HomeGroupsTalkMoreZeitgeist
Search Site
This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.

Results from Google Books

Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.

Trouble by Gary D. Schmidt
Loading...

Trouble (edition 2008)

by Gary D. Schmidt

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
5503243,423 (4.08)11
Gary Schmidt is one of my 'Go to' authors when I'm looking for a book to read together as a family. He brings up real-life issues with characters that I end up loving and his books are always good for starting a discussion. Trouble did not disappoint as far as bringing up some hot topics - slavery, immigration, racism, lying to save a friend. But as much as I enjoyed all of the issues, there was almost too much thrown into this book, which finally detracted from a concise cohesive story. Will I read another of his books - absolutely! Still a great book, but not one of his best. ( )
  jmoncton | Jun 3, 2013 |
English (31)  Portuguese (1)  All languages (32)
Showing 1-25 of 31 (next | show all)
Where do I even begin with this one? To be honest, I didn’t have very high hopes going into the book—this has one of the worst covers I’ve seen in a good while, and that did nothing to make me excited about reading the story. But once I got into it, though, wow. What a book!

This book deals with some very hard themes: Racism, grief, and having to learn to forgive and work through things when difficulties come our way, to name a few. Henry’s family weren’t particularly close, so that was an interesting element to track as the book progressed. This also had a fascinating thread of history woven through (I’d love to know if it has any basis in real history or not!), as well as being a rich story of growth and healing.

It’s hard to know what to say and what not to because so much feels like spoilers. I will say that I found Chay’s story heart-wrenching, and I loved Henry’s friend (even though he had a sad backstory). This book is about friendship, learning to support each other, grieving, and so much more. It was realistic, heartbreaking, and hopeful. I loved it, and am looking forward to reading other Gary D. Schmidt books—after reading three of his books over the last year, he’s become one of my new favorite authors. ( )
  EstherFilbrun | Mar 2, 2024 |
Trouble is about forgiveness, grief and racism. ( )
  KristinAkerHowell | Aug 15, 2015 |
Trouble is about forgiveness, grief and racism. ( )
  KristinAkerHowell | Aug 15, 2015 |
Henry Smith and his family lead a very easy life - his brother is an excellent sportsman, his sister is smart and well-liked, and he is a leader on his crew team. All that changes when trouble finds them. Henry's brother is the victim in a hit and run accident, and the driver is an immigrant from the other side of the city. As Henry's brother lies comatose in the hospital, the entire town goes into an uproar over the accident and the immigrant population. It is all Henry can do to keep his own head above water...

This story felt too disjointed at the beginning and too put together at the end. Each loose thread was tied together despite the fact that they seemed to be ridiculously random. I had a difficult time enjoying the story because I just kept thinking "why do I care about that?" I also think that some of the connections were too random because I assumed them before they were announced - why else would they be in the book? ( )
  agrudzien | Jul 19, 2013 |
Gary Schmidt is one of my 'Go to' authors when I'm looking for a book to read together as a family. He brings up real-life issues with characters that I end up loving and his books are always good for starting a discussion. Trouble did not disappoint as far as bringing up some hot topics - slavery, immigration, racism, lying to save a friend. But as much as I enjoyed all of the issues, there was almost too much thrown into this book, which finally detracted from a concise cohesive story. Will I read another of his books - absolutely! Still a great book, but not one of his best. ( )
  jmoncton | Jun 3, 2013 |
This was an excellent audio production; I really enjoyoed listening and didn't want to get out of my car sometimes. I did find some of the writing a bit heavy-handed; Schmidt his you over the head, a lot, with the word trouble itself. Suspense was built quite well a couple of times and Schmidt does write some of the best sports scenes I've read in a long time. I know nothing about crew and I was on the edge of my seat during the whole race scene. Listened to Scholastic Audiobook edition narrated by Jason Culp. ( )
  JenJ. | Mar 31, 2013 |
MSBA Nominee 2009-2010

I think the story was good, and I enjoyed the writing of it, but there were definitely a few things to pull me out of the story.

