This book is aimed at young adults/ pre teens/ key stage two children and is suitable for all of them. (And adults too!).
The story as I’m sure you are aware is about August Pullman, a ten year old boy, who was born with a facial deformity. He had up until then been home schooled by his mother but she felt that he was ready for proper school at the start of fifth grade. The story follows August’s first year at school, the friendships he creates and the bullies that torment him. It also follows and dips into the views and perspectives of other close to him, his sister Via, his new best friend Jack, Via’s friend Miranda and Via’s boyfriend Justin, as well as Summer another friend he has made at school. I like the fact the the author gave these sides to the story. Via’s especially was a real insight to how a child with a 'special' sibling might feel and at times I really felt sorry for her. Her analogy of her family being like the solar system made it so clear of how she felt as a person. How the planets revolve around the sun like her family revolves around August.
The story has its highs and its lows. It was lovely to see August get braver and more confident, and his personality really shows through the writing. His sense of humour especially. But it also shows the battles that many people face on a day to day basis, and how people are quick to judge and react to something that isn’t “normal”.
For a children’s book - it was great, I felt it would teach children a lot especially kindness to others -my children will definitely be reading it in the future!
Then we have the film, well you can’t read the book and not watch the film can you? Again I hadn’t watched it as I knew I wanted to read it first. I sat down last night to view it and within minutes my 15 year old son had plonked himself down next to me. It’s the first film we’ve watched together in a while.
The film was good too! I like the fact that it was very similar to the book with few changes. The story line was pretty much as it’s written and again it does dip in and out of the stories of the other characters. The actors were all really good, and portrayed the characters well. the only negative i felt was that Summer was not as prevalent in the film as she was in the book. Her relationship with August was really important in the book, as she was the one child that sat with him at lunch time, when the other children wouldn't and I felt that was totally missed in the film - she's the one child that is always there for August (without being made to make friends with him like some of the others were). I would definitely read the book and watch the film again as I really enjoyed both, but as always the book comes out on top!!
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