Life is to be avoided, according to Gingerly. She is too tall, overweight, shy, and has no friends.
Gingerly Matson is a 5th grade girl who spends most of her time trying to be invisible. She has no friends and no plans to make any. She loves to dance, but will do so only in the privacy of her own bedroom. One day, when she is minding her own business, she runs into Zoey, a lively little fifth grader who soon becomes Gingerly's first and greatest friend. Together, they overcome bullies and other challenges while proving that, with a great friend, everything is possible!
Excerpt
Being five feet eight inches tall in the fifth grade is not much fun. Especially when you are a girl and everyone else in your class is at least a foot shorter than you. And, it doesn’t help matters when you’re overweight. While all of the other girls in her class wore regular girl’s clothes, Gingerly Matson’s mom bought Gingerly’s clothes in the woman’s department at WalMart. She had been doing this since Gingerly was in the third grade. Most of the time, the clothes she got were too long but they fit around her waist. Gingerly could always be seen wearing jeans that were rolled up four or five times so they wouldn’t bunch up around her ankles or drag the ground. Sleeves were a real pain! It seemed that no matter how many times Gingerly rolled them up, her sleeves would end up pooled around her wrists. There were many times when she thought about taking her blunt end scissors and whacking her sleeves right off! It was because of this that Gingerly wore tank tops, even in the dead of winter.
Being larger than all of the other kids in her class made Gingerly sad. She always felt so different. And the other kids could be so mean. As long as she could remember, Gingerly had been teased about being big. Some kids, like Eric Donovan, who she had known since Kindergarten, went out of their way to make sure that Gingerly didn’t forget just how big she was. Of course, having the last name Matson didn’t make it any easier on her. It gave the creative kids a chance to make up rhymes about her. One of their favorites was, “Matson Fatson”. Another was “Fattie Mattie”. When she was younger, Gingerly would get so upset when they called her these names. Now, though, she tried to do what her mother told her and just ignored them. At least on the outside. On the inside, she still heard them and it made her cry…on the inside.
Professional Reviews
Readers Favorite - Reviewed by Anastacia Hawkins
Gingerly by Terri Kelley is the story of a fifth grade outcast, a tall, overweight girl who dreams of being a dancer, but only dances in the privacy of her own bedroom. Gingerly Matson hates being larger than all of the other kids in her class, hates the fact that she has to buy her clothes in the women’s department, and hates the nicknames that the mean kids call her, like Fattie Mattie and Matson Fatson. She tries to ignore them, tries to be invisible, but how can a 5th grader who is five feet eight inches tall be invisible? But when Gingerly meets Zoey, the new girl at school who is tiny, spirited, and not the least bit invisible, her life takes a turn for the better.
Gingerly is a sweet story about the power of friendship. Zoey is the kind of friend we all wish we had when dealing with the troubles, hurdles, and heartaches of growing up. She instantly becomes Gingerly’s friend, regardless of the fact that no one else at her school had befriended Gingerly in years. Zoey looks past outward appearances and sees what’s hiding inside Gingerly –- a big heart and a wounded spirit. Zoey is not only quick to befriend, but quick to defend! She stands up for Gingerly when the school bully’s teasing gets out of hand. And if that isn’t enough to love her, Zoey also has a knack for turning Gingerly’s negative and self-deprecating thoughts into a positive, life-affirming attitude.
Gingerly is best suited for children ages 4-8. The story is simple and nonthreatening with happy endings for everyone, including the school bully.
Busy Body provides a unique way of ministering to Christian youths. It introduces young readers to Christian values and principles and teaches them the significance of these standards and beliefs.
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