A review by shighley
Squint by Chad Morris, Shelly Brown
5.0
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this title, for which I am happy to offer my honest review.
One of my favorites of the year; this book has it all: humor, pathos, character development, bullying, service learning, and many possible connections for teachers and students. Readers will enjoy the way the comic reflects what is going on with Flint and McKenna; at times, you might think you know what is going to happen, but then the story takes another turn. There are numerous, wonderful metaphors that relate to vision and seeing. There are so many situations that we can all relate to, even if our situation is very different from these characters.
Perhaps some of the parallels I was experiencing at the time that I read this added to the book's impact on me; the day I read most of it, my sister had eye surgery. This was also the same week that Tyler Trent from Purdue University was in the news for his inspiring quest to attend the Ohio State football game. In the case of both Tyler and Danny, we know that death is imminent, but revel in their strength.
Flint is a hero, but a flawed protagonist. His realizations of his own strengths and weaknesses could be such a boon to students who read this. At the same time he can physically see his family and friends better, his perceptions of their relationships sharpen its focus as well. None of the characters are all bad or all good, which Flint eventually realizes. The power of the friendship between Flint and McKenna is transformational in so many ways. I can't count the number of times that I have thought, "If only that student had one good friend or one supportive adult." What a difference that would make.
Students will enjoy the story told through Flint's comic; I imagine that it might take on a different form in the published book. I especially appreciated the fact that even the comic did not have an epic over-the-top, fight-to-the-finish, violent ending, but one of realization.
I would love to see teachers use this books with students; there is so much they could learn. What if they took on #DannysChallenge? What if they reflected on their actions toward others and considered the power of forgiveness?
I highlighted and commented on so many passages while I read; it is a delight to look at them to remind me how much I enjoyed this book.
One of my favorites of the year; this book has it all: humor, pathos, character development, bullying, service learning, and many possible connections for teachers and students. Readers will enjoy the way the comic reflects what is going on with Flint and McKenna; at times, you might think you know what is going to happen, but then the story takes another turn. There are numerous, wonderful metaphors that relate to vision and seeing. There are so many situations that we can all relate to, even if our situation is very different from these characters.
Perhaps some of the parallels I was experiencing at the time that I read this added to the book's impact on me; the day I read most of it, my sister had eye surgery. This was also the same week that Tyler Trent from Purdue University was in the news for his inspiring quest to attend the Ohio State football game. In the case of both Tyler and Danny, we know that death is imminent, but revel in their strength.
Flint is a hero, but a flawed protagonist. His realizations of his own strengths and weaknesses could be such a boon to students who read this. At the same time he can physically see his family and friends better, his perceptions of their relationships sharpen its focus as well. None of the characters are all bad or all good, which Flint eventually realizes. The power of the friendship between Flint and McKenna is transformational in so many ways. I can't count the number of times that I have thought, "If only that student had one good friend or one supportive adult." What a difference that would make.
Students will enjoy the story told through Flint's comic; I imagine that it might take on a different form in the published book. I especially appreciated the fact that even the comic did not have an epic over-the-top, fight-to-the-finish, violent ending, but one of realization.
I would love to see teachers use this books with students; there is so much they could learn. What if they took on #DannysChallenge? What if they reflected on their actions toward others and considered the power of forgiveness?
I highlighted and commented on so many passages while I read; it is a delight to look at them to remind me how much I enjoyed this book.