Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Book review - Waylon! One Awesome Thing

Title: Waylon! One Awesome Thing
Author: Sara Pennypacker
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Melonhead by Katy Kelly
                     Alvin Ho series by Lenore Look
Rating:
a solid read

Summary(provided by publisher): Waylon has lots of ideas for making life more awesome through science, like teleportation, human gills, and attracting cupcakes by controlling gravity. But it's impossible for him to concentrate on his inventions when he's experiencing his own personal Big Bang.
Arlo Brody is dividing the fourth grade boys into two groups. Waylon would rather be friends with everyone. Well, everyone except the scary new kid, Baxter Boylen.
Waylon's older sister, Neon, is shooting away from the family. He wishes everything would go back to the way it was before she started wearing all black and saying "What's the point?" all the time.
Just when it looks as though Waylon's universe is exploding, something happens to bring it all together again, and it is, without a doubt, One Awesome Thing


My opinion: This new offering from Pennypacker has all the charm of Clementine with a different quirk factor. Clementine was bod, impulsive, and borderline reckless. Waylon is more thoughtful and cautious. He's ruled by logic, science, and the wonders of the natural world. Now, Clementine's voice was instantly distinctive. Waylon's voice, on the other hand, is still developing. Of course, Waylon is older than Clementine was at her introduction so the more restrained voice may be a part of that. He's also dealing with different issues, concerns of bullies and fitting in with his peers, understanding the changes in his older sister. The plot is familiar but charming. A solid, gentle read for upper elementary.

Advanced Reader copy provided by NetGalley.

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