Review: John-Browne's Body & Sole : A semester of Life

John-Browne Ordway (Jack to most of the world) begins his eighth grade year on the wrong foot by accidentally whacking the class bully with a soccer ball. Thanks to the gym teacher, Dan Grady has to postpone his retribution until lunchtime, where it's witnessed by the whole school. Of course, anyone caught fighting faces suspension. Not a good start to the school year!

But things get better at school, as Jack tells us in his observations in a writing journal assignment from Ms. Fardel. As penance for the fight, he and Dan start aikido, a martial art, and Ms. Fardel gets them involved with empowerment plays -- skits that teach students how to react when faced with prejudice or bullying. Jack also loves music and his piano teacher has talked him into having a recital in November. Spare time? What spare time?

Jack has the type of family that everyone wants. His grandparents live next door and are very involved with their grandchildren. He can talk about anything with them, even death, God and the hereafter. His parents are terrific, and his little sister is rather observant for her age. It's the perfect family! But even perfect families can be hit by circumstances beyond their control.

This book affected me much like The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton, which is still one of my all-time YA books, but it's almost the opposite of The Outsiders at the same time. They communicate in much the same voice - but where Pony-Boy and his brothers and friends had to blunder on with no real role models, Jack and his friends have role models in abundance, if they just pay attention. With Jack's astute sense of other people, he can put himself in their shoes and see why they do things, even when he doesn't agree with them. I hope to read more about young John-Brown Ordway in the future.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Kat R - RAM - Seattle

Book Review: John-Browne's Body & Sole : A semester of Life