Tangerine is an excellent book for teenage readers. The narrative is written in Paul's voice, which should appeal to young readers.

Bloor brings a sensibility regarding race and ethnicity to the story that is rarely present in good books for teenagers. He also brought a ready enough eye and pen to critique the newness and artificiality of suburbia, particularly Florida's suburbia. From page 71-- "It was strange to see an old packing plant, to see an old anything. But it was also comforting that something around here has a history. That something actually belongs here."

I really enjoyed reading Tangerine. It's nice to read a book written for teenage readers that doesn't talk down to them in any way. Paul is a neat and well-drawn character. His problems are problems that people can understand.

Tangerine is a great read. I'm 33 years old, and I loved it.

ken32


A Book You Can't Put Down   October 30, 2000
 15 out of 15 found this review helpful

The book Tangerine was a very touching thriller. It is about a boy named Paul Fisher, an unpopular soccer player who lives in a family that aims just about all of their attention toward the older brother, Erik, a star football player in high school. Paul, Erik, and his mom and dad move from Houston TX to Tangerine FL when Paul is in 7th grade. Paul tries hard to fit in as he gets used to his new surroundings. He had grown up to be known as a geek because of the big, thick glasses he has had to wear. He would be called "Eclipse boy", "Mars man", and many other awful names. On the other hand, Erik is the star of the Tangerine High School football team right from the first game he plays for them. He gets in the local paper, and it tells how amazing it is that he can kick 45 to 50-yard field goal kicks. Paul's dad, who can't stop talking about Erik going on to the pros, gets on Paul's nerves. "The Erik Fisher football dream" is the name Paul gives it. In Paul's family, it never seems to be forgotten.

I say this book is a thriller because of certain mysteries, such as how Paul and his family have become the way they are. I enjoyed the way every chapter drew you in and kept you wondering how events turned about, and what would happen next. The story builds to a climax where a mystery is revealed.

Paul tells the story very well. Many of the things he says and thinks are very touching. I think Paul describes his point of view and what he thinks very well. I like the fact that he doesn't care if he isn't the star of the family or town, but still cares about playing hard in every soccer game and trying to do well for his team.

I really enjoyed reading this, even with the sad parts. A reader would want things to turn out well for a person like Paul. This is a wonderful story about growing up, and I highly recommend it!


A great book with many surprises   October 22, 1998
 14 out of 16 found this review helpful

If you like mystery, soccer, and sibling rivalry, then Tangerine by Edward Bloor, is the book for you. Paul Fisher is legally blind and he has to wear "bottle-thick, bug-eyed glasses." Even though he is blind, he has an amazing ability to see people for what they really are. When Paul's family moved to Tangerine County, Florida, he got a chance to start over. Paul has grown up in the shadow of his self-obsorbed, football playing brother. His dad worships Paul's brother and never pays attention to him. Paul grows through his experiences at new schools, making friends, playing soccer, and tending a tangerine grove. This book is like many other books I have read. It is very straight forward and easy to understand. Bloor does an amazing job of drawing his reader's in. He hits that there is a secret in the Fisher family and you really want to read on to find out what it is. I read this entire 294 page book in a week. I couldn't put it down. This book was also appealing to me because I play soccer. It was very easy for me to relate to the stresses that come along with playing a sport. I could relate when Paul didn't make a starting position. I have always had to work to make the team. If you don't like soccer this book may not be for you. Soccer isn't the main point of the story, but it is something that Paul identifies with and it is something that he can really relate too. There is also a great deal of soccer "lingo" that may be hard to understand if you don't know about the sport. "Henry D. lifted a beautiful corner kick to Victor, who leaped and headed it into the goal." This would be confusing to anyone who doesn't know much about soccer. Tangerine has some great description in it. "The air had a gray tint to it, and a damp, foul smell like an ashtray." It was very easy to see this newly developed town. It was a great comparison of how Paul's family moving into a new house also represented a new beginning for Paul. It was his chance to make a name for himself. The way Bloor developed Paul was the best aspect of the story. He did a great job of showing how Paul changed through the story. Paul was nothing but the little brother of a great football player at the beginning of the story. But when Paul faced his fear, he learned how to be himself. "When disaster struck, we all had to do something. In a way, we all had to become something." By the end of the story, Paul had become someone. Anyone could read this book, but I recommend it to younger readers. It is not a very challenging plot. It was not too difficult or confusing and it was easy to understand. If you really like exciting plots and plots that make you think about hidden meanings, this book is not for you. Tangerine explains everything out very well and it's easy to follow. I recommend this book because it makes you realize that you need to make the most of your life. That you have to face your fears before you can become who you really want to be.


Tangerine   October 30, 2000
 13 out of 14 found this review helpful

Tangerine

Twelve-year-old Paul, who lives in the shadow of his football hero brother Erik, fights for the right to play soccer despite his near blindness and slowly begins to remember the incident that damaged his eyesight. He wears glasses so thick he looks like a bug-eyed alien, and kids tell a story about how he blinded himself by staring at an eclipse of the sun. But Paul doesn't remember doing that. And he doesn't mind the glasses, because with them he can see. He can see that his parents' constant praise of his brother, Erik, the football star, is to cover up something that is terribly wrong. But no one listens to Paul... That is until his family moves to Tangerine. Tangerine is like another planet, where weird is normal. Lightning strikes at the same time every day. Underground fires burn for years. A sinkhole swallows a local school. And Paul the geek finds himself adopted into the toughest group around--the soccer team of his middle school. Suddenly the blind can see, geeks can be cool, and--maybe--a twelve-year-old kid can finally face up to his terrifying older brother. In Tangerine anything is possible.