Weirdo

Gr 5-8–This semi-fictionalized premise based on Weaver’s life is one that sadly may ring familiar, with Tony Jr. being the victim of bullying in his new middle school, and the hurt and trauma eventually bringing him to a suicide attempt. A cry for help allows Tony to forge ahead and rewrite his own story. Fortunately, with love, nurturing, a sense of self, and a school transfer, Tony finds peers who share his interests and who he can call friends. Later, the rush is on as Tony and his classmates work to save their school from closing. The mix of sadness, hope, and finding a sense of self are strong themes throughout the narrative. The book does not linger on the suicide attempt, with Weaver purposefully leaving out details or anything graphic. While a few scenes stray into pedantic detailing, the story’s overall message is an important one, especially since the topic of suicide is not often tackled for this audience. The artwork is fun; the Wibowo siblings truly capture the titular weirdness of the characters, and each page holds visually interesting illustrations to pore over. Vibrant colors and exciting costumes are integral to the artwork. There is a trigger warning at the beginning of the book, but the digital galley did not include further resources.