Neal Shusterman generally writes for a young adult audience, but he got the idea for this middle grades novel during a school visit when the librarian pointed out to him that one boy had had his hand up the whole time to ask a question, but he never noticed him. So Shusterman set out to write a story that will resonate with kids who sometimes feel they get lost in the shuffle. Narrator Antsy Bonano is a likable smart-alec who because he is a middle child doesn't feel that he gets any attention from his family, while his new friend Calvin, aka "the schwa," is almost invisible to everyone else - teachers and students don't remember having him in their class, no one remembers when he showed up at school, and his past remains a mystery. Main characters are developed with authenticity, even if the plot is a bit implausible. There is plenty of humor in the situations the friends get into, but serious issues are also explored when the boys get caught in a prank and have to do community service, when they befriend a blind girl and then have to compete for her affection, and when they both come to terms with their family situations. While not fitting neatly into any one genre, it is at times reminiscent of Spinelli's' Maniac Magee, and with a first chapter title like "Manny Bullpucky Gets His Sorry Butt Hurled off the Marine Park Bridge, kids should get engaged quickly. Find this book at J SHU.
Monday, January 2, 2012
THE SCHWA WAS HERE by Neal Shusterman
Neal Shusterman generally writes for a young adult audience, but he got the idea for this middle grades novel during a school visit when the librarian pointed out to him that one boy had had his hand up the whole time to ask a question, but he never noticed him. So Shusterman set out to write a story that will resonate with kids who sometimes feel they get lost in the shuffle. Narrator Antsy Bonano is a likable smart-alec who because he is a middle child doesn't feel that he gets any attention from his family, while his new friend Calvin, aka "the schwa," is almost invisible to everyone else - teachers and students don't remember having him in their class, no one remembers when he showed up at school, and his past remains a mystery. Main characters are developed with authenticity, even if the plot is a bit implausible. There is plenty of humor in the situations the friends get into, but serious issues are also explored when the boys get caught in a prank and have to do community service, when they befriend a blind girl and then have to compete for her affection, and when they both come to terms with their family situations. While not fitting neatly into any one genre, it is at times reminiscent of Spinelli's' Maniac Magee, and with a first chapter title like "Manny Bullpucky Gets His Sorry Butt Hurled off the Marine Park Bridge, kids should get engaged quickly. Find this book at J SHU.
