''Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life'' is a 2006 children's novel by

Wendy Mass Wendy Mass (born April 22, 1967) is an author of young adult novels and children's books. Her 2003 novel, '' A Mango-Shaped Space'' won the American Library Association (ALA) Schneider Family Book Award for Middle School in 2004. Her other no ...

. The story follows twelve-year-old Jeremy Fink and his neighbor Lizzy Muldoun as they attempt to retrieve four keys that unlock a wooden box delivered one month before Jeremy's 13th birthday. The novel contains information that provides a connection to '' Every Soul a Star'', a children's novel also by Wendy Mass. An independent film adaptation of the novel, starring Maxwell Beer as Jeremy Fink and

Ryan Simpkins Ryan Simpkins (born March 25, 1998) is an American actor, known for their performances in films such as ''Pride and Glory (film), Pride and Glory'', ''A Single Man'', ''Revolutionary Road (film), Revolutionary Road'', and ''Fear Street Part Two ...

as Lizzy Muldoun, was released in 2012. Writer/director

Tamar Halpern Tamar Halpern is a writer and director living in Los Angeles. She holds an M.F.A. degree from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. Career Halpern has written and directed ten feature films, including the documentary L ...

adapted the book and directed along with Jamar Crawford.

Plot summary

One month before his thirteenth birthday, Jeremy Fink and his best friend Lizzy Muldoun were out in his New York City apartment when the mailman delivers a package addressed to Jeremy's mom. Lizzy convinces him to open the package. Inside the package, they discover a wooden box with four keyholes and the words, "THE MEANING OF LIFE: FOR JEREMY FINK TO OPEN ON HIS 13TH BIRTHDAY." Jeremy immediately recognizes the box as the work of his father, who died five years earlier in a car crash. An accompanying note explains that the friend taking care of the box lost all of the keys. Determined to open the box, Jeremy and Lizzy contact a locksmith who explains that he is unable to pick the locks or break the box open without destroying the box and possibly its contents. The two friends set a goal to find the keys by the end of the summer so Jeremy can still open the box on his thirteenth birthday. Lizzy's impulsiveness gets the duo into trouble for destroying property and they must spend the summer performing community service. Jeremy and Lizzy are assigned to work for Mr. Oswald, an antique dealer preparing to retire to Florida, who sends them to deliver some special antiques. Once the first house is reached, the children realize they are returning items to the original owners, people who pawned these items when only teenagers. Each item is being returned with the original letter stating why the owner chose to pawn the items. The people Jeremy meets help him learn important lessons about life by sharing their views. While doing community service they must find all of the keys they can, continuously worrying about the performance they must do at a fair due to losing a bet to Jeremy's grandmother. It is only in the end that Jeremy truly understands the meaning of life when he opens the box.

Reception

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...

'' described ''Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life'' as a "meaningless novel" not to be missed, saying that much of "the novel's charm derives from Jeremy and Lizzy's unique friendship". ''BookPage'' described it as "a moving, hilarious and altogether engaging tale of self-discovery".

Film adaptation

Fink Films, in association with Kidzhouse Entertainment, released a film adaptation in 2011.

wrote and directed the screenplay, and the film starred

Mira Sorvino Mira Katherine Sorvino (; born September 28, 1967) is an American actress. She won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Woody Allen's ''Mighty Aphrodite'' (1995). She also starred in the films ...

Joe Pantoliano Joseph Peter Pantoliano (born September 12, 1951) is an American character actor who has appeared in over 150 films, television and stage productions. After his early roles in the television series ''M*A*S*H'' and the 1983 comedy ''Risky Busin ...

, Maxwell Beer and

as the eponymous Jeremy Fink and his best friend, Lizzy Muldoun. The film won Best Family Film at the Garden State Film Festival 2012.

References

External links

The author's website
{{Portal , Children's literature 2006 American novels 2006 children's books American children's novels American novels adapted into films Books about meaning of life Novels by Wendy Mass Novels set in New York City