Still, especially for kids who have watched recent elections, Kevin’s brand of campaigning is readily recognizable.
Kevin knows the buzzwords that will surely get him elected student-body president; it’s unfortunate that he’s running for the wrong reason.
Kevin’s gotten into trouble before (Crush, 2002, etc.). In this fourth, funny outing, he navigates the mostly self-created obstacles of eighth grade. This time, having achieved a first date with his new girlfriend, Tina, he realizes that a new student, good-looking Cash Devine, is running unopposed for student-body president—and capturing lots of attention in the process. That just doesn’t seem right to Kevin. After all, he’s the one with all of the natural leadership ability, and he knows, somehow, all of the ins and outs of campaigning. However, he might not know quite as much as Cash’s campaign manager, Kevin’s clever rival, Katie. The strength of this effort comes from the surfeit of hyperbole that Kevin effortlessly churns out in his rarely self-critical but frequently amusing first-person narration. Each chapter title offers yet another pithy rule for aspiring politicians: “The True Politician Deftly Sidesteps Problems That Might Arise from an Overabundance of Truth,” for example. Many of these “rules” seem unlikely to arise from the brain of an eighth-grader however, making this a little less credible than others in the series.
Still, especially for kids who have watched recent elections, Kevin’s brand of campaigning is readily recognizable. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: May 13, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-385-74228-3
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Wendy Lamb/Random
Review Posted Online: Feb. 26, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2013
A timely, emotional story full of hope and love even in the face of discrimination and prejudice.
Twelve-year-old Yusuf Azeem is excited to start sixth grade until he finds hostile and racist notes in his locker.
Pakistani American Yusuf lives in the small town of Frey, Texas, with his father, who owns the A to Z Dollar Store; his mom, a freelance journalist and editor; and his younger sister. Yusuf has a feeling that 2021 will be a great year; he’s especially looking forward to participating in a robotics competition. Then he runs into bully Ethan Grant, a White boy whose father belongs to a nationalist group opposing the construction of a local mosque. With the 20th anniversary of 9/11, Yusuf’s social studies teacher has made it the subject of an assignment. Uncle Rahman gives Yusuf his journal from 2001—when he was 12—and through it Yusuf learns about how his uncle and other American Muslims were affected by Islamophobia and why 9/11 still matters today. Yusuf endures a life-changing incident when Ethan makes an accusation that publicly terrifies and humiliates him. Faruqi seamlessly interweaves Uncle Rahman’s journal entries into the story and realistically portrays the relationships and dynamics of the town’s small Muslim population. Yusuf’s character is well developed; surrounded by a loving family and tightknit community, he slowly finds his voice and the strength to stand up for what’s right even if it is scary.
A timely, emotional story full of hope and love even in the face of discrimination and prejudice. (author's note) (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-294325-5
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 7, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
An uneven treatment of a critical and timely subject.
Pennsylvania middle schooler Bess Stein is the new sixth grade class president, and she has a lot of plans.
Bess is working with the school librarian, Mr. Jasper, and the class vice president, June Myer, a recent transplant from Texas, to choose titles for the new book vending machine, one of her campaign promises. Bess, who’s Jewish, hopes to include volumes about the Holocaust; her great-grandmother was a survivor. Everything starts off well, until June’s mother becomes aware of the titles on offer and objects to the inclusion of those she considers “inappropriate, indecent, and offensive” and ones that are “divisive”—in other words, books representing diverse perspectives and identities. Bess, who’s supported by her family and the Book Warriors, a group of local librarians and educators, challenges the conservative Mrs. Myer and those who sympathize with her cause. Many other topics vie for space and aren’t fully developed, including explorations of friendship drama, antisemitism, hints of romance between Bess and June’s brother, Bess’ younger brother’s anxiety, and the Steins’ family dog. Bess is strong-willed, capable, and idealistic, but she isn’t always understanding of others’ weaknesses (for example, June’s struggles with her mother’s attitudes). June, for her part, never fully comes alive as a character. Swartz handles important topics in a convincing manner, but the empathetic storytelling unfortunately contains repetitious elements. Main characters are cued white.
An uneven treatment of a critical and timely subject. (author’s note) (Fiction. 10-12)Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9780593705605
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
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