Surviving the Applewhites, by Stephanie S. Tolan, is about a troubled teenager named Jake Semple.  Jake has a spiky red haircut and a reputation for getting kicked out of schools.  He even burned down the last school he attended.  Both of his parents are in jail, so Jake is sent off to live with the Applewhite family.  The Applewhites run a homeschooling program, and they are very eccentric and unorthodox in their teaching methods.  Most members of the family are immersed in some kind of artistic or creative endeavor.  They tend to be very spontaneous and difficult to work with, and they enforce many rules that make it difficult for Jake to adjust to their lifestyle.

However, Jake begins to get along with one member of the family named E.D. Applewhite.  E.D. is an intelligent and practical girl who does not have the same artistic preferences of her family members.  She prefers structure and organization, so she does not fit in with the unstructured and impulsive nature of her family.  As Jake and E.D. realize that they both struggle to get along with the family, the two of them begin to develop a friendship as they help each other to survive in the midst of all the chaos.

I think that the author does a great job of creating a cast of realistic and distinct characters that make this story very interesting and compelling.  The internal struggles experienced by Jake and E.D. are very relatable for most people and their personal growth and ability to overcome trials over the course of the story is actually quite inspiring.  This book teaches about the importance of discovering individual gifts and talents.  It also shows the value of a home that nurtures education, and that sometimes unexpected people can help us to become our best selves.  This book is also quite entertaining and humorous, making it very meaningful and enjoyable at the same time.  I am homeschooled myself so I enjoyed this portrayal of a homeschooling family.  This book definitely deserves its Newbery Honor award and I would highly recommend it to everyone.