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Squint
Flint is furiously trying to finish the illustrations on his first comic book before he loses his eyesight due to his damaged cornea. His superhero character is called Squint after the nickname his classmates derisively give him for his poor vision.
My name is Flint, but everyone in middle school calls me Squint because I'm losing my vision. I used to play football, but not anymore. I haven’t had a friend in a long time. Thankfully, real friends can see the real you, even when you can’t clearly see.
Flint loves to draw. In fact, he’s furiously trying to finish his comic book so he can be the youngest winner of the “Find a Comic Star” contest. He’s also rushing to finish because he has keratoconus—an eye disease that could eventually make him blind.
McKell is the new girl at school and immediately hangs with the popular kids. Except McKell’s not a fan of the way her friends treat this boy named Squint. He seems nice and really talented. He draws pictures of superheroes. McKell wants to get to know him, but is it worth the risk? What if her friends catch her hanging with the kid who squints all the time?
McKell has a hidden talent of her own but doesn’t share it for fear of being judged. Her terminally ill brother, Danny, challenges McKell to share her love of poetry and songwriting. Flint seems like someone she could trust. Someone who would never laugh at her. Someone who is as good and brave as the superhero in Flint’s comic book named Squint.
My name is Flint, but everyone in middle school calls me Squint because I'm losing my vision. I used to play football, but not anymore. I haven’t had a friend in a long time. Thankfully, real friends can see the real you, even when you can’t clearly see.
Flint loves to draw. In fact, he’s furiously trying to finish his comic book so he can be the youngest winner of the “Find a Comic Star” contest. He’s also rushing to finish because he has keratoconus—an eye disease that could eventually make him blind.
McKell is the new girl at school and immediately hangs with the popular kids. Except McKell’s not a fan of the way her friends treat this boy named Squint. He seems nice and really talented. He draws pictures of superheroes. McKell wants to get to know him, but is it worth the risk? What if her friends catch her hanging with the kid who squints all the time?
McKell has a hidden talent of her own but doesn’t share it for fear of being judged. Her terminally ill brother, Danny, challenges McKell to share her love of poetry and songwriting. Flint seems like someone she could trust. Someone who would never laugh at her. Someone who is as good and brave as the superhero in Flint’s comic book named Squint.
176 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 2, 2018
159 people are currently reading
2787 people want to read
About the author
Chad Morris
11 books284 followersChad Morris coauthored The Wild Journey of Juniper Berry, Virtually Me, Mustaches for Maddie, Squint, and Willa and the Whale, with his wife, Shelly Brown. He is also the author of the Cragbridge Hall series (The Inventor's Secret, The Avatar Battle, and The Impossible Race). He has won the Utah Book Award, the Buckeye Award, and the Nebraska Book Award, and the Silver Foreword INDIES award for Juvenile fiction. Chad also wrote one of the short stories in True Heroes: A Treasury of Modern-day Fairy Tales Written by Best-selling Authors. His story was based on JP Gibson, an amazing boy who faced cancer with courage, heart, and a basketball dream.
Chad grew up wanting to become a professional basketball player or a rock star. (Inspired by Animal from The Muppets, he has been banging on drums since he was eight years old.) Neither of those plans quite panned out. After high school, he left the Rocky Mountains to live in Brazil for a few years then returned home to write and perform sketch comedy while going to college. He graduated from BYU with a couple of degrees and became a teacher and a curriculum writer.
Chad grew up wanting to become a professional basketball player or a rock star. (Inspired by Animal from The Muppets, he has been banging on drums since he was eight years old.) Neither of those plans quite panned out. After high school, he left the Rocky Mountains to live in Brazil for a few years then returned home to write and perform sketch comedy while going to college. He graduated from BYU with a couple of degrees and became a teacher and a curriculum writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 376 reviews
June 12, 2019
Five stars. But I cowrote it, so I'd better like it.
April 18, 2023
"My name is Flint, but everyone in middle school calls me 'Squint' because I'm losing my vision. I used to play football, but not anymore. I haven't had a friend in a long time. Thankfully, real friends can see the real you even when you can't clearly see." -- from the book's rear cover blurb
A middle school-aged/themed novel that was ultimately just a little too middle-of-the-road for my tastes, Squint features the title appealing character Flint 'Squint' Minett, a thirteen year-old in the suburban Midwest who dreams of success as a comic book writer/illustrator. Unfortunately, our fair Squint is hampered by vision problems (hence his rather charmless nickname, courtesy of a frenemy), has an absentee mother although his hardworking maternal grandparents are doing their best to raise him right, and seems to be friendless in life. The wheels of change start to rotate once Squint makes an unexpected connection with his uniquely-named classmate McKell Panganiban, a talented amateur singer/songwriter who is mourning the illness-related death of her slightly older brother AND also suffers from severe stage fright. For those that feel and/or felt detached or alienated in the middle school / junior high years (what I personally remember as a sort of hell on Earth . . . just sayin') the blossoming friendship of Squint and McKell was easily the best and most reassuring part of this story. However, the frequent distracting shifts into Squint's comic book narrative - which got long-winded as the book progressed - and a somewhat unexciting but still hopeful ending marred some of my enjoyment of it. Still, a book where a few adolescents eventually grasp that valuable Atticus Finch lesson ("To get along a lot better with all kinds of folks . . . consider things from [their] point of view") and make some positive changes in their attitudes is not a completely bad thing.
A middle school-aged/themed novel that was ultimately just a little too middle-of-the-road for my tastes, Squint features the title appealing character Flint 'Squint' Minett, a thirteen year-old in the suburban Midwest who dreams of success as a comic book writer/illustrator. Unfortunately, our fair Squint is hampered by vision problems (hence his rather charmless nickname, courtesy of a frenemy), has an absentee mother although his hardworking maternal grandparents are doing their best to raise him right, and seems to be friendless in life. The wheels of change start to rotate once Squint makes an unexpected connection with his uniquely-named classmate McKell Panganiban, a talented amateur singer/songwriter who is mourning the illness-related death of her slightly older brother AND also suffers from severe stage fright. For those that feel and/or felt detached or alienated in the middle school / junior high years (what I personally remember as a sort of hell on Earth . . . just sayin') the blossoming friendship of Squint and McKell was easily the best and most reassuring part of this story. However, the frequent distracting shifts into Squint's comic book narrative - which got long-winded as the book progressed - and a somewhat unexciting but still hopeful ending marred some of my enjoyment of it. Still, a book where a few adolescents eventually grasp that valuable Atticus Finch lesson ("To get along a lot better with all kinds of folks . . . consider things from [their] point of view") and make some positive changes in their attitudes is not a completely bad thing.
August 16, 2018
This book has made it to the list of must-reads I'm creating for my possible future kids.
Full review to come
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for providing me a free copy in exchange of an honest review.
Full review to come
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for providing me a free copy in exchange of an honest review.
May 26, 2020
Reallly good book. Liked it a lot. And I’m talking about the book not the audio version which is specifically horrible. The main reason why I took so long to finish it.
The plot was what kept me going and wanted to finish throughout. I would certainly be reading more books of this author!
(5/5)!
The plot was what kept me going and wanted to finish throughout. I would certainly be reading more books of this author!
(5/5)!
May 28, 2018
I do not often give a book five stars, but I did for "Squint". First impressions: the cover is current, eye catching, and reflective of the story. I am a children's librarian, and I have noticed that middle school kids do not want to pick up books if they don't think the cover is cool enough, as in, "I don't want people to see me reading that book" if the cover is not up their standards. No worries with this cover, so we were off to a great start from the beginning.
Second impressions: The story was engaging throughout with characters that were realistic and believable. Reading different selections of the text reminded me of emotions and moments of being in middle school, but the book did not center around the awkwardness, bad memories, and moments where I wish I had acted differently. Instead, the text reminded me of the choices I made in middle school that I was proud of, like practicing my violin concertos, sitting with the kid at lunch that was alone, and doing my chores. I liked that this book encouraged the reader subtly to be their best self. That was told through the themes of forgiveness, quite courage, compassion, and doing hard things that ran through the story, with almost every character.
I also loved the gentle life lessons that the grandparents share with Squint, and the reader, throughout. They are excellent role models, and true heroes. The scene where Squint wants to quite writing comics, yet his grandfather encourages him to be proud of his drawings because they represent hard work was a gentle, but important moment. I also loved how Squint and McKell showed the reader how to be a good friend in middle school by caring about each other. Very few middle school books do that, in my opinion.
I will be purchasing this book for my library, and promoting it in next year's booktalks when I visit classrooms with my "Box of Books" and give kids a little commercial about all the books I have in the box which I then check out their teacher for the kids to read in their classroom when I leave. I will be recommending this book to fourth-8th graders. Thank you, Chad Morris and Shelly Brown, for this story.
Second impressions: The story was engaging throughout with characters that were realistic and believable. Reading different selections of the text reminded me of emotions and moments of being in middle school, but the book did not center around the awkwardness, bad memories, and moments where I wish I had acted differently. Instead, the text reminded me of the choices I made in middle school that I was proud of, like practicing my violin concertos, sitting with the kid at lunch that was alone, and doing my chores. I liked that this book encouraged the reader subtly to be their best self. That was told through the themes of forgiveness, quite courage, compassion, and doing hard things that ran through the story, with almost every character.
I also loved the gentle life lessons that the grandparents share with Squint, and the reader, throughout. They are excellent role models, and true heroes. The scene where Squint wants to quite writing comics, yet his grandfather encourages him to be proud of his drawings because they represent hard work was a gentle, but important moment. I also loved how Squint and McKell showed the reader how to be a good friend in middle school by caring about each other. Very few middle school books do that, in my opinion.
I will be purchasing this book for my library, and promoting it in next year's booktalks when I visit classrooms with my "Box of Books" and give kids a little commercial about all the books I have in the box which I then check out their teacher for the kids to read in their classroom when I leave. I will be recommending this book to fourth-8th graders. Thank you, Chad Morris and Shelly Brown, for this story.
October 11, 2018
This was a very inspiring read!
Thank you Shadow Mountain Publishing for the advance copy
This book goes up on my possible-to-read list for my kids in the future. They need such a story to ground them. I’m a big fan of middle grade and I found this book to be exceptionally intriguing, easy to read, simple to understand and very much relatable.
From the very first words I was hooked to the story. I loved how the characters were immediately believable and realistic. Flint‘s character – as young as he is – was incredibly truthful and honest. A 13 years old kid these days face the horrors of middle school and I love how it was portrayed within the story.
Bullying isn’t something you should stand back from or shy away from facing, yet a lot of kids face it every single day, for things they have no power over – like Flint‘s illness. It’s horrible and crippling and if someone thinks that it gets forgotten, big surprise, it doesn’t. A bullied kid will remember every single day for the rest of his/her life.
Parents, read this book, teach your kids to be kind and merciful, to be loving and friendly. Teach them to accept each other, to not call one another names, to look in the mirror and be proud of who they are and be an example for them to be proud of you.
....
Full Review
Thank you Shadow Mountain Publishing for the advance copy
This book goes up on my possible-to-read list for my kids in the future. They need such a story to ground them. I’m a big fan of middle grade and I found this book to be exceptionally intriguing, easy to read, simple to understand and very much relatable.
From the very first words I was hooked to the story. I loved how the characters were immediately believable and realistic. Flint‘s character – as young as he is – was incredibly truthful and honest. A 13 years old kid these days face the horrors of middle school and I love how it was portrayed within the story.
Bullying isn’t something you should stand back from or shy away from facing, yet a lot of kids face it every single day, for things they have no power over – like Flint‘s illness. It’s horrible and crippling and if someone thinks that it gets forgotten, big surprise, it doesn’t. A bullied kid will remember every single day for the rest of his/her life.
Parents, read this book, teach your kids to be kind and merciful, to be loving and friendly. Teach them to accept each other, to not call one another names, to look in the mirror and be proud of who they are and be an example for them to be proud of you.
....
Full Review
January 20, 2020
An amazing followup for the duo who brought us "Mustaches For Maddie." I thought this book was outstanding. The combination of Flint's story with his comic was a very effective way to communicate his dreams and disappointments. Loved, loved, loved his dog sidekick made from Rocks. What Squint, the superhero, and Flint both discover is that no one person is all bad or all good. With understanding and empathy, people can find common ground and encourage each other. Flint's grandparents were well-developed by the authors as were Flint's classmates -- especially McKell. The audio version was great, but I wonder if the print version gives us a look at some of Flint's drawings?
January 16, 2019
It took me way too long to read this book! It was amazing.
Flint suffers from a rare eye disease and is losing his eyesight. He recedes inside himself and spends his time making a comic book about a hero named Squint, which is his nickname. The character roughly follows his own journey about dealing with disappointment, the loss of friends, and making friends. He spends every moment working on his comic that he knows will win him a prize and help him become a popular person at school.
While Flint is having his vicarious life through his comic he meets a new friend. She is completing some challenges that her brother gives to his YouTube subscribers. Her brother is also a special young man dealing with a rare disease.
I loved that this book dealt with characters who have challenges. It really is a book about coming to accept others who are considered different. Flint learns some hard lessons when he thinks his friends abandoned him when he finds out they have a different point of view. The story deals with bullying and the rallying of the human spirit.
I highly recommend this book to the middle-grade reader. This story is for anyone of any age. I got caught up in the characters and the message of the book.
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Flint suffers from a rare eye disease and is losing his eyesight. He recedes inside himself and spends his time making a comic book about a hero named Squint, which is his nickname. The character roughly follows his own journey about dealing with disappointment, the loss of friends, and making friends. He spends every moment working on his comic that he knows will win him a prize and help him become a popular person at school.
While Flint is having his vicarious life through his comic he meets a new friend. She is completing some challenges that her brother gives to his YouTube subscribers. Her brother is also a special young man dealing with a rare disease.
I loved that this book dealt with characters who have challenges. It really is a book about coming to accept others who are considered different. Flint learns some hard lessons when he thinks his friends abandoned him when he finds out they have a different point of view. The story deals with bullying and the rallying of the human spirit.
I highly recommend this book to the middle-grade reader. This story is for anyone of any age. I got caught up in the characters and the message of the book.
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
October 15, 2018
Squint is another hit for this talented husband and wife author duo. I loved it! These authors really know how to tug at your heart strings, all while having you think, laugh, and smile at the same time. I loved how this book wasn't just Flint's story, but McKell's, Danny's, Grandma's, Grandpa's journey too. I appreciated and loved the lessons learned along the way. A great one was when Flint realized things about himself that he needed to change. No doubt he had been through some hard things with his keratoconus. He wasn't perfect either and tried his best to make changes and be brave himself, all while helping McKell with her challenges. McKell was a doll and Danny was a fun character too. His role was small, but he had a big impact on everyone. I absolutely loved Grandpa's football analogies. He was a hoot!
July 7, 2018
I often struggle to enjoy novels with under age characters that have the characters partaking in the most adult of activities because it makes me uncomfortable so I was a little apprehensive about this middle school character. But I am so so pleased I gave Flint a chance because I loved this book so much! I love how flawed Flint was and his constant narrative about his visual impairments impact. I loved the overall message of this book and the plot twist towards the end, I was crying for sure.
Flint really reminded me of my teenage self: a little in his own world, a little selfish, and a whole lot in need of some good friends.
Flint really reminded me of my teenage self: a little in his own world, a little selfish, and a whole lot in need of some good friends.
November 28, 2018
This is another book in the middle grade "Wonder" genre. I think it may be better than Wonder, because it feels more realistic. One of my beefs with Wonder is that a happy ending isn't realistic. I also don't like the idea that Auggie is all good because he suffers from a facial deformity, and that Julian is all bad because he bullies Auggie. No one is completely good or completely bad. Squint does a good job of pointing that out.
Squint tells a comic book story alongside the main story, and I really wish that the comic book portion of this had been illustrated instead of written out.
I learned about a new medical condition, keratocornus, so that's fun.
I liked how the authors showed how dwelling on our own struggles can make us oblivious to what everyone around us is dealing with.
"...I saw that a person could be different, look different, have struggles, make mistakes, and still have so much to offer."
Squint tells a comic book story alongside the main story, and I really wish that the comic book portion of this had been illustrated instead of written out.
I learned about a new medical condition, keratocornus, so that's fun.
I liked how the authors showed how dwelling on our own struggles can make us oblivious to what everyone around us is dealing with.
"...I saw that a person could be different, look different, have struggles, make mistakes, and still have so much to offer."
September 16, 2019
Wow. I’m surprised I’ve not heard more about this book. 13-year-old Flint has been nicknamed “Squint” due to a degenerative eye disease that keeps him from seeing clearly. He’s an artist who loves drawing and is feverishly working to finish his comic book for an upcoming competition. Accustomed to being rejected by the popular crow, Flint is surprised when a new girl named McKell strikes up a conversation and asks for Flint’s help with a project. Can he trust her not to abandon the friendship once she has what she needs? Awww. I just loved Flint’s (AKA “Squint”) voice, the things he learned, and the relationships he developed. Such a touching story including accepting challenges, facing terminal illness, and dealing with painful loss. It’s also worth noting this was co-written by husband/wife team — and they’ve written other novels together (including Mustaches for Maddie, which is now going on my TBR list as it’s based on their own real -life daughter’s experience with a brain tumor).
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
July 21, 2018
This book was delightful and had all the feels. It made me laugh and cry and smile the whole way through. The voice was spot on. The characters were adorable! I've never been a hormonal middle school boy, but being in Flint's head through this book, I imagine that's exactly how they are, it was fantastic.
Having Flint recite rules for middle school and rules for comic books, was an ingenious plot point. Not only were they entertaining, but they set the stage for us to see that sometimes, rules are made to be broken.
I loved the story with-in a story. Using Flint's comic book to mirror his hopes and his heartache was awesome. I especially appreciate though that the real story was real. They didn't give him a super hero ending, they taught that sometimes life doesn't go like you plan, and sometimes we're just as much as fault as the bad guy, but "At times, it is our weaknesses that can make us better, let our light out."
I loved this book!
Having Flint recite rules for middle school and rules for comic books, was an ingenious plot point. Not only were they entertaining, but they set the stage for us to see that sometimes, rules are made to be broken.
I loved the story with-in a story. Using Flint's comic book to mirror his hopes and his heartache was awesome. I especially appreciate though that the real story was real. They didn't give him a super hero ending, they taught that sometimes life doesn't go like you plan, and sometimes we're just as much as fault as the bad guy, but "At times, it is our weaknesses that can make us better, let our light out."
I loved this book!
November 13, 2020
Really loved this book. I loved every character from Squint all the way to The Hulk and McKell’s hipster dad. I wanted to be at McKell’s house to watch The Princess Bride, and I wanted to sit around the table at Squint’s house with his grandparents and listen to his Grandpa tell football stories. Such endearing characters! I am so excited to share with my students about each characters’ paths to finding friendship, courage, strength, and empathy. They will love this Wonder read-alike. Chad and Shelly, after reading Mustaches for Maddie and now Squint, I feel like I know you guys! Well enough to refer to you so casually as “Chad and Shelly.” Ha!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2020
This is a nice story about middle schoolers and some of their challenges. It's about looking for the person that's lonely, being a friend, believing in someone, spreading joy and love, seeing clearly, being kind, continuing through trials, learning and growing, and exploring new hobbies. The story moved a little bit slowly, but taught a number of sweet and important lessons. Here are some favorite quotes:
"I had everything he said memorized so I didn't actually have to read the dialogue boxes. That was good. Less stress on my eyes and fewer headaches (p. 3)."
"COMIC RULE: Give your main character an interesting backstory. If possible, have it include the villains. It heightens the tension (p. 8)."
"Squint wasn't just the name of the main character in my comic. It was also my nickname, because I squint a lot. Stupid eyes (p. 10)."
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: A pretty girl is one of the most powerful forces in the world. (Every joke is funnier if a pretty girl says it or if a pretty girl laughs at it. Everything she says feels truer. And some people believe pretty girls really have power over time and can make it move in slow motion when they look at your and smile.) (p. 13)"
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: Everyone is always trying to look better than everyone else. I hated that rule (p. 14)."
"My chest felt hollow and I wanted them all to go away so I could scrape my dignity off of the floor and get myself ready for what was already looking like it was going to be a horribly long day at school (p. 15)."
"In comics, I could always think of the perfect thing to say. And if I didn't, I could come back and change it as many times as I wanted to until I liked it. I wished I could do that in real life. I wished I could be clever when Gavin and his friends showed up (p. 18)."
"I wasn't expecting that. No one ever asked about my eyes. I don't know if they thought it was too personal or they didn't care. But they never asked. Wait. Was this a trap? How could this turn against me (p. 21)?"
"Why was a popular girl asking questions about me? That went against all sorts of middle-school rules (p. 22)."
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: What the quiet kid who draws in the corner says never really matters (p. 24)."
"I wasn't cut out to talk to people (p. 25)."
"I had made her laugh and smile. There had to be some Middle-School Rule about that. I wasn't sure what the rule was, but I kind of liked it (p. 28)."
"Keratoconus really isn't the kind of problem that can be fixed with glasses. But they're better than nothing (p. 32)."
"'You need a super girl. Someone funny and pretty and her power could be that she can become completely protected, like covered in steel. She's invincible (p. 42).'"
"NEW COMIC-BOOK RULE: It's wise to put a girl in your comic to widen your audience (p. 43)."
"It wasn't a joke. She was coming over to eat with me because... well, I didn't know. But it wasn't to make fun of me. At least I didn't think so. I couldn't figure out the rules with McKell. Maybe in some ways she broke them (p. 46)."
"Ignore whatever I said about bushes not being cool. This place was amazing. Like a little piece of imagination come to life. A great hideout. It belonged in a movie (p. 56)."
"Did she just say 'friend'? (p. 58)"
"'Your challenge this week is to go outside on an adventure. Explore a swamp. Climb a mountain, canoe across a lake... do something outside. Go somewhere I would want to go... Take a friend. Meet a new friend. Take someone with you (p. 65).'"
"He challenged people to read a book, to listen to a whole album of music they had never listened to before, to be nicer to their moms, to go a whole week without desserts--all sorts of things. There was a decent amount of variety to his challenges (p. 66)."
"'I looked for someone who looked lonely and I went and sat with them. And that turned out to be one of the best things I've ever done. It put me on a path to make some great friends... Your turn. Find someone at school, or work, or wherever. Maybe they look lonely. Maybe they don't have friends. Introduce yourself. Sit with them. Get to know them (p. 68).'"
"Maybe I wasn't a friend. Maybe I was just a challenge (p. 68)."
"My cornea...had torn... Now I had to keep it covered and put eye drops in every few hours until I could have some terrifying surgery to fix it. I tried not to think about it (p. 73)."
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: If there is an easy joke, someone will take it. (And a boy wearing an eye patch under his glasses is definitely an easy joke.) (p. 74)"
"COMIC RULE: Even during the most intense battle ever, comic-book characters take the time to have a conversation (p. 77)."
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: If something terribly embarrassing can possibly happen, it will (p. 80)."
"It's called a keratoplasty. That's the technical name for it, anyway. And I was really glad Grandma hadn't watched any of them with me (p. 88)."
"'By the way you're looking around, I think it's improved quite a bit. We don't always know right away (p. 96).'"
"'This is a downright bless-the-heavens miracle (p. 97).'"
"COMIC RULE: Actually know how to draw (p. 104)."
"'If you are moping around, I'm going to come back from the dead to haunt you (p. 117).'"
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: People act differently when they don't think everyone is watching them (p. 131)."
"'Maybe I wouldn't be a student body officer, or the biggest dater, or maybe I wouldn't even make friends with everyone, but I could make videos on my time, when I felt up to it. And if people wanted to watch, they could... And look at you... amazing people. You came and watched me (p. 136).'"
"'Go out for the play... Write that story, ask out that girl, start your own YouTube channel, make those brownies... Whatever it is... take the plunge. Do it (p. 137).'"
"'Have you written your letter yet?... To the family of the person who gave you your eye... Remember (p. 143)?'"
"I had looked at this street a million times, but this time I saw it with different eyes (p. 163)."
"'This looks fantastic. The colors are fun, the characters are interesting, and I love where this story is going. You could make people pay to read this kind of stuff... the best part is this Diamond girl. Whoever came up with her was brilliant (p. 169).'"
"Definitely something I wouldn't have noticed before I got my new eye (p. 171)."
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: Every kid thinks their parents are embarrassing. (But mine really are.) (p. 173)"
"A mom who couldn't be a mom was something I knew too well. Probably a lot more than McKell (p. 173)."
"Please like it. Please like it. Please like it. I really didn't want to have to fake anything. I wasn't very good at faking (p. 174)."
"'I'm sorry that you miss him so much (p. 176).'"
"Part of me wanted to cry too. Not only had the worst thing happened, but I closed one eye and then the other before admitting to myself that there was a problem with my new eye (p. 186)."
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: If anything can go totally, completely, epically wrong, it will (p. 193)."
"'It looks like corneal rejection.' 'That sounds bad (p. 194).'"
"'Your grandmother hasn't eaten lunch in months... Just yesterday I found out that she's got a second job... She does all of that for you... To save money. For that eye of yours... She's been sacrificing. She's been working... We still don't know who we're going to pay for the rest of your surgery... She loves you... I do too... We know we can't give you what others give their kids. But we do love you (p. 199).'"
