Freaky Fast Frankie Joe

I enjoyed reading this book. Freaky Fast Frankie Joe is an enjoyable and pleasing story that explores themes of change, acceptance, and resiliency in an engaging and compelling way. The reader is first introduced to young, twelve-year-old Frankie Joe as circumstances have forced him to leave his comfortable life in Laredo, Texas and move 1,400 miles away to Clearview, Illinois, with a father and step-mother he never met and half-brothers he didn't know existed.Frankie Joe feels as alien in this new environment as the meteor rocks he used to look for in the deserts of his old home. However, Frankie Joe's real journey isn't physical; rather, it's a psychological and emotional passage that he must learn to navigate. He finds himself rejecting his new life and family and devises a plan to return to the only home he has ever known. In order to make his plan succeed, Frankie Joe develops new problem solving skills and, without his knowing it, a place in the hearts and minds of those that will become his new friends and family.You can't help but root for Frankie Joe as we watch him make an internal voyage between the loyalty for his mother with new friendships and a different understanding of family. While written for ages 8-12, adults will benefit from reading this story as it reveals the heartfelt struggle and challenges children and young adults go through when asked to "blend."

Freaky Fast Frankie Joe was an enjoyable read from start to finish! Lutricia Clifton's writing is seamless, her characters are well developed and three dimensional and the voice of Frankie Joe comes through loud and clear. All Frankie Joe has ever known was his life in Texas. While his mom was off chasing rainbows, the kind neighbors at the Lone Star Trailer Park became his friends. Due to circumstances out of Frankie Joe's control, he is sent to live with his father in Northern Illinois, a land in itself that is foreign to what he knows, and is shocked to discover his dad is married and Frankie Joe has four brothers he never knew about. Frankie Joe must learn to follow his dad's rules, find some common ground with his brothers who resent having him there, find his niche and acceptance from those around him, all the while plotting to somehow get back to his mom and friends in Texas. Frankie Joe's ending is not what he thought it would be but it ended where he should be. I can see why Kirkus gave it a starred review! So very well done Lu Clifton!

I found myself cheering for Frankie Joe throughout the entire book. I was glad to see how the author chose to end the story. The book will interest children and adults. This would be a great read aloud book for parent/child or teacher. If you like cheering for the underdog, you will enjoy this book. There is a lot of good discussion to be had by reading this book with children. Don't want to ruin the story. Just read it!!

The initial setting and family situation struck a chord since I'm a native Texan who has seen similar situations(unfortunately most don't ever get the blessing in disguise Frankie gets). Next the change in setting was such a perfect storm to play out the change in character-Frankie Joe. I love how the culture shock parallels the family status shock that happens. Great growth story underlining the ideas of family, friends, and how different doesn't mean bad.

This Nebraska state nominee is a nice story about a boy in a tough situation. Frankie has been sent to live with a father he barely knows and on top of it he has to deal with half siblings that resent him even existing. Nice story pefect for grades 4-6.

It was pretty good. It was a little slow at first but then I kinda started to get faster and less boring. But I loved the end that was my favorite part it was just so sweet

My son needed to read this book as part of the Florida Sunshine books, he thought it was funny and interesting.

I ordered book for grandchildren to read while staying with me during summer and after school. I read most of the books myself. This one was good but I thought more for older readers, not sure 3-4th graders would appreciate or understand the moral.