T-Backs, T-Shirts, Coat, and Suit

by E.L. Konigsburg and Facaros

Book Overview

Spending the summer in Florida with her stepfather's sister who operates a meals-on-wheels van, twelve-year-old Chloee and her aunt become involved in a controversy surrounding the wearing of T-back bathing suits."

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0689318553
• ISBN13: 9780689318559
• Release Date: October 1993
• Publisher: Atheneum Books
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.7" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

Great book!

I love and admire Bernadette, Chloë's aunt. She is really brave and great. I wanna be a handsome woman like Bernadette.

I love this book.

I loved it. I will treasure this book forever! I really know what Chloe thinks, feels, and realizes. E.L. Konigsburg is the greatest author in the world.

Great book by one of the Greatest Kids/YA Authors

I read this book a long time after I had discovered the magic of Konigsburg's work and found more here. This is a skillful and clever weaving of fact and fiction, past and present. The story is set in northern Florida and encompasses Chloe's summer stay with her stepfather's sister, Bernadette, who is more than just a little out of the ordinary. While Chloe is at first eager to brag about her aunt's eccentricities, not expecting them to cause trouble, she finds that some less-tolerable people find a problem with them (I am intentionally vague because I don't want to give too much away.). Meanwhile, a controversy among Bernadette's co-workers, involving their decision to wear T-back swimsuits in order to get more business, envelops the town. This book explores the ideas of taking sides, standing up for what you believe in, and acceptance without being corny, cheesy, melodramatic, or preachy (especially). One of the most intriguing things about this book is that the T-back controversy was inspired by a motion in Konigsburg's hometown to ban t-backs, and the probing of Bernadette is linked to the Salem witch trials, which, as is pointed out by Konigsburg, had its anniversary at the time of the t-back banning. I cannot give enough praise to this book, and I must insist that you read this if you are over 12 years old (younger may not understand the complex concepts, but there is nothing inappropriate). I recommend all of Konigsburg's books, however the indispensable are Silent to the Bone (for young adults only), The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (which also has an interesting real-life connection), The Second Mrs. Giaconda (an explanation of Da Vinci and his Mona Lisa), and The Outcasts of 13 Schuyler Place (her latest, an A+++++!). Like I said, a definite must-read!

WOW!

The book t backs t shirts COAT and suit is a great book. I have read two of E.L. Koningsburg's books and so far this is the best. This books showed me to believe in my self and dont believe everything everone says. It covered every subject i was looking for in a book

This book shows you not to judge a person by what's outside

This book is outstanding! The combination of witchcraft,high society,loyalty,betrayal,standing up for what you believe in, and believing lies twisted together,your outcome is T-backs,T-shirts,COAT, and Suit. This is the tale of two people who say they're fighting to get rid of T-backs, A two piece bathing suit that only has two strips of cloth as the bottom piece,but, in truth, their fighting for something much more powerful than that.The accusations of being witches and the secret reason of why they really won't wear T-backs is what you'll find out in this mysterious book! Konigsburg is the greatest writer of them all!!