Book cover image from Amazon.com
DAIRY QUEEN
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Murdock, Catherine. 2006. DAIRY QUEEN. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN9780618683079.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
DJ Schwenk is not your typical fifteen year old girl. She has been the driving force behind her family’s dairy; keeping it going after her father is hurt and can’t work. Her future as a basketball star is put on hold due to the increase of work she must commit to at home. She trains her school’s rival quarterback, Brian Nelson, and makes him starting material, and then she, herself tries out for the Hawley football team because, ”I was so unhappy I tried to find something that made me happy, and I had this idea of playing football..And that made me happy so I thought I’d try.”
All of the things that have caused her unhappiness: her father’s injury, the fight that caused her two older brothers to leave, trying to discover why her younger brother won’t speak, why her mom is working two jobs isn’t coming home very much, her best friend’s avoidance of her after revealing her “big secret”, failing sophomore English, and, worst of all…knowing that she is in love with a boy she doesn’t think she is worthy of, have kept her from truly expressing herself. DJ’s football career begins, and so does her new voice.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Murdock uses the likable D.J. Schwenk to narrate this story. D.J.’s inner dialogue uses a talk show format as Oprah asks questions about the people in D.J.’s life and D.J. tries to figure them out. Brian Nelson, the spoiled, lazy rich boy becomes likable as he spends the summer being trained by D.J. While D.J.’s change is subtle, Brian’s is dramatic as he goes from spoiled little rich boy to respected leader of his football team. His prodding and questioning of D.J. brings her to the point where she can express herself to those around her, try out for the football team, stand up to her father, encourage her younger brother and mother, and get the help she needs to pass English so her transcript can be F free. “Murdock’s cast of characters, from major to minor, show depth and credibility, never relying on stereotype” (CCBC -Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices).
Wisconsin is the perfect setting for this story where dairy farms are numerous, small towns plentiful, and football teams are glorious. The rivalry between D.J.’s and Brian’s school is realistic and helps explain the betrayal Brian feels when he realizes that D.J. knows all about his abilities and can use this against him when she plays against him. The biggest betrayal for him is the fact that she didn’t tell him herself, “When you don’t talk, you know, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.”
4. AWARDS AND HONORS
2006 Kirkus Best Children's Books
2007 YALSA Best Books for Young Adults
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal: "Wry narration and brisk sports scenes bolster the pacing, and D.J.'s tongue-tied nature and self-deprecating inner monologues contribute to the novel's many belly laughs. At the end, though, it is the protagonist's heart that will win readers over. Dairy Queen will appeal to girls who, like D.J., aren't girly-girls but just girls, learning to be comfortable in their own skins."
From Booklist:"This humorous, romantic romp excels at revealing a situation seldom explored in YA novels, and it will quickly find its place alongside equally well-written stories set in rural areas."
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