258 p. Arthur A. Levine Books/ Scholastic Inc., July 30, 2013. 9780545417303. (Finished copy provided by publisher for review.)
Author Eric Gansworth takes us back to 1976 in his YA debut. Lewis Blake isn't expecting much in seventh grade. He is bright so he was accelerated in sixth grade, which meant that none of his friends were in his classes and, as the only "Reservation Kid," none of the white kids were interested in being his friend. It didn't help that he,
"didn't grasp that the way we talk to one another on the reservation was definitely not the way kids talked in this largely white junior high. On the rez, you start getting teased a little bit right after you learn to talk, and either you learn to tease back or you get eaten alive." (p. 6/7)
After realizing that the nicknames he chose for two likely candidates for friendship, Spacey and Blimp Head, weren't endearing himself to them, he resigned himself to being "Invisible Boy."
"They pretended I wasn't there as much as they possibly could. During lunch, we were required to sit with our class at tow long tables. In every other section, the Indians gravitated to one another like atoms in some science experiment, but I sank to the bottom of my particular beaker, alone." (p. 7/8)
Still, after having his friend Carson hack off his two-foot long braid he had to face his mother who said, "You look like a Welfare Indian."
"I am a Welfare Indian," I said.
"You don't need to look the part," she said. (p. 10)
So his mother buzzes the rest of the mess off his head with clippers, "that made more noise than it should have, grabbed your hair like it was mad at you, and sometimes gave off a burning odor," leaving his eyebrows as the longest hair on his head.
On the first day of seventh grade, most of the students are the same, but there is one new boy, a rather large boy named George who seems interested in getting to know Lewis despite being warned that he was "More trouble."
George is a military brat. He grew up mostly in Germany where his dad was stationed and met his mother, then lived in Guam before moving to upstate New York. He is very interested in meeting "a real live Indian." So when Lewis sardonically replies, "As opposed to a dead one?" George soldiers on. The two discover that they share interests and George soon invites Lewis to his home.
Lewis is reluctant since that would mean a reciprocal invitation to his home, which is never going to happen. Still, he does accept a dinner invitation and meets George's parents, learns that George and his dad is a major Beatles/ Paul McCartney and Wings fan. Lewis and his uncle, Albert (Really? Was this intentional? Great stuff!) are as well. When Christmas rolls around and Lewis brings home the new Wings album, Venus and Mars, Uncle Albert warns,
"The red planet is like the rez here. That other planet, Venus, I guess, that's the planet your buddy comes from. Now he might lend you albums and you'll have pizza nicey-nice every now and then, but these planets are still different. And we ain't got no rez rocket that's ever gonna get you that other one, even though I know that's where you want to be." (p. 98)
If you haven't already guessed by the length of this post already and the quantity of direct quotes, I loved this book. I could quote on and on and on. It's one of my most favorite YA titles so far this year. Of course, it begs comparison to The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie, an all-time favorite book of mine. Yes, both books feature bright boys with promise who face the challenges of navigating a white world and the alienation that comes with it and both (writers and characters) use humor and sarcasm to cope. Both books reflect racism. Both made me laugh and broke my heart simultaneously.
This book deserves to stand on its own merit. It is a very different book but I can't quite explain how. Or, I could try but would just blather. It's really a book about friendship. Male friendship. Boy friendship. And boy emotions. There are a few authors who explore that territory and do it well. I'm thinking Matt de la Pena and Chris Crutcher and James Preller for the MG crowd.
George and Lewis are great characters. There isn't a lot of honesty or sharing between them, but they instinctively like each other. Their love of music is the glue that holds them together. Lewis' Indian best friend, Carson loves music as well and the two take guitar lessons from an older neighbor, but Carson lords his ability over Lewis.
His friendship with Carson is complicated. Carson makes fun of Lewis being in the brainiac class and questions his friendship with George, yet Carson can pass for white and is pursuing a friendship with the school bully, who is well-connected in the community and has set his sights on Lewis.
The secondary characters are richly developed as well. George's parents, Lewis' mom and Uncle Albert, all encircle the boys, loving them and doing the best they can by them. I loved Albert. He was wacky but he was wise. I also loved his mom and her fierceness. Oh how I ached for this family.
I enjoy picking up this book and opening it to a random page to read. Each time I do, it isn't long before I find a perfectly written passage. There isn't a wasted word and not a moment rings false. If I Ever Get Out of Here is definitely one for my reread pile. If there are plans to produce an audiobook, I'm in for an audio reread. For school librarians who find The Absolutely True Diary a bit edgy for their population, this one is more middle school friendly.
I hope the committees are paying attention to this one. I can't wait to booktalk when school resumes. It's going to be my "book aunt" gifts to my nephews come the holiday season. Do check this one out for yourself.
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