-and disfigured-in a car crash, the girls are dispersed from their Chicago apartment to the care of the four fathers. At first Shelby's father, a Japanese-born gum manufacturer in rural Arkansas, reminds her of "one of those nearsighted Japanese men with cameras who moved in clusters throughout Chicago tourist attractions." But when one of the fathers appears to be mistreating a sister and Shelby tries to plan a way for all four to reunite, she begins to appreciate her father's kindness and generosity, and to find beauty in unexpected places. Her growing insight into the difference between beauty and perfection accompanies steady revelations about families and love. Ages 12-up. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Stephanie McNemar
Shelby Kimura and her three sisters live with a mother who believes that everyone judges you on your beauty alone. Their mother is what they call a sexpot, collecting money, jewelry, and men along the way. The only thing Shelby and her sisters share is their mother. Each is the product of their mother's failed relationships. This commonality is what keeps the girls strong and united. In a sudden turn of events, the girls must learn how to live separately from each other with their fathers when their mother is injured. Cynthia Kadohata portrays the four young girls as strong and smart people who have learned to adapt to situations that they have no control of. The book is a quick and easy read, leaving you feeling good that outside beauty isn't as good as inner beauty. Reviewer: Stephanie McNemarKLIATT -
Shelby is almost 13 years old. She is the third of the four daughters of a beautiful Japanese woman, each by a different husband. They live with none of their fathers and their mother teaches them about beauty and how it has given them all that they need to get by. However, in a cruel instant, their mother is involved in a horrific car crash that destroys her outside beauty and threatens to tear the girls apart. Marilyn, Lakey, Shelby and Maddie are each sent to live with their fathers while their mother recuperates in a Chicago hospital. Shelby is sent to live with a Japanese man in Arkansas who runs a gum company, but young Maddie is sent to live with Mr. Bronson, a rigid man who demands routine and manners. When their mother takes a turn for the worst, they reunite at her hospital bedside and the older girls see the odd changes in their little sister. Once their mother's health returns, they decide to run away together to keep Maddie from having to remain any longer with Mr. Bronson. The story emphasizes the strength of family and relationships; the girls are stronger than they appear and stronger together than any one of them is alone. Keeping track of the families may prove difficult for younger readers, but older readers will appreciate the characters' resilience and determination to stay together. Reviewer: Janis Flint-FergusonVOYA -
"My mother had four daughters by four different men." Twelve-year-old Shelby has repeated this line so often to explain her unorthodox family that is has become automatic. Although their beautiful and shrewd mother earns a living by charming men into gifting her with expensive jewelry and money, the girls have become accustomed to relying on one another for support. Their bond is unyielding and their loyalty fierce. Then one night, their way of life comes to an abrupt halt when their mother is severely disfigured and injured in a car accident. With her recovery uncertain, the girls are sent across the country to live with their respective fathers and an equally uncertain future. This novel has an intriguing and original plot. Unfortunately its potential is never quite realized. With the exception of narrator Shelby, the lack of depth and exploration into the sisters' experiences and emotions leaves the reader feeling rather bereft. The ending feels contrived, tying up the different story elements in a manner that is almost too neat and tidy. Those searching for a more authentic reading experience would be better satisfied with Kadohata's Newbery-winning Kira-Kira (Atheneum/S & S, 2004/VOYA June 2004). That said, the story has some funny and thought-provoking moments and will particularly appeal to young girls searching for an enjoyable, quick read. Reviewer: Jule WatkinsSchool Library Journal
Gr 7 Up- Shelby, 13, and her three sisters, ages 16, 8, and 6, have different fathers. They live in early-1980s Chicago with their free-spirited mother, Helen, a striking and beauty-obsessed Japanese bombshell. Helen is a cult of personality unto herself, and the older girls happily care for the younger ones while Mom collects boyfriends. When she is in a disfiguring car accident, the girls separate to live with their fathers. Shelby's dad is a kind, level-headed Japanese greenhorn, while six-year-old Maddie's, an Anglo, is a patronizing, abusive bully. The four girls plot their escape-back to Helen, but really back to one another. The novel is oddly missing pop-culture references, so the '80s setting is perplexing and extraneous. The first chapters of the book are packed with contrived, purposefully madcap shenanigans and creaky, expository dialogue. Once the scene is set, though, Shelby settles into a more natural, thoughtful voice, and the surprisingly gripping plot gains pace and substance. The cloyingly devil-may-care mood of the opening turns mercifully more sober and suspenseful as the girls' troubles deepen. The sisters have distinct, authentic voices, and their conversations are smooth, snappy, and believable. The male characters are well drawn too, especially Shelby's sweet, hilarious father, who gets the best lines in the book. Shelby's running commentary on beauty is smart and poignant, as is her portrayal of a mother she both loves and reviles.-Johanna Lewis, New York Public Library