Kate’s 2¢:” Don’t look and it won’t hurt” by Richard Peck

”Don’t look and it won’t hurt” by Richard Peck

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   This was the first YA book I read by Richard Peck. He discusses several difficult issues seen through Carol’s eyes and how she deals with each issue.

   I found the scene at the bus stop, where the Mother is a waitress in the near-by restaurant,as she watches her eldest, pregnant daughter board a bus to go to a home for unwed mothers quite poignant. So often, teens may think that their parents don’t care what happens to them, when, in reality, the parent(s) love their child, but don’t know what to do with them.

   I started reading YA books by Peck after I read his “Love and death at the mall: teaching and writing for the literate young” and I liked what I read. He has managed to tackle teen issues, bringing them to the forefront so they can be discussed or, at least, read about and privately thought about.  

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Richard Wayne Peck was born on April 5, 1934, in Illinois (died May 24, 2018) to Virginia Grey Peck and Wayne Peck. His mother was a Wesleyan University graduate, and his father owned a service station. A sister, Cheryl, would later become an administrator at a college. He attended elementary and high schools in Decatur, Illinois.

   Peck was an American novelist known for his prolific contributions to modern young adult literature.

   Peck earned a bachelor’s degree in English at DePauw University in 1956. He spent his junior year abroad at the University of Exeter.

After college, he was drafted into the US Army as a chaplain’s assistant and spent two years serving in Stuttgart, Germany. In a 2003 interview he commented, “I think your view of the world goes on—for the rest of your life—as the world you saw as you emerged into it as an adult.”[5]

After his military service ended, he completed a master’s degree at Southern Illinois University in 1959.

Career[edit]

Peck worked as a high school teacher, but much to his dismay, was transferred to a junior high school to teach English. After a while, he decided to cut his career short and write. However, these observations about junior high school students proved excellent material for his books. He said, “Ironically, it was my students who taught me to be a writer, though I was hired to teach them.”[6]

He left teaching in 1971 to write his first novel, Don’t Look and It Won’t Hurt, published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston in 1972, in which “A teenage girl struggles to understand her place within her family and in the world.” He wrote a book each year since then — 41 books in 41 years.

Peck was an adjunct professor with Louisiana State University’s School of Library and Information Sciences.[6]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Love and death at the mall: teaching and writing for the literate young DB41989

Peck, Richard. Reading time: 4 hours, 19 minutes.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Don’t look and it won’t hurt DB50004

Peck, Richard. Reading time: 3 hours, 41 minutes.

Read by Michele Schaeffer. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Family

Young Adult

Carol Peterson, middle daughter of a single mother, gets the responsibilities while her older sister enjoys freedom and popularity. But Carol’s difficulties also mature her so she is better able to help and understand her family. Basis for the movie Gas Food Lodging. For junior and senior high readers. 1972. For junior and senior high readers. 1972.

Downloaded: August 22, 2021

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Kate’s 2¢: “Are You In The House Alone?“ by Richard Peck

“Are You In The House Alone?“ by Richard Peck

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   Peck has tackled several issues that bother a lot of people, especially teens,  such as,

Being home alone, rape, birth control, whether or not to have sexual intercourse and with whom, and who to tell what.

   I think the story accurately portrays the way things used to be, but, now there is much more awareness of what to do and where to go for counseling, medical attention, and self-protection techniques. The problem comes when one tries to hide what has happened, so it happens to someone else. It might have been avoided if the victims speak up and shout out very loudly. A case in point is the disgrace and down-fall of the New York State governor. His victims spoke out together and he had to resign August 23, 2021.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Richard Wayne Peck was born on April 5, 1934, in Illinois (died May 24, 2018) to Virginia Grey Peck and Wayne Peck. His mother was a Wesleyan University graduate, and his father owned a service station. A sister, Cheryl, would later become an administrator at a college. He attended elementary and high schools in Decatur, Illinois.

   Peck was an American novelist known for his prolific contributions to modern young adult literature.

   Peck earned a bachelor’s degree in English at DePauw University in 1956. He spent his junior year abroad at the University of Exeter.

After college, he was drafted into the US Army as a chaplain’s assistant and spent two years serving in Stuttgart, Germany. In a 2003 interview he commented, “I think your view of the world goes on—for the rest of your life—as the world you saw as you emerged into it as an adult.”[5]

After his military service ended, he completed a master’s degree at Southern Illinois University in 1959.

Career[edit]

Peck worked as a high school teacher, but much to his dismay, was transferred to a junior high school to teach English. After a while, he decided to cut his career short and write. However, these observations about junior high school students proved excellent material for his books. He said, “Ironically, it was my students who taught me to be a writer, though I was hired to teach them.”[6]

He left teaching in 1971 to write his first novel, Don’t Look and It Won’t Hurt, published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston in 1972, in which “A teenage girl struggles to understand her place within her family and in the world.” He wrote a book each year since then — 41 books in 41 years.

Peck was an adjunct professor with Louisiana State University’s School of Library and Information Sciences.[6]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Are you in the house alone? DB10446

Peck, Richard. Reading time: 4 hours, 40 minutes.

Read by Laura Stuart. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress,.

Suspense Fiction

Young Adult

Novel about the terror of rape. Gail Osburne receives threatening notes and calls before she is raped by the son of the most prominent family in town. The greatest tragedy for Gail is learning that the legal system punishes her, not her attacker. Some strong language. For junior and senior high readers.

Downloaded: August 22, 2021

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