57 pages • 1 hour read
Jennifer Richard JacobsonPaper Things
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2015A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Paper Things by Jennifer Richard Jacobson follows 11-year-old Ari, who, after losing her home with her 19-year-old brother Gage, navigates homelessness while striving to maintain her school performance and friendships. They move between shelters, friends' places, and adults’ homes, encountering numerous challenges, yet Ari remains determined to hold on to hope and community connections. This book contains descriptions of homelessness, stigma, discrimination, childhood bullying, bereavement, and miscarriage.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Jennifer Richard Jacobson’s Paper Things sensitively portrays the struggles of homelessness through an eleven-year-old protagonist. Reviews praise its heartfelt realism and empathetic narrative. Critics point out slow pacing and underdeveloped secondary characters. Overall, Jacobson’s storytelling effectively raises awareness while engaging young readers.
Who Should Read Paper Things?
Readers who relish heartfelt, coming-of-age stories with themes of perseverance and family relationships will enjoy Jennifer Richard Jacobson's Paper Things. Fans of Katherine Applegate's Crenshaw and Lynda Mullaly Hunt's One for the Murphys will find a similar blend of emotional depth and resilience.
RecommendedReading Age
10-14yearsLexile Level
830LBook Details
Realistic Fiction
Poverty
Relationships: Family
Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Life/Time: Childhood & Youth