Language: R (19 swears 1 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (Physical bullying, threats, taunting, menacing)
BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
Liam, Manny and Cal are all in middle school and serving detention together because of attendance problems. Cal is responsible for getting his little brothers to school, but it’s not close to his, and when his bike gets stolen, he just can’t make it on time. Manny just hates school; he feels like it’s a waste of time and that he already knows all he needs to. Manny would rather just write poetry (rap lyrics) - so when he’s caught sluffing at the skate park, he also ends up in detention. And Liam is bullied, Grady and his 2 minions are ruthless, and so he hides in a closet in the library for a few days, but eventually is caught by a teacher he skipped when headed to lunch.
Ogle’s perspectives are brilliant. Liam tells his story in prose, Manny’s story is poetry - mostly rap, but even when it’s not structured like a poem it still reads like poetry somehow (Ogle - what the heck?), and Cal illustrates his story with Cartoon panels. A truly middle grade novel, rated optional because of the singular f bomb. Absenteeism is a big problem in schools today.
Manny is Hispanic (his interactions with his grandparents are often Spanish) Cal is illustrated black, and Liam defaults white.
Lisa Librarian
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment