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Small Medium #1
Small Medium at Large
After she’s hit by lightning at a wedding, twelve-year-old Lilah Bloom develops a new talent: she can hear dead people. Among them, there’s her overopinionated Bubby Dora; a prissy fashion designer; and an approval-seeking clown who livens up a séance. With Bubby Dora leading the way, these and other sweetly imperfect ghosts haunt Lilah through seventh grade, and help her face her one big fear: talking to—and possibly going to the seventh-grade dance with—her crush, Andrew Finkel.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published July 3, 2012
About the author
Joanne Levy
10 books220 followersJoanne Levy’s love of books began at a very early age. Being the youngest and the only female among four children, and the daughter to voracious readers, she was often left to her own devices and could frequently be found sitting in a quiet corner with her nose in a book.
A survivor of the corporate world, Joanne now works from home, supporting other authors and creating the friends she wishes she had when she was a kid.
She lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband, two mischievous cats, a mean African Grey parrot and a sweet but not-so-smart dog. When she’s not busy writing or assisting, she enjoys reading (obviously), needle-felting with wool (Google it), and taking long walks with her faithful writing companion, Labrador Retriever, Zoe.
About my reviews: I'm an author, so I know what it's like to get a non-stellar review of my book. So, with that in mind, I only review books I really like.
A survivor of the corporate world, Joanne now works from home, supporting other authors and creating the friends she wishes she had when she was a kid.
She lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband, two mischievous cats, a mean African Grey parrot and a sweet but not-so-smart dog. When she’s not busy writing or assisting, she enjoys reading (obviously), needle-felting with wool (Google it), and taking long walks with her faithful writing companion, Labrador Retriever, Zoe.
About my reviews: I'm an author, so I know what it's like to get a non-stellar review of my book. So, with that in mind, I only review books I really like.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
October 19, 2011
This book is a funny, sweet paranormal with a touch of romance, perfect for the YA paranormal lover's little sister.
March 2, 2012
One recently-divorced Dad whose dating prospects are slim to none. A cute boy crush who doesn’t know she exists. And did we mention Know-It-All eight grader Dolly Madison?
Seventh-grader Lilah Bloom thought she already had enough problems.
Then at her mother’s wedding, she’s struck by lightning. But it’s after she wakes up that the real trouble starts. Suddenly Lilah can communicate with ghosts. The good news? Her late Bubby Dora reappears in her life. The bad news? Bubby brings a troupe of often meddlesome and always opinionated ghosts with her who make a point of popping up at the most inopportune times.
And Lilah Bloom doesn’t need a Ouija board to know that life is about to get A LOT more complicated…
In SMALL MEDIUM AT LARGE, Joanne Levy has conjured up a wonderful adventure. No matter the cacophony of advice that comes from the spirit world (and trust me, those ghosts are loud!) her heroine never loses her own voice. Joanne has a knack for knowing the hearts and minds of her characters—whether young or old (or even eternal!)—so prepare to laugh, to cheer, but most of all, to be swept up in the spirited (and spirit-full) fun of Lilah and her friends as they navigate the tricky but always heartfelt waters of adolescence. Just make sure to set aside an afternoon—once you step into Lilah’s world, you won’t want to leave until the very last page.
Seventh-grader Lilah Bloom thought she already had enough problems.
Then at her mother’s wedding, she’s struck by lightning. But it’s after she wakes up that the real trouble starts. Suddenly Lilah can communicate with ghosts. The good news? Her late Bubby Dora reappears in her life. The bad news? Bubby brings a troupe of often meddlesome and always opinionated ghosts with her who make a point of popping up at the most inopportune times.
And Lilah Bloom doesn’t need a Ouija board to know that life is about to get A LOT more complicated…
In SMALL MEDIUM AT LARGE, Joanne Levy has conjured up a wonderful adventure. No matter the cacophony of advice that comes from the spirit world (and trust me, those ghosts are loud!) her heroine never loses her own voice. Joanne has a knack for knowing the hearts and minds of her characters—whether young or old (or even eternal!)—so prepare to laugh, to cheer, but most of all, to be swept up in the spirited (and spirit-full) fun of Lilah and her friends as they navigate the tricky but always heartfelt waters of adolescence. Just make sure to set aside an afternoon—once you step into Lilah’s world, you won’t want to leave until the very last page.
January 17, 2012
SMALL MEDIUM AT LARGE by Joanne Levy - (Bloomsbury-7/3/12)
SMALL MEDIUM AT LARGE (SMaL) first caught my eye when I was reading through the Publisher's Marketplace New Deals several months ago (the title is just so brilliant!) so I was thrilled when Joanne Levy joined the Class of 2k12 debut authors group. I am the lucky first Class of 2k12 author to read the ARC of SMaL and since I have a 7th grade daughter (like M/C Lilah), I asked my daughter if she would like to read it before I did.
