A month before his thirteenth birthday, an unexpected box arrives in the mail addressed to Jeremy Fink's mother (who NEVER gets packages in the mail). After convincing the mailman to allow them to sign for the registered package, Jeremy and his best friend, Lizzy, consider opening it:
"If you're afraid of that federal offense thing," Lizzy says, "that's only if it's a stranger's mail. I think."
"We will wait until my mom gets home," I say firmly. I expect her to continue the argument, but instead she just stands by the box, looking a bit too innocent.
Gravely, I ask, "Lizzy, did you do something?"
In a rush she blurts, "It's not my fault! The end of the tape just lifted right up!"
I jump from the chair to see that she has peeled away a few inches of the tape from the side of the box facing her. I have to admit, it really had come up very smoothly, not ripping or taking any of the cardboard with it. "Okay," I say quickly. "Let's do it before I change my mind."
Upon opening it, Jeremy discovers that the package is actually meant for him. Inside, he finds a locked wooden box engraved with the words: THE MEANING OF LIFE: FOR JEREMY FINK TO OPEN ON HIS 13TH BIRTHDAY. Immediately, he knows who the box is from -- his father, who died five years ago. He also finds a letter (addressed to his mother) from the lawyer who was entrusted with the box and its keys:
Another reason to send it early--and you won't like this, I'm afraid--is that I seem to have misplaced the keys. I am fairly certain that you sent them along with the box to my office, and I have a vague recollection of hiding them somewhere quite clever. Alas, too clever, I'm sorry to say.
The locksmith I visited explained that the locking mechanism on the box is an intricate system of levers and pulleys. Each of the four keyholes needs a different type of key, and an internal latch will prevent the box from being pried open.
So begins Jeremy and Lizzy's quest. At first, they stick to the legit options, but eventually, they get caught doing something... not entirely legal... and get assigned community service hours. That's when things get really interesting.
I'm especially impressed that Wendy Mass was able to explore the meaning of life AND be funny. At the same time. (Chapter 12: The Existential Crisis is a prime example.) For real. How often does that happen in books? Not very.
It wasn't just the search for the meaning of the life or Jeremy and Lizzy's adventures, either. The book is also a chronicle of Jeremy and Lizzy's changing relationship -- and I'm not talking ROMANCE. I'm talking just regular best-friends-growing-up-stuff. Jeremy and Lizzy felt like real kids to me, and from the first few pages, I cared about them.
Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life has HEART. I'll be reading A Mango Shaped Space as soon as I can get my hands on it.
You never read A Mango Shaped Space? I was obsessed with its concepts for like, over a year.
Posted by: Chrissy | 02 November 2006 at 01:19 PM
Yeah. Somehow, I never got around to reading it and (sigh) my library doesn't have it. I'll ILL it soon.
Posted by: Leila | 02 November 2006 at 01:30 PM
Ooh, this sounds good. Thanks for the review.
Posted by: nrkii | 02 November 2006 at 05:14 PM
Thank God I'm not the only one who loved this book. It's kind of gotten forgotten so far this year. Hopefully other people will take note of it soon.
Posted by: Fuse #8 | 02 November 2006 at 05:28 PM
Dear Wendy Mass Please email me back at [email protected]
I think it would be cool if you wrote a book about Cinderella the one who danced with the prince or cinderella the one who broke a glass sliper or something like that and write about the princes story and cinderella's story I think I would whant to read that book like I like the humor and personallity in Rapunzel the one with all the hair. The story buts me right in the book! and Sleeping beuty the one who took the really long nap looks really great to. I'm planning to read that book also. I could read your books and never get tired of them. I got to go
please email me back your biggest fan,
Hannah Stoddard Ps if you do email me back (whitch I hope you do) tell your email address in your lettet and my email address is in the beginning in this mail but just to make sure you have it it's [email protected] love ya bye :):):):):):):):):):):):):):)those were sideways smiley faces.
Posted by: Hannah Marie Stoddard | 12 November 2006 at 06:47 PM
Looooooove this author!!! mango is such a super book! Just bought this one and Leap Day!! Can't wait to read!
Posted by: HaBro | 14 September 2007 at 11:22 PM
Awesome book. Doing a project on it, but I seemed to have misplaced the actual copy I had...
Posted by: juniorreader | 09 October 2007 at 08:52 PM
this book is a awesome book for young readers with many hidden surprises.
Posted by: | 11 October 2007 at 10:48 PM
hey i wanted to say the book jeremy finka dn meaning of life was a great book but why is everyone selling it for like $10-15 i only got it for 5 dollars from the scholastic book fair at my school!!i think you should read it its full of surprises!
Posted by: | 29 October 2007 at 06:15 PM
OMG!!! dis book is da BBBOOOMMMBBBB!!!! I rocked my sox off! EVERYONE should read it! It's written just rite, so everbody can enjoy it!!!!
^_^
Posted by: | 19 November 2007 at 09:42 AM
"A Mango Shaped Space" is one of the best books I have ever read. You should defiantly read it!
Posted by: Kaitlyn Goens | 04 February 2008 at 08:15 PM
yer very boring
u suck
Posted by: | 19 March 2008 at 08:10 PM
omg wendy mass please email me at [email protected] bcuz i really like dis book and i would like 2 ask u sum ding through email thanks. peace!!!!!!!
Posted by: mimi | 19 April 2008 at 05:54 PM
wendy-
you are an AMAZING writer and very good at puting the right words in the perfect place! i LOOOOVE "a mango shaped space" and cried sooo hard. it is my all-time fav. book and i dont think i'll ever forget it. i sometimes try to mirror your type of writing when doing essays in school and most of the time i get A+ on them :) thank's again and PLEASE email me
-molly
Posted by: molly | 04 June 2008 at 05:20 PM
u suck
Posted by: | 22 August 2008 at 10:54 AM
I LOVED Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life. It was terrific, I absolutely couldn't get my hands off of it! (: I loved it inside and out. Please write more. A sequel would be great too. (:
-Linda
Posted by: Linda Nguyen | 08 October 2008 at 07:28 PM
Oh, and just a heads up to all of those negative people out there- if you don't like the book, just leave it be. Don't say anything, just keep it to yourself. Thanks.=]
I would love to talk to you Wendy, email me if you have the time. :)
My email ađress is [email protected]. Thanks Wendy!
-Linda
Posted by: Linda Nguyen | 08 October 2008 at 07:31 PM