1. Technically, unless you take a really roundabout way, you cannot get to Commercial Street in Portland ME from 95. It's off of 295. I have since been told that some people call that 95, and what I know as 95 they call 495, so perhaps that's where he got his information from, but it really bugged me.

2. I have never heard anyone refer to crew race distances in terms of miles and yards. I say this as a rower myself. Everything is in meters and kilometers. Do they talk differently in high school? I'm not sure, since I started in college, but it bugged me.

3. There were A LOT and I mean A LOT of coincidences, a few too many for me. I guess some people might like it because it makes it a nice tidy little story, but I was rolling my eyes. ( )
  scote23 | Mar 30, 2013 |
Henry Smith's house was supposed to be far away from trouble but trouble finds him anyway. First his brother is killed in a car accident. The suspect is a Cambodian immigrant which creates racial tension in the small New England town. Henry sets off to climb a dangerous mountain in Maine, that his brother was supposed to climb with him. Henry's sister is not handling the death any better as she has taken to being mute and for good reason. As Henry and his dog set off to tackle the mountian, they find themselves riding with the very person responsible for his brother's death. All three are escaping something and discover there are varying levels of hatred anywhere you go. Some parts of the story are funny, some are sad but most are deep. Schmidt does a great job of creating believeable characters and putting them in tough situations, but then letting them shine. ( )
  ReplayGuy | Apr 22, 2012 |
Grades 7-10
I like books with a sense of place and for me this had it all having lived in Mass. and Maine. The plot was a stretch for me, the Katahdin trip, with Chay the young Cambodian, Black Dog and Henry , and then the two Maine fishermen......what a long shot.
Henry's oldest brother dies from a accident that rips off his arm,& the Mount Katahdin trip was to honor his brother. Chay is held responsible for the accident although Henry's sister Louisa, has a part in it. Chay's Cambodian past drifts in as well as an historic slave ship(an interesting piece of history.
Thought Black dog was great for the humor element
Rather odd combinations in the plot. I read this book after reading Schmidt's "Okay for Now" which may ahve influence how I looked at this book since "Okay for Now" has been the best book I have read this year. ( )
  lprybylo | Apr 9, 2012 |
A boy in a blue blood New England family deals with the death of the oldest son after he was hit by a car driven by a Cambodian immigrant. Henry idolizes his older brother, but as he thinks about his brother's life and death he realizes that life if more complex than he imagined that that trouble is everywhere. Initially angry at his boy driving the car, they develop an understanding during a trip to climb the mountain Henry was supposed to climb with his brother, Franklin. Many twists and turns ensue on the journey. The characters are rich and complex. The refrains about trouble grew a bit much, but that may have been a function of the audiobook. ( )
  ewyatt | Nov 2, 2011 |
For Readers:

Gary Schmidt is one of my favorite authors for young adults. His characters are always so poignant, so full of grace. When I read his books, I know I am interacting with an author who truly believes in the goodness of people. Trouble is a less well-known book than The Wednesday Wars (which I have read) or Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (which I haven't read, but plan to read) and in some ways a more adult book.

Henry Smith idolizes his older brother Franklin. As hero on the rugby field and big man on campus, Franklin embodies everything Henry would like to be. But everything Henry knows about his brother is turned upside down when a truck driven by a Cambodian immigrant hits Franklin, sending him into a coma. Henry's town seethes with the injustice of it all, and the prejudice and anger that has been lurking below the surface starts to leak out. In the middle of it all, Henry decides that he must climb the mysterious Katahdin as a tribute to Franklin. He begins a journey that will lead him straight into discoveries about his own family and that of Chay Chouan's, the teenager who hit his brother.

This story is full of action, adventure, and drama. There is heartbreak, but there is also laughter and love. If you like stories about survival, are interested in social drama, or have been through some hard times, this book will lift you up and remind you of the good things in life: family, friendship, and doggy companionship.

