This is an important book in that it takes us inside the heads of
two young boys from different backgrounds who are struggling to take control
over their own lives.
Ravi ( pronounced ra -VEE) is a new
student from India who thinks his life in America will be similar to his life
back home where he was popular and applauded for his academic and athletic
prowess. Joe has auditory processing issues and needs support from a special
needs teacher to learn how to deal with being overwhelmed by noise. Ravi is
distressed when he has to leave the classroom with him. In spite of his
challenges, Joe is bright and compassionate. His biggest problem, aside from
being bullied by Dillon, is that his mother works as a lunch monitor at the
school. Ravi mistakes the
attention of Dillon as friendship, until he targets and humiliates him.
Fortunately Ravi and Joe figure out a way to outwit him.
I like that this
book shows how difficult it is to adjust to living in a different culture. It
was good to see how Ravi changed and grew and came to examine his own behaviour
as a bully back in India. Both of the boys' parents are really lovely. I
enjoyed the separate glossaries for the two boys at the end of the book. It
cements the reader's awareness of cultural diversity without privileging one
over the other. Josh Hurley & Vikas Adam's narration brings these two
characters to life.
And the food. I
was hungry all the time while listening to descriptions of it. I sure wish I
had a recipe for those cumin cookies. I'm going to have to make meatloaf for
supper one night this week.
What I didn't like
at all, was how Dillon managed to get away with such behaviour. I don't
understand how supervisors at lunch time could be so obtuse to what is
happening. I was appalled that any classroom teacher would let such bullying go
on in a classroom. I know we can't be aware of everything, but surely we aren't
this ignorant.
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