Anyway by Arthur Salm – ADVISABLE

Salm, Arthur Anway: A Story about me with 138 footnotes, 27 exaggerations, and 1 plage of spaghetti 192 pgs. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2012. $10.87.  

Rating: PG –Underage Drinking

Max is not excited to go to a family style summer camp. But when he make a split second decision to pretend to be a bolder version of himself –“Mad Max”. He discovers that being cool is much easier and he has a great time. When he gets home, back to his job at his family’s women’s clothing store, and his real friends –well he can’t quite be Mad Max. Who can he be?

I loved this book! The author did an amazing job capturing that hazy area between being a child and being a tween. Max is slowly discovering who he is, and it’s a great kid who is fun, interesting, and has heart. The quirky inclusion of footnotes make a great example for an “intrusive narrator”, which was fun. I also enjoyed the flow of the story –memories mixed with interesting tidbits and real life events. Very well written. Students will relate to Max, but also be entertained –and might just learn something accidently.

MS–ESSENTIAL Reviewer: Stephanie School Librarian & Author.