Don't Look and It Won't Hurt

by Richard Peck

"Out at the city limits there's this sign that says WELCOME TO CLAYPITTS, PEARL OF THE PRAIRIE, and if you'd believe that, you'd believe anything."

Sixteen-year-old Carol Patterson is a girl in the in the middle of her sisters, in the middle of her adolescence, in the middle of her family's problems.

It is the early seventies and the world is in turmoil, but hardly anything from the outside ever seems to creep in to effect the Pattersons, who live in half a house at the wrong end of town. But there is turmoil enough in Carol's own life. The family is barely getting by on her mother's waitress salary. Carol's bookishness and shabby clothes make her an outcast. Then Carol's older sister gets pregnant.

Still, in the midst of it all there is Carol's first fledgling romance; her unexpected friendship with the preacher's daughter. And suddenly a door opens, providing Carol with a glimpse of the world outside Claypitts and a glimpse of her own inner strength.

Originally published in 1972, Don't Look and It Won't Hurt was Richard Peck's first novel. It was adapted for the movie Gas/Food/Lodging in 1992.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, Coming Of Age

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Richard Peck was an American novelist known for his prolific contributions to modern young adult literature. He was awarded the Newbery Medal in 2001 for his novel A Year Down Yonder. For his cumulative contribution to young-adult literature, he received the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1990.

Reviews

[Vanessa]

i read this one over and over at 12 or so. now it's dated, but the spot-on observations of Carol are still spot-on.

[Angel Ica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books. Maybe I grow an attachment to books I loved as a kid/teenager, but this book is so well written that when I went back and read it again as an adult it still left an impression. Written in the 60s, some of the content is a little outdated, but a coming of age story never goes out of style.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

.

[Madison Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy, somewhat slow-moving book with a few loose ends, but I enjoyed it more than most books of a similar caliber. Peck has a charming, engaging voice for Carol that brings this book from “forgettable coming of age story” to something memorable and thought-provoking. I already miss the little world he created.

[Creolecat]

Gas, Food, Lodging (1992)

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't Look and it Won't Hurt
By Richard Peck
1972

I recently bought this novel from a secondhand store and was thrilled to find out when I started reading it today that it was signed by the author! "For Mark and Patrick" "From Richard Peck. (There are muggers in New York, but do not count on it)". How cool!

This was Peck's first novel and deals with the subjects of teen pregnancy, single motherhood, poverty, and teenage angst (of course).

It was well written and l zoomed right through reading it. I am glad, that as a die-hard Richard Peck fan, I finally got to read his first novel.

4 stars.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm rating this book three stars because it's definitely well written. I felt a great deal of empathy for the middle sister, Carol, who was really the adult of the family--coping with her older sister, being a mother to her younger sister--dealing with the life she was dealt. I confess I didn't really enjoy the book because it's fairly depressing. I left it wondering if Carol would ever be able to rise above all the roadblocks and escape her current boxed-in life.

[Rebecca Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peck's book about teenage pregnancy could have been one long Downer, an after school special cautionary tale. But he makes this a very readable story, with sympathetic characters. He doesn't pander or preach. He gives us a wonderful narrator in middle child Claire and amazing details. A wonderful look into this difficult world and time

[Dharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and reread this novel a number of times, probably soon after it was published. Though I don't remember a large number of details after all these years, it captivated me and had a unique voice (at the time). Would reread it again and hopefully it won't hurt the magic of my youth.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much. I don’t know how many times I’ve read it, but it’s so freaking good.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my second attempt reading this, and I finished it this time! It was a little slow, and a little heavy, but overall, it wasn't bad. I hated the ending, though. It was so abrupt.

[Mark Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of Carol and her family. Her older teenage sister, Ellen, gets pregnant and moves up to Chicago. Not sure what I was supposed to get from the story.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was like reading a very early version of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, although the main character was less self-destructive. She had some excellent instincts for doing the right thing and leading with love.

