Review: Delightful!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 11, 2014
What a delightful book!  Many years ago, I read a book titled 'Rumors of Peace', which resonated so strongly with me that I read it several times over and recommended it to all my friends.  The simple fact that I remember it so vividly after 30+ years is testament to my enjoyment of it. 'I Don't Wanna Be an Orange Anymore' is reminiscent of that earlier book, and gave me just as much pleasure to read.  Both titles concern young children trying to make sense of and find their place in a confusing world in small town America.The year is 1942 and while the war rumbles on in Europe, nine year old Willie Watson has major battles of his own to fight.  These include coping with the death of a classmate, avoiding the class bully, beefy Brucie Schultz, sitting through a lifetime of after-school detentions, fantasising about seeking revenge on his sly younger sister, ruminating on the unfairness of being the sole taker-out of garbage in his household and generally coping with all the other slings and arrows his young life throws at him.  The sibling rivalry in particular touched a real nerve and frequently had me laughing out loud.I'm not sure if this is genuinely autobiographical, but the authentic voice certainly makes it sound real.  I loved the easy, flowing writing style and the wry humour abounding every page as the long-suffering Willie struggles through the fourth and fifth grades of elementary school and beyond.  I will almost certainly revisit this endearing book and I suspect I shall also remember it well in years to come.