My daughter is a finicky reader, so I was thrilled to hear her laughing out loud at some of the scenes in Small Medium at Large. Joanne Levy has totally captured the voice of a 12 year old girl - I adore Lilah! Right from page one, she proves herself to be a positive, happy kid who deals with the typical problems any 12 year old girl has, plus the added dilemma that she can hear dead people. And what a cast of dead people! Any writer knows that a story must have conflict, but the pleasure of SMaL is that this is not a dark book ... it's bright and funny and filled with positivity. Buy Small Medium at Large for your tween/teen daughter, but moms will want to borrow it for a fun read too!
SMALL MEDIUM AT LARGE (SMaL) first caught my eye when I was reading through the Publisher's Marketplace New Deals several months ago (the title is just so brilliant!) so I was thrilled when Joanne Levy joined the Class of 2k12 debut authors group. I am the lucky first Class of 2k12 author to read the ARC of SMaL and since I have a 7th grade daughter (like M/C Lilah), I asked my daughter if she would like to read it before I did.
My daughter is a finicky reader, so I was thrilled to hear her laughing out loud at some of the scenes in Small Medium at Large. Joanne Levy has totally captured the voice of a 12 year old girl - I adore Lilah! Right from page one, she proves herself to be a positive, happy kid who deals with the typical problems any 12 year old girl has, plus the added dilemma that she can hear dead people. And what a cast of dead people! Any writer knows that a story must have conflict, but the pleasure of SMaL is that this is not a dark book ... it's bright and funny and filled with positivity. Buy Small Medium at Large for your tween/teen daughter, but moms will want to borrow it for a fun read too!
March 12, 2012
Adorable, quirky and oh-so-funny. This charming middle-grade book is a surefire winner with a premise that lives up to its fabulous title. Not only is its depiction of 12-year-old girl woes spot-on, but the ghosts that haunt (small) medium Lilah are hilariously delightful. I predict many, many readers will simply adore this book (this one already does).
July 3, 2012
I absolutely loved this book (even though my 10-year-old daughter swiped it from me when I was halfway through, so she could read it a second time...it's that kind of book.) The premise is great - middle-school-kid Lilah is struck by lightning and can suddenly hear ghosts, including her dead grandmother and a famous, long-departed fashionista who team up to tkae Lilah bra-shopping. (Best. Scene, Ever.) This book is exactly what it promises to be - warm, wonderful, hilarious, and so much fun. Highly, highly recommended for girls in grades 4-7.
I support independent bookstores. Here's a link to find one near you or order SMALL MEDIUM AT LARGE from IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978159...
I support independent bookstores. Here's a link to find one near you or order SMALL MEDIUM AT LARGE from IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978159...
December 25, 2016
(Not sure why there's a comparison to Judy Blume - I didn't notice anything about menstruation or bullying or anything... and the paranormal bit focuses on the loving Bubby, is not the least 'satanic'... except if it's meant that the girl is Jewish....)
Light, quick, and often very funny. And clever. I love that, for once, the girl is not an outsider, does not have issues, has plenty of friends and a good relationship with her parents. Even the fact that her parents are divorced seems to be contrived in support of the plot, as there's no drama there. The story ends, but on a note that hints of a sequel; I'd be glad to read it.
Light, quick, and often very funny. And clever. I love that, for once, the girl is not an outsider, does not have issues, has plenty of friends and a good relationship with her parents. Even the fact that her parents are divorced seems to be contrived in support of the plot, as there's no drama there. The story ends, but on a note that hints of a sequel; I'd be glad to read it.
May 18, 2021
I thought this was really cute! As a kid I always wanted to get struck by lightning and speak to ghosts so this hit a very specific spot. I think the only major issue I had with it was the whole sub-plot of Lilah working with her grandmother to get her father back in the dating game. Her father seemed incredibly incapable of both emotional and physical intimacy and I never understood why it was a twelve year old's job to get her emotionally stunted father back into the "dating" game or why her grandmother put such an intensely inappropriate request on her. It's played for laughs, but it just is always so uncomfortable and jarring when it's the focus of the plot. Outside of that, a very charming little read. 3 stars.
April 20, 2012
I thought that Small Medium at Large by Joanne Levy was a very fun book about a 12 year old girl who starts to hear dead people. The book was so well written, when you start be prepared to sit there and read all of it. There were some laugh out loud moments. I think any young girl would love the book and even adults as well, I know I did.The characters we all very well described and it was easy to get pulled into the story.
Read
September 26, 2017Such a fun book! I devoured it in a single afternoon, and now I just wish I knew more "middle grade" kids to recommend it to! I can totally see a series out of this... I'd love to hear about Lilah's other escapades with her "voices." Fingers crossed that Levy decides to keep us updated on Lilah....
Read
May 29, 2019The book Small Medium at Large by Joanne Levy caught my eye and seemed very interesting because I like some things that are paranormal. I started reading this book and I wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it is. I would read it in the car, at school, and at home. I just couldn’t seem to stop. Interesting books are hard for me to find, so when I found this one, I knew that it was going to be good when I was only a few pages in.
Small Medium at Large is about a girl named Lilah who gets struck by lightning at her mother’s wedding. After she wakes wake up in the hospital, she realizes that she received new abilities. These abilities allow her to hear people from the dead. As she picks back up in school after the accident, she has her dead grandmother helping her along the way. As she’s going through her seventh grade year, she is faced with challenges, but with the help of her best friend Alex and her new ghost friends, she finds a way to make it through just fine.
I thought that this was a wonderful book and I liked the way the author wrote in all of the ghosts that talked to Lilah with different personalities. If you like books with some paranormal things, that aren’t too extreme, then I would definitely recommend this book.
Small Medium at Large is about a girl named Lilah who gets struck by lightning at her mother’s wedding. After she wakes wake up in the hospital, she realizes that she received new abilities. These abilities allow her to hear people from the dead. As she picks back up in school after the accident, she has her dead grandmother helping her along the way. As she’s going through her seventh grade year, she is faced with challenges, but with the help of her best friend Alex and her new ghost friends, she finds a way to make it through just fine.
I thought that this was a wonderful book and I liked the way the author wrote in all of the ghosts that talked to Lilah with different personalities. If you like books with some paranormal things, that aren’t too extreme, then I would definitely recommend this book.
June 19, 2022
Once I read the synopsis I knew I needed to read this book. I love the idea of mediums and love reading about them.
Lilah Bloom is 12 years old and gets struck by lightning and survives. Once she awakes in the hospital she can hear her bubby's voice. Her bubby who has been dead for four years. The lightning strike gave her the ability to hear dead people.
This was such a fun adventure. I can't wait to read the next book.
Lilah Bloom is 12 years old and gets struck by lightning and survives. Once she awakes in the hospital she can hear her bubby's voice. Her bubby who has been dead for four years. The lightning strike gave her the ability to hear dead people.
This was such a fun adventure. I can't wait to read the next book.
August 10, 2012
This review is from my book review blog: http://trythisbookonforsize.blogspot.ca
It has been a while since I read a middle grade novel…at least a few months. My first thoughts on Small Medium at Large were; kid-friendly, a delight to read, fun and funny, well written in a great age-appropriate voice and, well…FUN (It bears repeating).
Lilah Bloom is 12. She comes from a broken family (that term really needs to be refreshed—a lot of families these days are not so much broken, as they are realigned). As the story opens, we are at Lilah’s mother’s wedding. Everything is going well until the real fun is about to begin—the dancing. At the outdoor reception, Lilah is literally on the threshold of the temporary dance-floor when the skies darken and a tempest brews.
This is when Lilah is struck by lightning!
Thankfully, she makes a speedy recovery. No lasting damage, but a challenging new talent. Lilah becomes aware of disembodied voices. Levy has written these voices so tremendously well that the reader can sense she had a blast bringing this story to life. What must have been a difficult task for Levy was keeping a story like this so utterly kid-friendly. With humour, excellent characters, friendly and mischievous—but by no means dark—ghosts, and a plot that could stand on its own without the supernatural element, Levy accomplishes this in spades!
Throughout the course of the story, the reader is introduced to several ghost characters. One of the delightful things I found about these characters is that they were actually so well portrayed I could envision what each of them looked like, even though, obviously, there were no physical descriptions to speak of. We have Lilah’s Bubby Dora (her grandmother), Prissy LaFontaine (fashion icon extraordinaire), Mr. Finkel (Andrew Finkel’s father—Andrew being the boy that Lilah is head over heels for) and also watch for the young boy ghost Lilah runs into in her school.
There are some truly delightful scenes in this book, scenes that will make your middle grade reader giggle and totally relate to. Keep your eye out for the bra shopping scene and slumber party—truly authentic! Also, there are some great father/daughter scenes with Lilah and her dad—funny, poignant and powerful scenes (also funnily awkward scenes as Lilah and Dad discuss his new dating life).
A sign of a great middle grade book is its ability to resolve the issues of the main characters without coming off as too cheesy or predictable. Small Medium at Large does this. There are plenty of things going on in this story. Levy deals with bullying, divorce, death, first crushes, jealousy—you name it. Her ability to tie up all the threads in a satisfactory way is astonishing. Perhaps one of my favourite threads was the one with Lilah and her grade eight nemesis, ‘Dolly’ Madison. Of course, Dolly was going to be the bully of the story—she’s far superior to Lilah and her friends, being as she’s in grade eight and they’re mere grade sevens. Thankfully, though, Levy played this thread perfectly. Another sign of a great middle grade story is that not all bad characters are all bad and not all good characters are all good. I’m confident readers will love the way this thread plays out. I won’t go into details—as I don’t want to give away any spoilers—but sometimes help comes from the most unlikely of places.
If you have a young reader in your life, share this book with them! I’m sure it will become an instant favourite for them. Lilah’s a good kid—they’re gonna love her!
It has been a while since I read a middle grade novel…at least a few months. My first thoughts on Small Medium at Large were; kid-friendly, a delight to read, fun and funny, well written in a great age-appropriate voice and, well…FUN (It bears repeating).
Lilah Bloom is 12. She comes from a broken family (that term really needs to be refreshed—a lot of families these days are not so much broken, as they are realigned). As the story opens, we are at Lilah’s mother’s wedding. Everything is going well until the real fun is about to begin—the dancing. At the outdoor reception, Lilah is literally on the threshold of the temporary dance-floor when the skies darken and a tempest brews.
This is when Lilah is struck by lightning!
Thankfully, she makes a speedy recovery. No lasting damage, but a challenging new talent. Lilah becomes aware of disembodied voices. Levy has written these voices so tremendously well that the reader can sense she had a blast bringing this story to life. What must have been a difficult task for Levy was keeping a story like this so utterly kid-friendly. With humour, excellent characters, friendly and mischievous—but by no means dark—ghosts, and a plot that could stand on its own without the supernatural element, Levy accomplishes this in spades!
Throughout the course of the story, the reader is introduced to several ghost characters. One of the delightful things I found about these characters is that they were actually so well portrayed I could envision what each of them looked like, even though, obviously, there were no physical descriptions to speak of. We have Lilah’s Bubby Dora (her grandmother), Prissy LaFontaine (fashion icon extraordinaire), Mr. Finkel (Andrew Finkel’s father—Andrew being the boy that Lilah is head over heels for) and also watch for the young boy ghost Lilah runs into in her school.
There are some truly delightful scenes in this book, scenes that will make your middle grade reader giggle and totally relate to. Keep your eye out for the bra shopping scene and slumber party—truly authentic! Also, there are some great father/daughter scenes with Lilah and her dad—funny, poignant and powerful scenes (also funnily awkward scenes as Lilah and Dad discuss his new dating life).
A sign of a great middle grade book is its ability to resolve the issues of the main characters without coming off as too cheesy or predictable. Small Medium at Large does this. There are plenty of things going on in this story. Levy deals with bullying, divorce, death, first crushes, jealousy—you name it. Her ability to tie up all the threads in a satisfactory way is astonishing. Perhaps one of my favourite threads was the one with Lilah and her grade eight nemesis, ‘Dolly’ Madison. Of course, Dolly was going to be the bully of the story—she’s far superior to Lilah and her friends, being as she’s in grade eight and they’re mere grade sevens. Thankfully, though, Levy played this thread perfectly. Another sign of a great middle grade story is that not all bad characters are all bad and not all good characters are all good. I’m confident readers will love the way this thread plays out. I won’t go into details—as I don’t want to give away any spoilers—but sometimes help comes from the most unlikely of places.
If you have a young reader in your life, share this book with them! I’m sure it will become an instant favourite for them. Lilah’s a good kid—they’re gonna love her!
July 6, 2012
Review originally posted at Y.A. Love
In all honesty, I’m really picky about middle grade novels. I don’t know if it’s just that I’m a high school English teacher and therefore more interested in young adult novels, or what, but I don’t always like middle grade novels. I have a really difficult time connecting with them and enjoying them, so when I find one that I like I want to spread the word all over the place. I didn’t just like Small Medium at Large by Joanne Levy, I loved it.
Small Medium at Large released this week and positive reviews have been all over Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads, so on an impulse I decided to get a copy. It’s a short book, at only 208 pages, but it has the perfect blend of realistic situations, supernatural elements, and humor that amounts to one positively adorable and enjoyable book. I’m not always sure what’s “okay” for middle grade readers, but I feel secure recommending Joanne Levy’s debut to 5th graders and above because it’s a clean book and the themes in the story aren’t too complex. The characters aren’t doing anything questionable or using foul language. There are discussions about “boobs” and kissing but that’s as far as it goes. Considering I was reading Caroline B. Cooney books and the like in 5th grade, I think this one is okay (not that her books are bad, but there were some “big” issues in her books).
Lilah Bloom is such a cute character. She ends up with the ability to hear ghosts after being struck by lightning and is pretty level-headed about the whole thing. The first ghost she encounters is Bubby Dora, her grandmother who passed away four years ago. I love her interactions with Bubby because Bubby acts as both an authority figure and a helpful friend. The way she and Lilah spoke to each other made me think of what it would be like if I could talk again with my grandma who passed away when I was six; I think many of our interactions would be the same. The ghosts, in general, are really amusing and bring out Lilah’s character. Lilah is a very believable sixth grader simply trying to fit in, but now trying to do that with the ability to talk to ghosts. She worries about boys, bras, and bullies. Lilah also wants to help her dad get back into the dating scene; those scenes are some of the cutest.