[Emily Townsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fiction/Teen pregnancy/Coming of age

Carol is a plain Jane living in a small mid-western town. Her dad left at young age, leaving her mother to go to work as a hostess at a truck stop to support her three daughters. Carol is now a teenager who has little connection with her mother. Her older sister Ellen has become pregnant and leaves for Chicago. Carol finds a way to go visit and learns life lessons in the process.

I enjoyed reading this book because it shows a broken family in a realistic way. It is well written. Peck really focuses on his characters and makes them seem like real people. From beginning to end there are apparent changes in Carol as she grows up. It's probably appropriate 14 and up.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was Peck's first novel. It centers around a family in a small Midwestern town. Carol Patterson is in the iddle, chronologically and emotionally. Her father left when she eas six. Her mother works most evenings as a hostess in a restaurant. Carol's older sister, Ellen, becomes pregnant by a man currently serving a drug sentence. It's Carol who tries to keep her mother calm and their lives in tact. Ellen elects to go to a home for unwed mothers in Chicago and her mother clamps down even harder on Carol. Then Carol takes on the role of parent too Ellen and to Liz, even going to their father for moneu to make the trip to Chicago to see Ellen. An emotional book that speaks to the heart.

[Taxandria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in the early 90's as I had written to Richard Peck a few times since 1985 and he actually sent me an autographed copy of this book and recommended it to me because I was going through a bad family situation at the time. It was super nice of him, but then, he'd always been super nice. I have quite a few letters from him still, among my treasured possessions. I started writing to him when I was 12. I'm 40 now and we haven't kept in touch because you know, life and all but I still have a nice feeling about him and his books. He really seems like a very nice person and I loved the Blossom Culp series.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book for the most part, but I hated the ending. I was dumbfounded when I finished it because there were at least three major issues that weren't resolved. What happened to Ellen? What happened to Jerry? What happened to Otis the cat? The rest of the book was so interesting, I hated not knowing how they all fared within the near future. Even if nothing had worked out at the end, at least it would have been an ending. I really felt like he could have written a whole new book about everything that was left unanswered. I hate it when stories end and things could go either way; I don't care for guessing what happens, I like to know for sure.

[Taylor Lusk · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story take place in Carol's hometown of Claypitts. Life isn't very exciting in Claypitts, so it's no wonder when Carol's sister, Ellen, decides to run off to Chicago to follow a pot dealer that got her pregnant. Carol decides to take a trip to Chicago and convince her sister that her family still loves her and to give up her baby for adoption.

I wasn't a fan of this book. Maybe it's because it was written so long ago, but I just could connect with the characters. Two stars for effort.

[SmarterLilac · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this in 11th grade while being bored in biology (a friend of mine was reading it and I couldn't believe she'd stooped so low.) I can't believe my beloved Richard Peck ever dropped to this level.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this young adult novel by Newbery Award winner Peck a couple of years ago. I saw the 1992 movie based on the novel - Gas, Food, Lodging - with Ione Skye first. I loved the movie and loved the book.

[Soobie is expired · Rating 5 out of 5]

Da una lettura posteriore mi era piaciuto. Ma a dodici anni, Soobie scriveva:

Bel libro. La fine non mi piace molto. Non è lungo ma racconta molto bene i fatti. La protagonista fa un lungo viaggio per andare a trovare sua sorella Ellen che era incinta a 17 anni.

[Tracy]

this is the book that became allison anders' 'gas, food, lodging'
broke my 13-year old heart.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books in middle school.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel talks about teen pregnancy, drugs, divorce, and the Vietnam war. I enjoyed the story and found the characters realistic.

[Elisabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like this one as much as the other Richard Peck books that I've read recently. It was still good though.

[Elizabeth]

I'm pretty sure this was the basis of "Gas Food Lodging" .... remember that?

[Elizabeth Gibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look at a typical broken home and life from a young girl's perspective. Well written and kept my attention. I hardly wanted to put it down.

[Theresa]

I thought it was pretty good for the time and its contents

[bethany!! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! You should really read this if you are in 7th or 8th grade.

[Amy Knighton · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was sad. I loved A Long Way From Chicago and A Year Down Yonder. They were cute and laugh out loud funny. This book was good but had a sad mood.