For Librarians and Eudcators:

I love Gary Schmidt. I wish every kid had to read his novels. There are very few authors out there who have the ability to make every single character, from protagonist to villain to minor character, seem as humanistic as he does. No one is all bad in his books, but no one is all bad either, and that makes them much more empathetic.

There are some pretty adult themes in this book: death, loss, prejudice, but it's all packaged in a way kids can understand, making it a great novel for kids going through hard stuff. It's also great for kids who like stories with real life themes, as opposed to fantasy or science fiction. Pretty much, this is one of those books that is great for any kid.

Reading level: 5th grade +
Appropriateness: Fine
Who would like it: kids who prefer real life stories ( )
  ALelliott | Oct 10, 2011 |
This is not a book that I would recommend for my class. I found it boring and depressing. But the book is about a family that is faced with violent predjuices. A young man is killed and the killer faces no charges. But the young man's brother ends up meeting the killer and goes through some of his own trials with him. The book depicts how predjuice in a very realateable manner, but not a book for my classroom.
  temorrison | Feb 7, 2010 |
Henry's father always told him that if you build your house far enough away from Trouble, you can avoid it. And so it has been for the Smith family for over 300 years, with the help of their money and their status--until the night Henry's brother is struck by car by a Cambodian-American teenager who has known nothing but trouble. After the death of his brother, Henry decides to climb the mountain he and his brother had planned to climb together, but as he ventures out, he finds Chay, the boy who killed his brother.

This novel tells the story of Henry's grief and his family's grief at the loss of older brother Franklin. It tells the story of Henry's anger--much of it understandable--and the town's anger--much of it racist. It also tells the story of Chay at the brunt of so much emotion with family pressures and demons of his own. In the end, Schmidt succeeds at creating a sense of closure for both Henry and Chay without making the ending too pat or simplistic. ( )
  elizabethholloway | Jan 29, 2010 |
If you can get past the first six pages of this book you will be rewarded. The first pages offer finite details about the house where the main character Henry Smith lives. Gary Schmidt wants the reader to know how solid and old the house is, and how massive it is. By the end of the chapter a horrific accident takes place that sets the tone for the rest of the story. This story is about survival as well as looking beyond a person's appearance to discover what he is really made of. Henry Smith is told by his father that if you distance yourself far enough away from Trouble, it will never come looking for you. He soon learns Trouble is closer than he ever imagined. There are many surprises in this story, and the plot twists and turns enough times to keep the reader wanting more. There's also a wonderfully funny dog in this story that will make you wish she was your pet. If you like suspense and outdoor adventure this book is for you. ( )
  katherinelepkowski | Jan 3, 2010 |
Reviewed by Harmony for TeensReadToo.com

I don't think that there's any way for me to summarize the complex plot that makes up the novel TROUBLE, but I'm going to try.

Henry's father always said that if you stayed far enough away from Trouble, Trouble would never find you. It was what Henry and everyone else in his family believed. Until Trouble came to their lives in the form of Chay, a young Cambodian teen. Henry's older brother, Franklin, had been jogging on the night Chay hit him. Chay said it was an accident but their community thinks otherwise -- because Cambodians don't belong there and are the cause of every disaster.

Filled with anger of the accident, Henry, his best friend, and Black Dog set out to do the one thing Henry and Franklin had planned to do - climb Mt. Katahdin. They don't know how they're going to get there, how they're going to survive, or anything about climbing mountains, but they know they're going to do it.

As their journey continues, Henry runs into the one he hates most. Chay is also running from Trouble, and the once-enemies become allies. Henry begins to realize that family is not always what it seems -- and sometimes you just can't run from Trouble.

All I can say is that this is an amazing book and should be required reading in every classroom. Not only were the characters real and three-dimensional, each with their own quirks and problems, but the plot was also drawn out perfectly, with the right amount of details and action. You could feel yourself being taken into their world and, though this is technically a historical novel, I could barely tell because it seemed so real.