"I hadn't even seen it. I ate every day. Never really suffered. All the while my grandma was skipping lunch to try to save money for me. For my new eye. My own grandma. And I treated her like a side character... What else wasn't I seeing (p. 203)?"
"They believed in me more than I believed in myself (p. 205)."
"Maybe everyone needed someone who believed in them more than they did (p. 205)."
"COMIC RULE: Endings have to be epic (p. 210)."
"'All I know is that I have a friend for the first time in a very long time... And I'm pretty sure that's your fault (p. 216).'"
"'My eye might be going, but I'd really love to see you do this (p. 217).'"
"He really couldn't see how mean he was. Was I the same? Was I bling to ways I was mean? I was going to have to think about that (p. 224)."
"'Sometimes I fall, mess up it all, feel broken, unspoken, how I'm dying inside, say I'm fine, but I'm lyin', so scared, and unprepared. Can't be me, they'll all see, that I'm just not... Invincible.'... I looked around. Everyone in the auditorium sat quietly watching. I don't think they expected the song to be this good. The video to be this good (p. 227)."
"'Maybe it's time, draw a line, redefine what it means, invincible. After you stumble, or crumble and fall, you stand tall, that's invincible. Try and try, and not hide it inside, so invincible. Show who you are, your beauty, your scars, that's invincible (p. 228).'"
"GRANDMA AND GRANDPA RULE: If you're lucky enough to have a grandpa and grandma you should probably love them. And probably do your chores every now and again. Not all the time. You don't want to be perfect. And maybe you could make them lunch. They might deserve it (p. 231)."
"Forty days after his death. The day that Danny's spirit went to heaven. It was a tradition from her father's Filipino side of the family (p. 233)."
"'Danny Panganiban... I know you don't really know me. I'm Flint but you can call me Squint if you want... I wanted to tell you thanks. Because of you and your challenges, I met your sister. You'd be proud of her. Because of you she is braver... and happier. And I have a friend. And I really needed... And because of your YouTube channel I saw that a person could be different, look different, have struggles, make mistakes, and still have so much to offer... I want to be like you... Even though I don't have your eye, in a lot of ways you still helped me to see... Really see (p. 233).'"
"'Hit me with your best challenge for spreading kindness. A challenge that promotes gratitude. A challenge that creates joy for life. A challenge that helps people relate to people. They don't have to be complicated... Share a little piece of yourself... and let us get to know and love you... That's what we're doing, spreading love (p. 237).'"
"''These Centurions... are not your true enemies (p. 240).''"
"'Sorry you didn't win, Flint. But this has to be the best work I've seen from someone so young. You keep it up and you'll be working with people like me in no time (p. 246).'"
"'Hey, Mom. I'm okay. And I still love comics. My favorites are The Avengers (p. 247).'"
"Keep up the compassion in action (p. 249)!"
"I had everything he said memorized so I didn't actually have to read the dialogue boxes. That was good. Less stress on my eyes and fewer headaches (p. 3)."
"COMIC RULE: Give your main character an interesting backstory. If possible, have it include the villains. It heightens the tension (p. 8)."
"Squint wasn't just the name of the main character in my comic. It was also my nickname, because I squint a lot. Stupid eyes (p. 10)."
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: A pretty girl is one of the most powerful forces in the world. (Every joke is funnier if a pretty girl says it or if a pretty girl laughs at it. Everything she says feels truer. And some people believe pretty girls really have power over time and can make it move in slow motion when they look at your and smile.) (p. 13)"
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: Everyone is always trying to look better than everyone else. I hated that rule (p. 14)."
"My chest felt hollow and I wanted them all to go away so I could scrape my dignity off of the floor and get myself ready for what was already looking like it was going to be a horribly long day at school (p. 15)."
"In comics, I could always think of the perfect thing to say. And if I didn't, I could come back and change it as many times as I wanted to until I liked it. I wished I could do that in real life. I wished I could be clever when Gavin and his friends showed up (p. 18)."
"I wasn't expecting that. No one ever asked about my eyes. I don't know if they thought it was too personal or they didn't care. But they never asked. Wait. Was this a trap? How could this turn against me (p. 21)?"
"Why was a popular girl asking questions about me? That went against all sorts of middle-school rules (p. 22)."
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: What the quiet kid who draws in the corner says never really matters (p. 24)."
"I wasn't cut out to talk to people (p. 25)."
"I had made her laugh and smile. There had to be some Middle-School Rule about that. I wasn't sure what the rule was, but I kind of liked it (p. 28)."
"Keratoconus really isn't the kind of problem that can be fixed with glasses. But they're better than nothing (p. 32)."
"'You need a super girl. Someone funny and pretty and her power could be that she can become completely protected, like covered in steel. She's invincible (p. 42).'"
"NEW COMIC-BOOK RULE: It's wise to put a girl in your comic to widen your audience (p. 43)."
"It wasn't a joke. She was coming over to eat with me because... well, I didn't know. But it wasn't to make fun of me. At least I didn't think so. I couldn't figure out the rules with McKell. Maybe in some ways she broke them (p. 46)."
"Ignore whatever I said about bushes not being cool. This place was amazing. Like a little piece of imagination come to life. A great hideout. It belonged in a movie (p. 56)."
"Did she just say 'friend'? (p. 58)"
"'Your challenge this week is to go outside on an adventure. Explore a swamp. Climb a mountain, canoe across a lake... do something outside. Go somewhere I would want to go... Take a friend. Meet a new friend. Take someone with you (p. 65).'"
"He challenged people to read a book, to listen to a whole album of music they had never listened to before, to be nicer to their moms, to go a whole week without desserts--all sorts of things. There was a decent amount of variety to his challenges (p. 66)."
"'I looked for someone who looked lonely and I went and sat with them. And that turned out to be one of the best things I've ever done. It put me on a path to make some great friends... Your turn. Find someone at school, or work, or wherever. Maybe they look lonely. Maybe they don't have friends. Introduce yourself. Sit with them. Get to know them (p. 68).'"
"Maybe I wasn't a friend. Maybe I was just a challenge (p. 68)."
"My cornea...had torn... Now I had to keep it covered and put eye drops in every few hours until I could have some terrifying surgery to fix it. I tried not to think about it (p. 73)."
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: If there is an easy joke, someone will take it. (And a boy wearing an eye patch under his glasses is definitely an easy joke.) (p. 74)"
"COMIC RULE: Even during the most intense battle ever, comic-book characters take the time to have a conversation (p. 77)."
