crystal_reading's review against another edition
4.0
Funny, ya mystery. Halpin is a deaf student that left his deaf school to be mainstreamed. He ends up entangled in a murder mystery and in true Hardy Boys fashion attempts to solve the crime. Lots of laughs.
dlberglund's review against another edition
3.0
This book was funny, but with a mystery that was much too serious for the tone that was set by the first part of the book. It would have been enough if our main character, Will, had to navigate a new school with a different culture and expectations, a somewhat tense relationship with his father (who can't really speak his language), and hiding a stray dog. Too much goes down, though--not just the mystery of the student's violent death, but several different examples of varieties of relationship abuse that are not fully dealt with. I also had some qualms about a hearing writer with no ties to the Deaf community to be writing a Deaf character. I was mollified a little by a Gallaudet professor who interviewed him and gave him the stamp of approval, but it still seems like he used deafness as a tool in his story. Does he shed some light for hearing readers? Yes, but he was still a little outside of his lane on this one.
dctigue's review against another edition
5.0
This was an enjoyable read. It had a little bit of everything wrapped up in the story. A little romance, a little mystery, a little humor, etc...
penalew's review against another edition
2.0
Sort of an up-dated Hardy Boys - with lots of overt references to the Hardys. Not terrible, but not making me run out to read another Josh Berk book either.
frootjoos's review against another edition
4.0
Yeah! What a great book. Reading this a week after starting ASL classes was also good timing.
squishies's review against another edition
3.0
A pretty enjoyable read, though I was tsk'ing at Will for not wanting to be friends with Devon (who seemed like a really nice kid).
I understood it though - not wanting to becoming more of a target for the bullies - but I kind of grew up with the idea that "you are strong together!" kinda thing.
I've always been interested in learning sign language, and this book made it even more compelling to do so (I really liked how Will added signing descriptions of some words).
Really wish, though, that the ending wasn't so... open-ended in a way. I wanted to know what happened to Purple (do Will and Purple end up becoming friends?) and Ebony. I was hoping for a second book, but this seems like just a standalone. Damn it.
I understood it though - not wanting to becoming more of a target for the bullies - but I kind of grew up with the idea that "you are strong together!" kinda thing.
Spoiler
Made me so glad that Devon was persistent / oblivious (can't decide which, maybe both?) in being a friend to Will.I've always been interested in learning sign language, and this book made it even more compelling to do so (I really liked how Will added signing descriptions of some words).
Really wish, though, that the ending wasn't so... open-ended in a way. I wanted to know what happened to Purple (do Will and Purple end up becoming friends?) and Ebony. I was hoping for a second book, but this seems like just a standalone. Damn it.
wildflowerz76's review against another edition
5.0
This was a nice little YA book! Will was adorably self-depreciating. He did a good job of describing what led him to leave the deaf school. He struggles with making friends and being bullied. And he solves a mystery. It was totally believable too. Sometimes mysteries with unlikely "detectives" aren't believable at all, but Berk did an excellent job with this one.
freybrarian's review against another edition
3.0
(My reviews are intended for my own info as a language arts teacher: they serve as notes and reflections for teaching and recommending to students. Therefore, spoilers may be present but will be hidden.)
SUMMARY: Josh Berk's YA novel is a blend of mystery, realistic fiction, and awareness about what it is like to be hearing impaired. Will Halpin, a recently main-streamed deaf high school student, serves as the protagonist. The first half of the book details Will's adjustment to a "regular" high school, after having recently attended a school for the deaf. I found his observations about what it is like to be deaf to be really interesting. There is quite a bit of funny, but shallow, observation about his new classmates and teachers. Since he doesn't fit in, this purposeful observation and even note-taking seems realistic to me.
Nearly halfway through the book (page 117 out of 248!) we finally arrive at the crime that is described on the book jacket: a classmate of Will's, jerky jock Pat Chambers, has possibly been pushed down a mine shaft. And herein lies one of my main problems with the book: it touts itself as a mystery, but the mystery does not start to develop until the end. As a result, the potential for engaging crime-solving action and suspense (or even bungled, juvenile crime-solving action, as seem more realistic to Berk's writing) is squashed. I was looking forward to reading about silly, misguided red herring moments, and the author offered few. There are some clues and details that trigger predictions from readers, but, again, little time is left for readers to ponder who may have killed Chambers.
My other issue is that I wonder how much Will's character will ring true with most of my students. This has nothing to do with his hearing impairment and everything to do with his "voice" as a teenager. I can't quite put my finger on it, but he doesn't "sound" like too many of the students I teach. A book this immersed in youth culture has to be completely accurate for reader buy-in. I think Josh Berk just missed the mark.
SUMMARY: Josh Berk's YA novel is a blend of mystery, realistic fiction, and awareness about what it is like to be hearing impaired. Will Halpin, a recently main-streamed deaf high school student, serves as the protagonist. The first half of the book details Will's adjustment to a "regular" high school, after having recently attended a school for the deaf. I found his observations about what it is like to be deaf to be really interesting. There is quite a bit of funny, but shallow, observation about his new classmates and teachers. Since he doesn't fit in, this purposeful observation and even note-taking seems realistic to me.
Nearly halfway through the book (page 117 out of 248!) we finally arrive at the crime that is described on the book jacket: a classmate of Will's, jerky jock Pat Chambers, has possibly been pushed down a mine shaft. And herein lies one of my main problems with the book: it touts itself as a mystery, but the mystery does not start to develop until the end. As a result, the potential for engaging crime-solving action and suspense (or even bungled, juvenile crime-solving action, as seem more realistic to Berk's writing) is squashed. I was looking forward to reading about silly, misguided red herring moments, and the author offered few. There are some clues and details that trigger predictions from readers, but, again, little time is left for readers to ponder who may have killed Chambers.
My other issue is that I wonder how much Will's character will ring true with most of my students. This has nothing to do with his hearing impairment and everything to do with his "voice" as a teenager. I can't quite put my finger on it, but he doesn't "sound" like too many of the students I teach. A book this immersed in youth culture has to be completely accurate for reader buy-in. I think Josh Berk just missed the mark.
emeelee's review against another edition
1.0
Predictable whodunit with terrible characters and poor D/deaf representation. The main character is an awful misogynist-- I literally wrote a paper about how Hamburger Halpin is the epitome of a NiceGuy(TM) in this book (for a YA lit class).