I like that even though Small Medium at Large might be considered supernatural since Lilah is communicating with ghosts, it mostly reads as realistic fiction. Lilah is experiencing many of the same things an average 12 year old experiences, only she has ghosts helping her out at times. She has a close group of friends, she struggles in school sometimes, she’s dealing with a bully, and she’s crushing on a boy.
What really sets this book apart is its execution. Joanne Levy really makes Lilah stand out and come alive on the page, along with all of the supporting characters. There wasn’t a dull moment in the book. Small Medium at Large is my favorite book of the summer so far, and I really hope you read it.
In all honesty, I’m really picky about middle grade novels. I don’t know if it’s just that I’m a high school English teacher and therefore more interested in young adult novels, or what, but I don’t always like middle grade novels. I have a really difficult time connecting with them and enjoying them, so when I find one that I like I want to spread the word all over the place. I didn’t just like Small Medium at Large by Joanne Levy, I loved it.
Small Medium at Large released this week and positive reviews have been all over Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads, so on an impulse I decided to get a copy. It’s a short book, at only 208 pages, but it has the perfect blend of realistic situations, supernatural elements, and humor that amounts to one positively adorable and enjoyable book. I’m not always sure what’s “okay” for middle grade readers, but I feel secure recommending Joanne Levy’s debut to 5th graders and above because it’s a clean book and the themes in the story aren’t too complex. The characters aren’t doing anything questionable or using foul language. There are discussions about “boobs” and kissing but that’s as far as it goes. Considering I was reading Caroline B. Cooney books and the like in 5th grade, I think this one is okay (not that her books are bad, but there were some “big” issues in her books).
Lilah Bloom is such a cute character. She ends up with the ability to hear ghosts after being struck by lightning and is pretty level-headed about the whole thing. The first ghost she encounters is Bubby Dora, her grandmother who passed away four years ago. I love her interactions with Bubby because Bubby acts as both an authority figure and a helpful friend. The way she and Lilah spoke to each other made me think of what it would be like if I could talk again with my grandma who passed away when I was six; I think many of our interactions would be the same. The ghosts, in general, are really amusing and bring out Lilah’s character. Lilah is a very believable sixth grader simply trying to fit in, but now trying to do that with the ability to talk to ghosts. She worries about boys, bras, and bullies. Lilah also wants to help her dad get back into the dating scene; those scenes are some of the cutest.
I like that even though Small Medium at Large might be considered supernatural since Lilah is communicating with ghosts, it mostly reads as realistic fiction. Lilah is experiencing many of the same things an average 12 year old experiences, only she has ghosts helping her out at times. She has a close group of friends, she struggles in school sometimes, she’s dealing with a bully, and she’s crushing on a boy.
What really sets this book apart is its execution. Joanne Levy really makes Lilah stand out and come alive on the page, along with all of the supporting characters. There wasn’t a dull moment in the book. Small Medium at Large is my favorite book of the summer so far, and I really hope you read it.
April 22, 2014
Small Medium at Large by Joanne Levy was one of the 10 Red Maple fiction picks for 2014. This is a really girly book so in my opinion it shouldn’t have been picked as a Red maple. To enjoy this book you would really have to have an interest for hearing voices or for problems that Lilah Bloom the protagonist is going through.
After the survival of being struck by lightning, 12 year old Lilah Bloom has a new talent; she can hear dead people and surely are they real annoying. She can hear her over opinionated grandma Bubby Dora, an old fashionist Prissy, an approval seeking clown and her crushes father. With the help of Bubby Dora and the other voices Lilah is committed to doing many things but there is one thing Lilah really wants to accomplish but will they be successful
Will they be able to help Lilah Bloom go to the seventh grade dance with her crush Andrew Finkle?
The plot of this book is not that interesting and you cannot connect to any characters and you will not be hooked into the book while reading this book. Although the plot is not that interesting, conflict is portrayed quite well throughout the book. Lilah has to fight her inner self and trust the voices she hears in order to do the things she does in this book. Here is a sneak peak to Lilah fighting her inner self. On page #86 Lilah states “I guess I should tell you girls what happened to me when I got hit by lightning.” She doesn’t want to tell anyone about that but with the help of the voices and the situation Lilah decides that the right thing to do at the moment would be tell her friends. She sees that her friends are in a fight with 2 girls crying and a bunch fighting she changes the topic and tell everyone about herself.