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: If something terribly embarrassing can possibly happen, it will (p. 80)."
"It's called a keratoplasty. That's the technical name for it, anyway. And I was really glad Grandma hadn't watched any of them with me (p. 88)."
"'By the way you're looking around, I think it's improved quite a bit. We don't always know right away (p. 96).'"
"'This is a downright bless-the-heavens miracle (p. 97).'"
"COMIC RULE: Actually know how to draw (p. 104)."
"'If you are moping around, I'm going to come back from the dead to haunt you (p. 117).'"
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: People act differently when they don't think everyone is watching them (p. 131)."
"'Maybe I wouldn't be a student body officer, or the biggest dater, or maybe I wouldn't even make friends with everyone, but I could make videos on my time, when I felt up to it. And if people wanted to watch, they could... And look at you... amazing people. You came and watched me (p. 136).'"
"'Go out for the play... Write that story, ask out that girl, start your own YouTube channel, make those brownies... Whatever it is... take the plunge. Do it (p. 137).'"
"'Have you written your letter yet?... To the family of the person who gave you your eye... Remember (p. 143)?'"
"I had looked at this street a million times, but this time I saw it with different eyes (p. 163)."
"'This looks fantastic. The colors are fun, the characters are interesting, and I love where this story is going. You could make people pay to read this kind of stuff... the best part is this Diamond girl. Whoever came up with her was brilliant (p. 169).'"
"Definitely something I wouldn't have noticed before I got my new eye (p. 171)."
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: Every kid thinks their parents are embarrassing. (But mine really are.) (p. 173)"
"A mom who couldn't be a mom was something I knew too well. Probably a lot more than McKell (p. 173)."
"Please like it. Please like it. Please like it. I really didn't want to have to fake anything. I wasn't very good at faking (p. 174)."
"'I'm sorry that you miss him so much (p. 176).'"
"Part of me wanted to cry too. Not only had the worst thing happened, but I closed one eye and then the other before admitting to myself that there was a problem with my new eye (p. 186)."
"MIDDLE-SCHOOL RULE: If anything can go totally, completely, epically wrong, it will (p. 193)."
"'It looks like corneal rejection.' 'That sounds bad (p. 194).'"
"'Your grandmother hasn't eaten lunch in months... Just yesterday I found out that she's got a second job... She does all of that for you... To save money. For that eye of yours... She's been sacrificing. She's been working... We still don't know who we're going to pay for the rest of your surgery... She loves you... I do too... We know we can't give you what others give their kids. But we do love you (p. 199).'"
"I hadn't even seen it. I ate every day. Never really suffered. All the while my grandma was skipping lunch to try to save money for me. For my new eye. My own grandma. And I treated her like a side character... What else wasn't I seeing (p. 203)?"
"They believed in me more than I believed in myself (p. 205)."
"Maybe everyone needed someone who believed in them more than they did (p. 205)."
"COMIC RULE: Endings have to be epic (p. 210)."
"'All I know is that I have a friend for the first time in a very long time... And I'm pretty sure that's your fault (p. 216).'"
"'My eye might be going, but I'd really love to see you do this (p. 217).'"
"He really couldn't see how mean he was. Was I the same? Was I bling to ways I was mean? I was going to have to think about that (p. 224)."
"'Sometimes I fall, mess up it all, feel broken, unspoken, how I'm dying inside, say I'm fine, but I'm lyin', so scared, and unprepared. Can't be me, they'll all see, that I'm just not... Invincible.'... I looked around. Everyone in the auditorium sat quietly watching. I don't think they expected the song to be this good. The video to be this good (p. 227)."
"'Maybe it's time, draw a line, redefine what it means, invincible. After you stumble, or crumble and fall, you stand tall, that's invincible. Try and try, and not hide it inside, so invincible. Show who you are, your beauty, your scars, that's invincible (p. 228).'"
"GRANDMA AND GRANDPA RULE: If you're lucky enough to have a grandpa and grandma you should probably love them. And probably do your chores every now and again. Not all the time. You don't want to be perfect. And maybe you could make them lunch. They might deserve it (p. 231)."
"Forty days after his death. The day that Danny's spirit went to heaven. It was a tradition from her father's Filipino side of the family (p. 233)."
"'Danny Panganiban... I know you don't really know me. I'm Flint but you can call me Squint if you want... I wanted to tell you thanks. Because of you and your challenges, I met your sister. You'd be proud of her. Because of you she is braver... and happier. And I have a friend. And I really needed... And because of your YouTube channel I saw that a person could be different, look different, have struggles, make mistakes, and still have so much to offer... I want to be like you... Even though I don't have your eye, in a lot of ways you still helped me to see... Really see (p. 233).'"
"'Hit me with your best challenge for spreading kindness. A challenge that promotes gratitude. A challenge that creates joy for life. A challenge that helps people relate to people. They don't have to be complicated... Share a little piece of yourself... and let us get to know and love you... That's what we're doing, spreading love (p. 237).'"
"''These Centurions... are not your true enemies (p. 240).''"
"'Sorry you didn't win, Flint. But this has to be the best work I've seen from someone so young. You keep it up and you'll be working with people like me in no time (p. 246).'"
"'Hey, Mom. I'm okay. And I still love comics. My favorites are The Avengers (p. 247).'"
"Keep up the compassion in action (p. 249)!"
March 2, 2019
My name is Flint, but most kids at school call me Squint because of my bad eyes. You see, I have a disease that makes my corneas really thin. I need to wear thick glasses, but nothing looks clear to me. Anyhow, I've been creating a superhero comic book even though I probably won't win the "Find a Comic Star" contest. I call the main character Squint, and he's leading a team to rescue the Empress. I usually work alone on the comic during lunch, but today a girl named McKell sat at my table. It turns out she has a brother with a very rare disease that makes his body age faster than it should. He has a YouTube show called "Danny's Challenge" where viewers are dared to do tasks that he can't do himself. Little did I know how much his show and McKell would change my life.
Wow, this book became much more than I expected and not like most of the books I read. Flint's eye disease was a very central problem, but it seemed to be a metaphor to his life. He had trouble physically seeing things, but he discovered his opinions of others may have been distorted too. He was forced to reflect on how he treated people and tried to understand things through their eyes. In addition, his comic became a therapy to deal with his own life. He added Diamond to its plot and had her support the main character, just as McKell was doing for Flint in real life. However, it turned out McKell had some serious emotional issues of her own. They combined with Flint's medical and comic book problems to create a compelling novel. "Danny's Challenge" became the catalyst for change, as his messages were always positive and urged viewers to action. The book presented an emotional rollercoaster, as there was drama, suspense, laughter, and tears. It will cause readers to think about how they treat others and consider the power of being positive. Overall, this was an outstanding book, and I highly recommend you give it a shot.
