Here's to You, Rachel Robinson
Encyclopedia
Here's to You, Rachel Robinson is a 1993
1993 in literature
The year 1993 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Professor Stephen Hawking's book, A Brief History of Time, becomes the longest running book on the bestseller list of The Sunday Times....
young adult
Young adult literature
Young-adult fiction or young adult literature , also juvenile fiction, is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to adolescents and young adults, roughly ages 14 to 21. The Young Adult Library Services of the American Library Association defines a young adult as "someone between the...
novel by Judy Blume
Judy Blume
Judy Blume is an American author. She has written many novels for children and young adults which have exceeded sales of 80 million and been translated into 31 languages...
, the sequel to Just as Long as We're Together
Just as Long as We're Together (novel)
Just as Long as We're Together is a young adult novel written by Judy Blume and published in 1987.The novel is narrated by Stephanie 'Steph' Hirsch, who has several changes in her life happening at the same time...
. It is an allusion to a real person, Rachel Robinson
Rachel Robinson
Rachel Robinson is a former nurse and the widow of baseball player Jackie Robinson. She was born in Los Angeles, and attended the University of California, Los Angeles. There, she met Jackie in 1941, and they married in 1946. A baby, Jackie Robinson, Jr., was born to her in November 1946...
, and the Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
song, "Mrs. Robinson
Mrs. Robinson
"Mrs. Robinson" is a song written by Paul Simon and first performed by Simon & Garfunkel. When released as a single in 1968, it hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, for their second chart-topping hit after "The Sound of Silence"...
".
Plot
This book is written in the perspective of Rachel Robinson, who is an overachiever and a perfectionistPerfectionism (psychology)
Perfectionism, in psychology, is a belief that a state of completeness and flawlessness can and should be attained. In its pathological form, perfectionism is a belief that work or output that is anything less than perfect is unacceptable...
. She resents her older brother Charles who has been expelled from boarding school. Rachel feels Charles gets all the attention in her family, even if it is negative, and that he is driving their parents to the brink of despair. In this book, Rachel has to deal with her crush on Charles's tutor, Paul Mediros, and the fact that the best looking boy in ninth grade, Jeremy "Dragon" Kravitz (at least, to Stephanie, Allison and Rachel) is interested in her. Through family counseling, the Robinson family learn how to get along better. Also, a trip to Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
changes everything forever.
Allusions and references to other works
The novel's title is a reference to the Simon and GarfunkelSimon and Garfunkel
Simon & Garfunkel are an American duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They formed the group Tom & Jerry in 1957 and had their first success with the minor hit "Hey, Schoolgirl". As Simon & Garfunkel, the duo rose to fame in 1965, largely on the strength of the...
song "Mrs. Robinson
Mrs. Robinson
"Mrs. Robinson" is a song written by Paul Simon and first performed by Simon & Garfunkel. When released as a single in 1968, it hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, for their second chart-topping hit after "The Sound of Silence"...
"; specifically the lines:
- "And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson,
- Jesus loves you more than you will know"