This book did not have a vivid setting which also wasn’t described very well and it basically just took place in a normal neighborhood with nothing interesting going on throughout the novel. There were not really any memorable characters in this novel. It was one of those books that you could fall asleep reading. But one thing I enjoyed in this book was the way the way it began. It was a unique way because not many books start with a girl being struck by lightning, surviving it and having a new talent to hear dead people. That was the only thing that I enjoyed about the book but overall, it was a total waste of time.
In my opinion this was a terrible book I would not recommend you to read it. It was quite boring and you couldn’t connect to the characters. The story dragged on for too long and did not make any sense at many times throughout the book. I would rate this book 1 star. This book had a terrible ending which would just waste the time you put into reading this book so I suggest that you do not waste your time reading this book unless you are interested in a little girl hearing voices of dead people or interested to read about a developing 12 year old girl who is going through personal and family problems.
After the survival of being struck by lightning, 12 year old Lilah Bloom has a new talent; she can hear dead people and surely are they real annoying. She can hear her over opinionated grandma Bubby Dora, an old fashionist Prissy, an approval seeking clown and her crushes father. With the help of Bubby Dora and the other voices Lilah is committed to doing many things but there is one thing Lilah really wants to accomplish but will they be successful
Will they be able to help Lilah Bloom go to the seventh grade dance with her crush Andrew Finkle?
The plot of this book is not that interesting and you cannot connect to any characters and you will not be hooked into the book while reading this book. Although the plot is not that interesting, conflict is portrayed quite well throughout the book. Lilah has to fight her inner self and trust the voices she hears in order to do the things she does in this book. Here is a sneak peak to Lilah fighting her inner self. On page #86 Lilah states “I guess I should tell you girls what happened to me when I got hit by lightning.” She doesn’t want to tell anyone about that but with the help of the voices and the situation Lilah decides that the right thing to do at the moment would be tell her friends. She sees that her friends are in a fight with 2 girls crying and a bunch fighting she changes the topic and tell everyone about herself.
This book did not have a vivid setting which also wasn’t described very well and it basically just took place in a normal neighborhood with nothing interesting going on throughout the novel. There were not really any memorable characters in this novel. It was one of those books that you could fall asleep reading. But one thing I enjoyed in this book was the way the way it began. It was a unique way because not many books start with a girl being struck by lightning, surviving it and having a new talent to hear dead people. That was the only thing that I enjoyed about the book but overall, it was a total waste of time.
In my opinion this was a terrible book I would not recommend you to read it. It was quite boring and you couldn’t connect to the characters. The story dragged on for too long and did not make any sense at many times throughout the book. I would rate this book 1 star. This book had a terrible ending which would just waste the time you put into reading this book so I suggest that you do not waste your time reading this book unless you are interested in a little girl hearing voices of dead people or interested to read about a developing 12 year old girl who is going through personal and family problems.
June 22, 2012
So I just finished Small Medium At Large and after reading the book I finally understand the title! I never really understood them before but now I do! Small Medium At Large is a story about a girl named Lilah who while attending her mothers wedding she gets hit by lighting. When she wakes up in the hospital she starts hearing voices and she's confused because only her parents are in the room but neither of them are speaking. The voice finally reveals itself to us as Lilah's dead grandmother Bubby. But don't worry Bubby isn't the only spirit we get to meet. I have to say that Joanne Levy did a great job keeping my interest between the spirits, Lilah trying to get her dad to date, and her trying to get her own crush to notice her it all kept my attention!
For this book it's hard to pick favorites because I really enjoyed all the characters but I have to say that I did have a least favorite and it might sound weird because this character was in the book for like 3 chapters but she still really annoyed me and that person was Lilah's mother. Why you ask? Well because her daughter gets hit by lighting and of course she's there when she wakes up the first time. But when she wakes up in the hospital the second time before she goes home her mother isn't there because she's gone on her honeymoon. Now granted Lilah did have her father who she was closer with but if I had a daughter and she was HIT BY LIGHTING! I would so not be leaving her side until she was at home safe. Anybody agree with me?
I absolutely loved Lilah's dad he was such a fun character to read. He was the kind of dad that I want my dad to be. He was like Lilah's best friend, a great dad who protected his daughter when need be but he wasn't way to over protective and he even let her help him start dating again! I thought he was a cute character because he just seemed so innocent! But you realize what a good relationship she has with her dad in the first place because after her parents divorce she lives with her dad instead of her mom. (Another thing about the mom. I would make sure I have custody of my kids!)
Sorry about all the ranting this book has sent me on a tangent! Anyways the whole spirit thing with Lilah! was another one of my favorite parts of the book. One thing that surprised me was how easily her friends and a few other people believed her when she told them she hears dead people. I would of thought she would of had a really hard time convincing them but she didn't and I sort of liked that! I thought it was awesome how the sprits just popped up out of nowhere to help her when she needed it!