Wow, this book became much more than I expected and not like most of the books I read. Flint's eye disease was a very central problem, but it seemed to be a metaphor to his life. He had trouble physically seeing things, but he discovered his opinions of others may have been distorted too. He was forced to reflect on how he treated people and tried to understand things through their eyes. In addition, his comic became a therapy to deal with his own life. He added Diamond to its plot and had her support the main character, just as McKell was doing for Flint in real life. However, it turned out McKell had some serious emotional issues of her own. They combined with Flint's medical and comic book problems to create a compelling novel. "Danny's Challenge" became the catalyst for change, as his messages were always positive and urged viewers to action. The book presented an emotional rollercoaster, as there was drama, suspense, laughter, and tears. It will cause readers to think about how they treat others and consider the power of being positive. Overall, this was an outstanding book, and I highly recommend you give it a shot.
November 13, 2018
Flint is in middle school and doesn’t have the easiest of life, for starters he has problems with his eyes so he can hardly see. Thats how he got his nickname, Squint. Despite his vision problems, he happens to be a gifted artist and has been working on a comic book for the contest. Squint also lives with his grandparents with not much contact from his Mom and often times gets picked on at school. He is pretty used to life this way, but when a new girl starts paying attention to him his life gets much more interesting!
This story is so adorable and inspiring! I missed out on the chance to read the advanced copy because it was archived the very next day after being approved, but I wanted to read this story so bad I went out and bought it once it was published.
For anyone that’s ever felt like they didn’t fit in, or afraid to put yourself out there, this is the perfect story. This book deals with death, illness, bullying and family dynamics. Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
This story is so adorable and inspiring! I missed out on the chance to read the advanced copy because it was archived the very next day after being approved, but I wanted to read this story so bad I went out and bought it once it was published.
For anyone that’s ever felt like they didn’t fit in, or afraid to put yourself out there, this is the perfect story. This book deals with death, illness, bullying and family dynamics. Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
October 11, 2018
Squint is a beautiful, powerful, and inspiring story of two friends, their struggles, fear of being judged, and learning to lean on and trust one another. Chad Morris and Shelley Brown have come together and created a realistic fiction and contemporary story focused on family and friendship that readers will immediately fall in love with. From the delightful and beloved believable characters, to the sweet and charming story of true friendship, readers will come to see what in life matters most.
Genre: children’s, contemporary, middle grade, family, realistic fiction
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Publication date: October 2, 2018
Number of pages: 256
A review copy of this book was provided by Shadow Mountain. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
Genre: children’s, contemporary, middle grade, family, realistic fiction
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Publication date: October 2, 2018
Number of pages: 256
A review copy of this book was provided by Shadow Mountain. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
July 25, 2020
Such a sweet story. Loved Danny’s Challenges and how something so simple can have such a huge impact!
September 28, 2020
Stop feeling sorry for yourself and go help someone! A beautiful message in a fun book. I really enjoyed this book and we are now making our own Danny’s challenges at our house.
May 24, 2018
I received this book as an advanced reader's copy and this reminded me a lot of Perks of Being a Wallflower totally with the relationship Flint (Squint) and McKell have with one another. I love young adult stories that expresses hidden talents within us. With the adaptive social awkwardness these two characters have combined with their talents and interests made this story relate able automatically. Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers should read this book at some point because there are some strong life lessons that are presented in such a matter that they can easily understand and apply. An excellent interesting read that we give 5 stars!
June 13, 2020
This is a priceless story that opens up the opportunity for critical discussions with young people. It should be a required read aloud for all families! If you want to address bullying, death, abandonment, all intense issues, this is a novel that will allow those discussions without being harsh or crass. I love the characters and the story and found that I couldn't put this one down until I had finished, even though I should have been sleeping!
May 23, 2018
I loved it! It is as amazing as I’ve come to expect from the Morris duo. It feels part graphic novel, a bit of a Kwame Alexander prose flavor thrown in, big part Brown/Morris charm, and ALL genius. There’s heartache, happiness, and humor- friendship and human frailties, and super heroes in unexpected characters. What more could you ask for in a story??! Older elementary ages and up, will be fans of this new, unique story. So glad it will be out in time for Christmas gifts!
November 1, 2018
SQUINT is a story about insecurities, the imperfections of life, the influence one person can have, and finding out who you are and letting others see it. It is a fantastic journey, full of heart and humor. Highly recommended to elementary through high school kids, and even adults!
This book was so very, very good! I loved Flint from the start. I have my own vision problems so I could somewhat relate with the frustration that comes from that. However, anyone could relate to the different social roles or hierarchy of middle school, with all the insecurities and trying to fit in. Then there was McKell. She was also a really good character. She was trying to fit in with the popular crowd who didn't always act as they should and figuring out if she could be accepted as herself. Then there's this whole other situation with her brother, his challenges, and how she develops a friendship with Flint. I loved, loved their friendship! I also loved the character development and some of the discoveries Flint makes about himself and those around him.
As I said, this story is full of humor and heart. It's also has some sadness. There are some tough things these characters work through. I went in with fairly high expectations. I expected it to be fun and sweet, with some depth (as their last book was). What I loved was that it well exceeded my expectations. This is a Middle Grade book... and it made me cry. It's well-written, with fabulous spot-on characters (they got middle school down perfectly), and a story that is full of so much heart. What's not to love?
In the end, was it what I wished for? This story seriously exceeded my expectations. A humorous, fun, emotional moving story! Highly recommeneded!
Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.
This book was so very, very good! I loved Flint from the start. I have my own vision problems so I could somewhat relate with the frustration that comes from that. However, anyone could relate to the different social roles or hierarchy of middle school, with all the insecurities and trying to fit in. Then there was McKell. She was also a really good character. She was trying to fit in with the popular crowd who didn't always act as they should and figuring out if she could be accepted as herself. Then there's this whole other situation with her brother, his challenges, and how she develops a friendship with Flint. I loved, loved their friendship! I also loved the character development and some of the discoveries Flint makes about himself and those around him.
