Mark Goldblatt's (Africa Speaks; Sloth) insightful, often funny first novel for young people unspools as entries in 12-year-old Julian Twerski's (aka "Twerp") notebook for his English teacher, Mr. Selkirk. The journal serves as atonement for "the thing that happened over winter recess."
Julian's father says that when his friend Lonnie tells him to jump, Julian asks, "How high?" The adventures Julian relates confirm his father's assertion, but they also betray a reluctance on Julian's part to go along with his friend's wishes, and an empathy that Lonnie lacks. When Lonnie asks Julian to throw a stone into a group of pigeons, Julian worries that he'll hit one, which he does. Julian responds by nursing the injured bird. Julian also agrees to write a love letter on Lonnie's behalf to Lonnie's crush--even though he fears an outcome like that of Cyrano de Bergerac. In other subthemes, a new student, Eduardo, threatens Julian's status as the fastest kid at P.S. 23 in Queens, N.Y.
Goldblatt gives readers complete access to Julian's thoughts, his friends and the vacant lot they frequent, and builds suspense about the winter recess incident with Danley Dimmel. Although the events take place in 1969, the only real difference readers will detect between Julian's world and their own is the lack of technology and a reference to the Beatles. Julian's reflections will give readers food for thought: If his instincts are usually right, why does Julian make choices that go against them? Bravo! --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness