Reviews

Isaiah Dunn is a superhero who gets his powers from eating beans and rice. At least that's true in the stories that Isaiah's dad wrote. But Isaiah's dad died less than a year before, and now he and his mom and sister are dealing with the grief from losing their beloved father and husband. Isaiah used to like to write poems, but he hasn't written anything since his father died. He's also worried about his mom, who lost her job and is drinking out of glass bottles that she peels the label off of. His family was evicted from their home and they are staying in a motel that Isaiah hates. And on top of all of that, his classmate Angel is calling him Isaiah Dumb and harassing him at school.

I loved Isaiah and his journey to rediscovering his passion for writing. Isaiah deals with some tough things, like his mom's alcoholism and homelessness. He and Angel become unexpected allies, and I appreciated the way that their relationship evolved from antagonistic to friendly. I also loved that Isaiah found supportive adults in places like the library.

asealey925's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring fast-paced

5.0

ljrinaldi's review against another edition

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4.0

Isaiah wants to write like his father, who kept notebooks of his stories, but never had them published. He wants to, but has been unable to since his father died, and his mother has spiraled down into drinking.

This is a great story, inspired by the author, a teacher, seeing children who might go to her school, who are homeless.

Through this all, Isaiah, if he can't write, he makes sure that his dad's stories are out there. He also reads the stories every day.

I read this story so fast, because it was so well written, and I really wanted to know what happened to Isaiah and his family. It is both heart breaking, and wonderful, at the same time.

Friendships, bullying, and hiding his homelessness are all part of Isaiah's world. Yes, he is my hero too.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

melhara's review against another edition

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3.0

This was a good middle-grade book about Isaiah Dunn - a young boy who has to deal with the recent passing of his father, his mother's drinking problem, and living in poverty/homelessness. When Isaiah stumbles upon short stories written by his late father about Isaiah being a hero, it empowered him to work hard to provide for his family and 'hustle the right way' by finding a job and writing poetry.

I would rate this book higher, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the audiobook at times. Even so, I thought this book had great character development and did a fantastic job discussing heavier topics while keeping a hopeful and inspiring tone.

apeterschmidt's review

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5.0

This was a 5 star read. Thanks to netgalley.com for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Isaiah Dunn is My Hero is a middle grade novel that made me cry, laugh, and rethink my own teaching. It reminded me that I never really know everything my students are going through, and to approach every situation with empathy first. It covers grief, friendship, and other important topics. This book would be perfect for upper elementary and middle school students, and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for my classroom library. Highly recommended read for teachers and students alike!

charireads's review

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5.0

Isaiah wants to write like his father, who kept notebooks of his stories but never had them published. He wants to, but has been unable to since his father died, and his mother has spiraled down into drinking.
This is a great story, inspired by the author, a teacher, seeing children who might go to her school, who are homeless. Through this all, Isaiah, if he can't write, he makes sure that his dad's stories are out there. He also reads the stories every day.I read this story so fast, because it was so well written, and I really wanted to know what happened to Isaiah and his family. It is both heartbreaking, and wonderful, at the same time.

Friendships, bullying, and hiding his homelessness are all part of Isaiah's world. Yes, he is my hero too.

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