2018 School Spending Survey Report
Gr 9 Up—Quiet, good-looking, and sensitive, 18-year-old Karl Williamson has a secret. He's dyslexic and much better with his hands than with words. When Fiorella, his new love interest, insists he open up to her in writing, he seeks help from a prominent local author. There are shades of Cyrano de Bergerac, but this is not a retelling of the classic. Karl's ghostwriter isn't a rival for Fiorella's affection. Rather, he's a 75-year-old unnamed novelist dealing with his own heartache. A friendship develops that benefits both the teen and the author. ("I knew he was helping me as much as I hoped I could help him, though he didn't know how, and I still wasn't certain myself.") As the story progresses, Karl's problems are revealed to be more damaging and difficult than at first they seemed, giving the novel depth and complexity. Told from the perspective of the older man, this book explores the realities of love versus attraction, the joys and challenges of writing, depression and moving on after a loss, finding a purpose, and seizing life's opportunities. Readers are hooked with snappy dialogue and keen insights; Karl is a multifaceted and likable character who will keep them engaged and rooting for him to find his way in love and in life. This is a great title to recommend to introspective teens who enjoy character development and coming-of-age drama.—Patricia N McClune, Conestoga Valley High School, Lancaster, PAThe unnamed seventy-five-year-old narrator, a famous author, agrees to help Karl, a dyslexic eighteen-year-old boy, impress his book-loving girlfriend. While the author helps Karl work through much more than just his dating problems, Karl gives him impetus to write again after his wife's death. Chambers delivers yet another intellectually satisfying novel with equal parts philosophy and repartee.
Is a book narrated by a septuagenarian really a young adult novel? It is in the hands of Aidan Chambers, whose penchant for narrative experimentation (which here includes dialogues and monologues, e-mail and instant messaging, original poetry, and metafiction) dovetails nicely with the chaos and turbulence of adolescence. The unnamed seventy-five-year-old narrator, a famous author, agrees to help Karl, a dyslexic eighteen-year-old boy, write down answers for the questions his dream girl, Fiorella, has put to him. Karl is sure this plan will work since the author happens to be Fiorella’s favorite, but the deception doesn’t last very long, and Karl and Fiorella soon break up, sending him into a tailspin. By the end of the story the author has helped Karl work through much more than just his dating problems, namely the unfinished business of grieving and mourning, the fine line between vocation and avocation, and the transformative power of art. It’s definitely a symbiotic relationship, however, as Karl helps the author through his own set of difficulties, giving him the impetus to write again after the death of his wife. Chambers delivers yet another intellectually satisfying novel with equal parts philosophy and repartee, and this one may have broader teen appeal than his most recent efforts. jonathan hunt
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