A review by halfelfschollar
The Boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough

emotional hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I read this book as apart of an assignment about what texts you can use in teaching a high school English class. When deciding what book to pick I became increasingly aware that the standard choices for teaching centred a specific view, that being the perspective of cis gendered, heterosexual, white men. What diversity I did find tended to be few and far between, which was especially disappointing given the way fiction can be used to introduce new perspectives and life experiences.

So I looked at the task and thought if I was teaching what would I want kids to be exposed to. And so I picked a book that depicted a young Aboriginal boy dealing with identity. The Boy from the Mish explores identity, community, and the fear of being different and rejected from those around you because of who you are. There were points where I cried and points where I laughed. I think it would be an excellent book for those who have gone through similar experiences of homophobia or racism, as well as general teen angst. 

The book has a slight issue at points with the rule of show don't tell, but for the most part a good book.
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