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The magical imperfect
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2021
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Publishers Weekly Review
It's autumn 1989 in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Giants have a chance at the World Series, and small earthquakes are occurring with increasing frequency. After his mother is admitted to a hospital ("The roads/ her thoughts take/ are too windy"), 12-year-old Etan, a budding artist, largely stops speaking. Since his father works construction all day, Etan spends afternoons with his Jewish grandfather, who immigrated from Prague in 1940; Etan watches him repair jewelry, listens to his musings on faith and the old days, and runs errands for the neighbors. One errand leads him to the home of Malia Agbayani, a solitary Filipina girl known cruelly among schoolchildren as "the creature" due to her acute eczema. Etan and Malia quickly bond; he admires her singing, she his artwork, and as their friendship deepens, they find solace and support--and, in the nearby forest, seek a magical cure for Malia's skin. Telling Etan's story in first-person verse, Baron (All of Me) creates a close-knit community of adults and authentic intergenerational relationships, but it is Etan's honest and lovable voice, and its growing strength, that carries this tender novel. An extensive author's note discusses the earthquake of October 1989 and the history of Angel Island. Ages 9--12. Agent: Rena Rossner, Deborah Harris Literary. (June)
Booklist Review
As Baron's novel opens, middle-school student Etan is literally speechless following his mother's recent mental health hospitalization. The grandson of Jewish émigrés who made their way from Prague to a new life in the U.S. through Angel Island, Etan is deeply connected with the families who settled his Oakland neighborhood, but they, like his family, are at a loss as to how to get him to talk. Then, one day, while delivering groceries, he meets Malia, aka "The Creature." Living with acute eczema, Malia, who is Filipina American, stopped attending school when the bullying became too much. She lurks behind her front door in her remote family home, concealing herself both in terms of her appearance and her talents. The two lonely outcasts form a friendship that gets them through worries, school, and family troubles--even surviving the 1989 World Series playoffs earthquake! Throughout this novel in verse, Baron uses every word to advantage, capturing the fears and joys of two young people, who are stronger than they realize. Though this is quick to read, readers will want to savor the magic in the words and the delight of the resolution. Highly recommended, this historical novel satisfyingly blends empathy, a range of diversity, and youthful possibility with serendipity's sparkle. Perfect for readers of Wonder (2012) and Erin Entrada Kelly's Hello, Universe (2017).
Summary

"Highly recommended... Perfect for readers of Wonder and Erin Entrada Kelly's Hello, Universe ."-- Booklist magazine , starred review

Etan has stopped speaking since his mother left. His father and grandfather don't know how to help him. His friends have given up on him.

When Etan is asked to deliver a grocery order to the outskirts of town, he realizes he's at the home of Malia Agbayani, also known as the Creature. Malia stopped going to school when her acute eczema spread to her face, and the bullying became too much.

As the two become friends, other kids tease Etan for knowing the Creature. But he believes he might have a cure for Malia's condition, if only he can convince his family and hers to believe it too. Even if it works, will these two outcasts find where they fit in?

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