While reading this book, you will feel your heart breaking for Chay but you'll also be hoping that everything turns out okay for Henry's family. TROUBLE will take you on a roller coaster of emotions that you will never forget.

There's really no way for me to explain how much I loved this book. It's creative and original and just all-around amazing. Whether you're a middle school English teacher or a student, you should definitely pick this up on your next trip to the bookstore. Or heck, order it from Amazon today! ( )
  GeniusJen | Oct 13, 2009 |
This is anything but a light-hearted YA book. The topics are very serious and troubling and complex issues of bigotry, economic dichotomy, accidental death, grief and forgiveness are but a few of the subjects explored.

This book is darker than the others I've read written by Schmidt, but similar in that his writing is wonderful, and his ability to capture emotions is very thought provoking.

Henry Smith lives a life of entitlement. His father instilled the belief that if you build your house far away from trouble, it will not come looking and find you. This illusion is shattered one evening as a police car approaches the lovely house to inform the family their son was in a car accident and is barely haning on to life.

The person deemed responsible is Chay Chouan, a Cambodian refugee. Tensions mount as the veneer of class and polite manners tumbles down to the nasty, gritty prejudice of us vs "them."

Recommended.
  Whisper1 | Oct 10, 2009 |
Recommended Ages: Gr. 7-12

Plot Summary: Henry lives in a small town where trouble never reaches them until the day his brother, a local sports hero, lays in a coma with one arm missing after being hit by a car while he was out running. The driver was Chay, one of many Cambodian immigrants who escaped horrible pasts and settled in the nearby town of Merton. Henry's family has collapsed after the accident. His father won't leave his home office, his sister doesn't come downstairs, and Henry decides he wants to honor his brother's wish of climbing Mount Katahdin.

Setting: imaginary Blythbury-by-the-Sea, south of Maine,
Mount Katahdin, Maine, and Merton, near Blythbury

Characters: Henry Smith - main character, high school
Louisa - Henry's sister (for the first 2/3 of the book I thought she was less than 10 years old when in fact she's high school age)
Franklin - Henry's brother, was in coma, arm missing, eventually dies
Black Dog - dog Henry rescued from drowning
Chay - Cambodian boy accused of injuring Franklin
Sanborn - Henry's best friend whose parents are never around

Recurring Themes: moral decisions (tell truth?), slavery (a boat with shackles was found on the beach of Henry's property after a huge storm), racism (Franklin, while the town loved him and thought he was a hero, was disrespectful and violent towards the Cambodians), love, family (how it changes after tragedy), death, animal care, court decisions (Chay was charged with fleeing the scene of the crime and reckless injury), rowing

Controversial Issues: nothing obviously controversial, but there are some heavy themes

Personal Thoughts: The very first chapter took me a while to get into because it was written in a willow-y floating way, almost like a fantasy or fairy tale. But once the action started in the second chapter, I breezed right through it. I think this book has a lot of strong themes that would make it appropriate for a novel selection in junior high. ( )
  pigeonlover | Jun 26, 2009 |
Gary Schmidt has written another outstanding book for young adults. Henry Smith's father has told him that if you build your house far enough away from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you. Henry believes his father until his world in Blythbury-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts comes crashing down around him. His older brother is seriously injured when hit by a pick up truck supposedly driven by a Cambodian refugee. About the same time he rescues an abandoned dog from drowning and a bad storm reveals the burnt hull of a ship in Salvage Cove. All is not as simple as it seems, however, in this coming of age story, as Henry learns that love and grace are more important in life than ease. ( )
  milibrarian | Feb 17, 2009 |
Wow! A painful but powerful book. Not for the same audience as The Wednesday Wars. Lots of issues: immigration, Cambodia, Vietnam, grief, love, slave ships, New England history, Chaucer, KeatsQuote-right ( )
  Saladbits | Jan 12, 2009 |
Author Gary D Schmidt has no trouble combining serious issues such as ethnic prejudice and family discord, with subtle humor and a dollop of action. In Trouble the Smiths are a family of privilege, seemingly secure from the world’s harshness. After all, Henry Smith’s father always said that, “if you build your house far enough away from trouble, then trouble will never find you.” But, as Henry and the Smith family learn, no one is immune to catching trouble. As the story unfolds we learn that even Henry’s favored brother Franklin, the golden-boy, was not the perfect idol the community thought him to be. While jogging one evening Franklin is run over by Chay Chouan, a Cambodian student, and this event reveals facts and emotions that can only release a load of trouble. In reaction, Henry decides to climb Maine’s Mt. Katahdin, an adventure Franklin used to bully Henry about, with his best friend and the black dog Henry recently rescued from drowning. The last person they expected to meet on their journey was Chay Chouan. Schmidt does a great job of capturing the smart-aleck dialog between the boys as well as the dramatic emotions experienced by the Smith and Chouan families. ( )
  stonelaura | Jan 6, 2009 |
Henry Smith's family seems blessed with prosperity. Living in the family’s ancestral home along the shore line of Massachusetts, Dad works in an upscale business in Boston while the three children attend prep schools. Tragedy strikes the family as Henry’s oldest brother Franklin, his school’s beloved star athlete, is struck by a car while out jogging on a dark night. While Franklin lies unconscious in a hospital bed, Henry’s sister Louisa takes to her room, his father slides into the depths of depression, and his mother barely attempts to keep everything together. Henry becomes obsessed with the idea of climbing Mt. Katahdin, a trip that his brother Franklin promised to take him on.

Despite the seemingly depressing theme, Schmidt leads the reader through plot twists and revelations to the ultimate goals of accepting unpleasant truths about family members, overcoming adversity and acceptance of one’s self and others.

A very satisfying read. ( )
  bookwoman137 | Dec 30, 2008 |
Great read. Schmidt does a good job of writing for young adults. He moves the storyline along at a fairly brisk pace without sacrificing character development. ( )
  ambookgeek | Nov 10, 2008 |
Magnificent coming-of-age story woven through several substories which all come together in the satisfying ending. The setting is Maine and Mt. Katahdin.
  BooksByLinda | Nov 8, 2008 |
Henry's father says that if you build your house far from Trouble, Trouble won't find you.

That turns out not to be true. A car accident brings Trouble, as well as Outrage and a host of other emotions. Blythbury-by-the-Sea is a quiet, traditional New England town where many of the families have lived for generations. Nearby Merton has a large population of Cambodian refugees. A young refugee was driving the car that hit Henry's brother. ( )
  lilibrarian | Oct 1, 2008 |
I loved Wednesday Wars by this author and enjoyed Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (both Newbery honor books.) I wanted to love this book. The emotional truth at the core of the novel is why I recommend Schmidt's books so highly. At the opening of this book Trouble seems distant, but we see it revealed over and over with deeper resonances each time. The unfolding truth is simply heartbreaking. It will change the reader as it changes Henry. I only gave it 4 out of 5 stars because it was hard to suspend disbelief as the author got the main characters to spend time together. The language and characters forced me to continue reading even through completely incredulous circumstances. ( )
  maureencpl | Aug 25, 2008 |
Showing 1-25 of 31 (next | show all)

Current Discussions

None

Popular covers

Quick Links

Rating

Average: (4.08)
0.5 1
1
1.5 1
2 5
2.5 2
3 19
3.5 10
4 60
4.5 8
5 51

Is this you?

Become a LibraryThing Author.

 

About | Contact | Privacy/Terms | Help/FAQs | Blog | Store | APIs | TinyCat | Legacy Libraries | Early Reviewers | Common Knowledge | 203,238,943 books! | Top bar: Always visible