As I said, this story is full of humor and heart. It's also has some sadness. There are some tough things these characters work through. I went in with fairly high expectations. I expected it to be fun and sweet, with some depth (as their last book was). What I loved was that it well exceeded my expectations. This is a Middle Grade book... and it made me cry. It's well-written, with fabulous spot-on characters (they got middle school down perfectly), and a story that is full of so much heart. What's not to love?
In the end, was it what I wished for? This story seriously exceeded my expectations. A humorous, fun, emotional moving story! Highly recommeneded!
Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.
June 20, 2018
Squint’s summary conveys that the book was written with the best of intentions, a middle-grade story at the cross-roads of disability, art, and coming of age. It’s the kind of book that, if done well, will be found on a whole generation’s bookshelves – tattered and dog-eared from love. Unfortunately, Squint isn’t written quite well enough to live up to its intriguing premise.
The book is a short fast read – took me a day – rendered all the shorter by shoe-horning in the story that the protagonist is writing. I feel comfortable saying that this literary device NEVER works – it serves to interrupt the flow of the actual story being told, and the parallels are never as clever as the writer seems to think they are. Because of these constant interruptions, the book didn’t really engage me until the second half, and by then there was too little of the slim book left to enjoy.
There are a lot of interesting threads woven into Squint – Flint’s relationship with his grandparents, or his broken friendship with his former bestie turned bully. Unfortunately, none of them are really fleshed out besides Flint’s relationship with McKell. Consequently, the big emotional payoffs in those relationships ring hollow because of a lack of buildup. Flint’s relationship with his estranged mother is a complete afterthought, almost begging the question of why it’s there. Similarly, tiny bombshells are scattered all over the text – like the depression of McKell’s mother – and not engaged with at all.
Squint isn’t a bad book by any means, but there’s just a lingering sense that it fails to live up to its potential. Which is a shame, because it could have been great.
The book is a short fast read – took me a day – rendered all the shorter by shoe-horning in the story that the protagonist is writing. I feel comfortable saying that this literary device NEVER works – it serves to interrupt the flow of the actual story being told, and the parallels are never as clever as the writer seems to think they are. Because of these constant interruptions, the book didn’t really engage me until the second half, and by then there was too little of the slim book left to enjoy.
There are a lot of interesting threads woven into Squint – Flint’s relationship with his grandparents, or his broken friendship with his former bestie turned bully. Unfortunately, none of them are really fleshed out besides Flint’s relationship with McKell. Consequently, the big emotional payoffs in those relationships ring hollow because of a lack of buildup. Flint’s relationship with his estranged mother is a complete afterthought, almost begging the question of why it’s there. Similarly, tiny bombshells are scattered all over the text – like the depression of McKell’s mother – and not engaged with at all.
Squint isn’t a bad book by any means, but there’s just a lingering sense that it fails to live up to its potential. Which is a shame, because it could have been great.
June 29, 2020
"My eyes were bad, the lighting was bad, and my ability to understand teenage girls was extra bad."
I thought this was a fun and relatable book for kids in the upper elementary ages through middle school. There's the drama with and the importance of friendship, tons of fun middle school "rules", a great lesson on overcoming fears, the reminder that perspectives and understanding others is something we need to strive for, and that vision- both literally and figuratively is a big deal. I loved the comics, Flint/Squint and McKell's friendship, I love the idea of "Danny's Challenges" and just the feel good story that this middle grade fiction is.
Plus, I think I now appreciate my vision and want to take care of it a lot more now. Flint has it rough, but he has some solid people in his life that love him. To be honest, that makes all the difference.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Best For: 10 and up, boys and girls looking for a relatable realistic fiction as well as teacher's looking for a good read aloud.
# of Pages: 256
Clean Read: Yes.
Worth a Check Out: Yes.
Read Aloud: Yes, this would make a great read aloud for 4th-7th grade class.
Some other fav quotes:
"My eyes were bad, the lighting was bad, and my ability to understand teenage girls was extra bad."
"Treat everyone with respect, but especially treat women with respect."
"Middle school rule: If something terribly embarrassing could happen, it will."
I thought this was a fun and relatable book for kids in the upper elementary ages through middle school. There's the drama with and the importance of friendship, tons of fun middle school "rules", a great lesson on overcoming fears, the reminder that perspectives and understanding others is something we need to strive for, and that vision- both literally and figuratively is a big deal. I loved the comics, Flint/Squint and McKell's friendship, I love the idea of "Danny's Challenges" and just the feel good story that this middle grade fiction is.
Plus, I think I now appreciate my vision and want to take care of it a lot more now. Flint has it rough, but he has some solid people in his life that love him. To be honest, that makes all the difference.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Best For: 10 and up, boys and girls looking for a relatable realistic fiction as well as teacher's looking for a good read aloud.
# of Pages: 256
Clean Read: Yes.
Worth a Check Out: Yes.
Read Aloud: Yes, this would make a great read aloud for 4th-7th grade class.
Some other fav quotes:
"My eyes were bad, the lighting was bad, and my ability to understand teenage girls was extra bad."
"Treat everyone with respect, but especially treat women with respect."
"Middle school rule: If something terribly embarrassing could happen, it will."
Read
April 29, 2020On the short list for Mark Twain 2020-21 and available on Overdrive at www.mymcpl.org! An amazing followup for the duo who brought us "Mustaches For Maddie." I thought this book was outstanding. The combination of Flint's story with his comic was a very effective way to communicate his dreams and disappointments. Loved, loved, loved his dog sidekick made from Rocks. What Squint, the superhero, and Flint both discover is that no one person is all bad or all good. With understanding and empathy, people can find common ground and encourage each other. Flint's grandparents were well-developed by the authors as were Flint's classmates -- especially McKell. The audio version was great!
*Reviewed by Darla from Red Bridge*
*Reviewed by Darla from Red Bridge*
October 24, 2018
This was an incredible story. It had me captivated till the end. The timid relationship between Flint and McKell is amazing to see develop. How they both help to push one another in their own struggles, and help build and support one another is a powerful lesson that we could all use more of in our lives. I would recommend this book to any and everyone. Absolutely amazing.
Read
October 17, 2022I read this with my twins and we all really enjoyed it. It's a great story about friendship, overcoming challenges, and having empathy and understanding for others. The ending was happy, but realistic, and I liked that--life wasn't perfect, but the characters changed throughout the story and were better people at the end. 4+ stars.
May 18, 2020
Engaging, heartfelt story that will give middle graders lots of things to think and talk about. Great for fans of Restart.
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