This book for me gets a 4 out of 5 stars. Reason being is because although I enjoyed the whole thing I think a few things could of changed as I said above. But don't get me wrong the book was an awesome quick read and i'd definitely read it again!
For this book it's hard to pick favorites because I really enjoyed all the characters but I have to say that I did have a least favorite and it might sound weird because this character was in the book for like 3 chapters but she still really annoyed me and that person was Lilah's mother. Why you ask? Well because her daughter gets hit by lighting and of course she's there when she wakes up the first time. But when she wakes up in the hospital the second time before she goes home her mother isn't there because she's gone on her honeymoon. Now granted Lilah did have her father who she was closer with but if I had a daughter and she was HIT BY LIGHTING! I would so not be leaving her side until she was at home safe. Anybody agree with me?
I absolutely loved Lilah's dad he was such a fun character to read. He was the kind of dad that I want my dad to be. He was like Lilah's best friend, a great dad who protected his daughter when need be but he wasn't way to over protective and he even let her help him start dating again! I thought he was a cute character because he just seemed so innocent! But you realize what a good relationship she has with her dad in the first place because after her parents divorce she lives with her dad instead of her mom. (Another thing about the mom. I would make sure I have custody of my kids!)
Sorry about all the ranting this book has sent me on a tangent! Anyways the whole spirit thing with Lilah! was another one of my favorite parts of the book. One thing that surprised me was how easily her friends and a few other people believed her when she told them she hears dead people. I would of thought she would of had a really hard time convincing them but she didn't and I sort of liked that! I thought it was awesome how the sprits just popped up out of nowhere to help her when she needed it!
This book for me gets a 4 out of 5 stars. Reason being is because although I enjoyed the whole thing I think a few things could of changed as I said above. But don't get me wrong the book was an awesome quick read and i'd definitely read it again!
March 26, 2014
I enjoyed this fun and interesting book very much. What urged me to read it was the title, Small Medium at Large, because I have never heard of such an original name for a book. When I did start reading it, I realized that it was a good book for girls who are about the main character's age, because it helped those young developing girls not to feel ashamed or nervous about having to do something different than usual with their body.
Small Medium at Large was about a 12 year old girl named Lilah(Delilah) Bloom who got struck by lightning and, to the benefit of many different people in the book, started hearing dead people - ghosts. This new fact about her even helped Lilah get her crush, Andrew Finkel, to go to the school Valentine's day dance with her.
There is also a girl named Dolly Madison who, in the begginning of the novel, is very mean to Lilah. Later however, Lilah tries to help Dolly with the trouble that Lilah made herself. She caused the trouble by asking a vengeance-wrecking boy ghost to help her get revenge on Dolly. The boy ghost tried to ruin a fashion show that Dolly was running. However, Lilah talked to the boy kindly and all went well.
In conclusion, this book gave me a different type of novel to read, a novel about ghosts not haunting you or being terrifying, but being ghosts from our pasts. For Lilah Bloom , the ghost which visited her the most was her Grandma; Bubby Dora. I think Joanne Levy did a very good job portraying this interesting and enjoyable story into a book.
Small Medium at Large was about a 12 year old girl named Lilah(Delilah) Bloom who got struck by lightning and, to the benefit of many different people in the book, started hearing dead people - ghosts. This new fact about her even helped Lilah get her crush, Andrew Finkel, to go to the school Valentine's day dance with her.
There is also a girl named Dolly Madison who, in the begginning of the novel, is very mean to Lilah. Later however, Lilah tries to help Dolly with the trouble that Lilah made herself. She caused the trouble by asking a vengeance-wrecking boy ghost to help her get revenge on Dolly. The boy ghost tried to ruin a fashion show that Dolly was running. However, Lilah talked to the boy kindly and all went well.
In conclusion, this book gave me a different type of novel to read, a novel about ghosts not haunting you or being terrifying, but being ghosts from our pasts. For Lilah Bloom , the ghost which visited her the most was her Grandma; Bubby Dora. I think Joanne Levy did a very good job portraying this interesting and enjoyable story into a book.
June 24, 2012
Small Medium at Large was a funny middle grade novel. After finishing the book, I understand what the title means. I love the humor in the title. Once starting the book, the reader finds the same humor throughout the pages. The book made me laugh quite a bit. I don't think a chapter went by without me at least chuckling. The plot was well written. There weren't any plot holes. The story flowed well from beginning to end. It was entertaining. I stayed up late to finish the book because I wanted to find out what happened at the end. I liked all of the characters. My favorite was Bubby, Lilah's ghost grandmother. Her quirkiness and awkwardness had me laughing until I was almost crying at times. Since Lilah lived with dad, Bubby was also a great help to Lilah. She helped Lilah with going through that awkward stage in between being a child and becoming a teenager. Small Medium at Large was great. I loved the author's writing style, and will definitely read more of her work in the future. I'm hoping she writes a sequel. I would love to know what happens with Lilah's dad and Alex's mom. I also want to know if things work out between Lilah and Alex. I recommend this book for older elementary school kids and middle schoolers.
