Okay for Now

De: Gary D. Schmidt

Narrado por: Lincoln Hoppe

As a 14-year-old who just moved to a new town, with no friends and a louse for an older brother, Doug Swieteck has all the stats stacked against him. So begins a coming-of-age masterwork full of equal parts comedy and tragedy from Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt.

As Doug struggles to be more than the skinny thug that his teachers and the police think him to be, he finds an unlikely ally in Lil Spicer, a fiery young lady who smelled like daisies would smell if they were growing in a big field under a clearing sky after a rain. In Lil, Doug finds the strength to endure an abusive father, the suspicions of a whole town, and the return of his oldest brother, forever scarred, from Vietnam. Together, they find a safe haven in the local library, inspiration in learning about the plates of John James Audubons birds, and a hilarious adventure on a Broadway stage.

In this stunning novel, Schmidt expertly weaves multiple themes of loss and recovery in a story teeming with distinctive, unusual characters and invaluable lessons about love, creativity, and survival.

©2011 Gary D. Schmidt (P)2011 Listening Library

great story

This was a great story. What else can be said without spoiling it? I thought it was easy to finish.

Great story. LOVED the narrator!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

What was one of the most memorable moments of Okay for Now?

Have you listened to any of Lincoln Hoppe’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but I will be looking.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Any additional comments?

amazing

amazing perfomance great story awsome careters good places I love this book so much.

A Beautifully Anti-Fragile Story

The story and the presentation were captivating. The hope and resilience of the characters reminded me of a time when American life was hard, and American will was harder.

Best Christmas gift to myself.

Don’t miss reading/listening to this book. If you do you will miss out on one of the best human interest stories ever!!

Brilliant Writing

Gary D. Schmidt has a brilliant way of writing that is compelling for teenage readers (my junior high-age son loved this book) and even more so for adults who understand the depth and layers woven throughout the story that youth readers may miss. His way of telling this story is simply outstanding.

Made me cry

This book was so good and so heart touching it made me cry, this book was for summer reading for my school and I'm so happy it was 10/10 recommend this book

Great for a tween

A really good coming of age story. A few interesting twists. The audible version takes some getting used to, as the 12 year old vernacular and repetitions begin to get old. However, as the character changes so does his language, making it more listenable. I preferred reading it, though, the performance is excellent.

Pleasant Surprise

I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I care so deeply about Doug and was cheering him on. (I legit hate his dad and although the author tried to redeem him in the end, I couldn’t get over how awful he was to his family.)

One of the Best Books Ever

I am a mom who loved listening to this book with my 17 year old son. It’s our second Gary D. Schmidt book second to “The Wednesday Wars.” It’s a fantastic touching story, and the narrator is very engaging. My son kept asking me if we could play it, and I personally plan to listen to it again and again because I enjoy the way the author writes. I couldn’t help picture the main character older than he is in the book. I’m thinking 15 or 16 rather than an 8th grader. FYI, There are some spoilers to Jane Eyre which I’ve already read, so it didn’t affect me. However, I wouldn’t have liked that had I not read it since it’s one of my all-time favorite classics. Overall “Okay for Now” is one of the best books I’ve ever read! Highly recommend!