March 22, 2014
A simple book about a young girl with young girl issues like dating and fashion who has a big secret. predictable! there really isn't annything new or unexspected in this book, and is sometimes even pianfully boring at times. there was nothing that interested me to keep reading. maybe this book just isn't ot my taste, becuase admititly i don't really like this genre to begin with, but it's still way to predictable. also the main characters seem to have 1 dimentional personalities that give no denpth into there character.
Of course the book isn't all that bad, and it does have a fun sense of humor and it even had me laughing at times. but still it just isn't to my taste. im sure other people who do like these typres of books would love it.
Of course the book isn't all that bad, and it does have a fun sense of humor and it even had me laughing at times. but still it just isn't to my taste. im sure other people who do like these typres of books would love it.
September 1, 2012
When I was growing up, I read all the Judy Blume books for young adults. Loved all of them. In my opinion, Joanne Levy is the new, modern version of Judy Blume!!
"Small Medium at Large" reminds me of another book I loved, but with a supernatural twist.
"Are you there Bubby? It's me Lilah"....
Seriously, please write more novels!!
"Small Medium at Large" reminds me of another book I loved, but with a supernatural twist.
"Are you there Bubby? It's me Lilah"....
Seriously, please write more novels!!
September 26, 2012
12-year-old Lilah gets struck by lightning at her mom's wedding, and suddenly she can hear dead people's voices in her head! This is a cute, tender, quick read for girls - if you like dances, the thought of hearing dead people (and all the issues that could pose!), and cutesy romances, you'll enjoy this book!
July 10, 2017
A light piece of tween chick-lit. It's well done for the sort of book it is, and no doubt many 9-12ish girls will relate to it. However, it's ultimately forgettable and insubstantial. It made the Ontario Library Association's grade 7 and 8 reading list. It should have been on a list for grade 5 and 6 girls instead.
February 11, 2014
I liked this book because it had points where it was serious but there were also parts that were funny and it's a book that you can enjoy. I liked how she helped the girl out with the fashion show and I think that showed a good side to her personality. I like her friend because she is what every good friend should be. I think this is a really girly book and might turn guys away.
May 1, 2014
i thought that this book was reallly good. At the beginning it was kinda boaring but as i kept reading it got pretty good. In this book a girl is hit by lightning. After this she is able to talk to people that have passed including her grandma. when ever anything gets tough or she doesnt know what to do her grrandma is there to help her.
July 12, 2012
Good story. Fast read, done in 4 hours. Book is more for teenagers but I really enjoyed it. I wish I was able to talk to the dead like the main character. I would like to hear more about what happens to the main character as she grows up. Is there another book on the way?
April 22, 2014
I thought Small Medium at Large was a very cheesy book that was over dramatic and unrealistic. I believe the target audience should be people younger than those who read the red maple category. It was an easy read but not one that I enjoyed.
July 22, 2012
Pure awesomeness! Everyone should read it- you'll laugh to tears!!!
June 2, 2012
This book is sweet and fun and super cute. The perfect book for upper elementary-aged girls who want a book with some romance. And ghosts!
July 2, 2012
Amazing MG book, SMALL MEDIUM AT LARGE--unique, funny, kid-friendly book with a few twists! Loved the main charater of Lilah--a "real" kid with an amazing gift!
January 21, 2021
This book was really good because it talks about not just about how lilah’s ability but about school and what’s happening there. The reason for this five star rating is that it’s very interesting and very relatable. When I was in the 6th grade I could relate to lilah all the way, the pressure you have, the heating up when you see your crush, the annoyance when your friends drag you into something, I could relate to it all. Any book that talks about school and what happens there I would definitely give it a five star rating because like I said before it’s relatable. But there was a part at the end which was a epilogue which basically tells you what they did after all the mess they were dealing with or what happened next, and Imma be honest I didn’t really like cause I was confused as to what they were talking about and who they were talking to, but other than that the book was extremely good. Let me tell you I promise that anyone that is in grade school will relate to this book.
November 25, 2022
This was a cute book, but I sometimes wondered if the storyline could have been tightened up, and I also wondered if a twelve-year-old girl would think like this. My daughter just turned thirteen, and I know I don't see ALL the inner workings of her mind, but the weirdest thing to me was that the main character in the story was totally fine with her parents' divorce and trying to help her dad date. She also made dinner all the time. Maybe it's an only child thing, but it seemed far-fetched to me. There were also some Judy Bloom moments where the main character was talking about her chest and getting a bra for the first time, so that's in there along with hearing ghosts and kissing boys. Just, a strange mix of elements in this book. Still a cute story, not sad I read it.
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