Details

Length: 326
Story Build: Solid 
Character development: Solid
Age Recommendation: 5th grade and up 
Reasoning: bullying, death of a friend

Summary and Review

“Knowing what you love is smart,” says Mason Buttle. Those are the words of the 7th grade protagonist in Leslie Connor’s novel, and you can’t help but smile after reading them. I know I teared up. 

Mason is full of deep, mature thoughts that sweep off the page and into your mind, swirling around for much longer after you’ve put the book down. He is also very loved by his grandmother, his uncle, and the neighbor’s dog, Moonie. 

Mason is also tortured, too– by his neighbor, Matt, Matt’s friends, his sort of adopted and resident horder cousin, and by the memories of the death of his best friend, Benny. Oh, you cannot forget the police officer who is still investigating the death of Benny who fell from Mason’s tree house that they shared; he still comes by frequently to inquire about what happened even though Mason has been clear that he has told the truth. 

If all of that wasn’t enough, Mason also struggles with dyslexia and a sweating abnormality. But does that keep Mason from moving forward? Nope. 

That is one of the reasons why this book resonated with me long after I finished it. Mason has a great deal of difficulties in this novel, but he is so optimistic and is the dictionary definition of perseverance. He doesn’t quite take the meanness of the bullies to heart, and he is always willing to give second chances. He is, as his school social worker so aptly puts, loyal. 

So, when Mason makes a new friend, Calvin, and they find a mutual love of creating a safe and fun hide-out space, life seems to have turned around. However, Calvin goes missing one dark and stormy afternoon, and Mason is forced to wonder if he is bad luck if he keeps losing best friends. 

I read this story in the middle of my first week of social distancing during this world-wide pandemic. I finished it in less than 24 hours. It is an easy read, but that is not to say that it doesn’t deal with real issues nor is it simply written. Connor layers her novel with well-developed characters (check out the school social worker– she is a riot and oh- so- real!) and moments of poignancy and silliness. 

It is a novel about loyalty, forgiveness, sadness, love, and, most importantly, kindness. We are living in a tough reality at the moment, but Mason Buttle reminds us that we must show one another kindness, and that, my friends, is reason enough to crack up open this treasure. I promise you that it lives up to my hype. 

Celebrations

Everything. Just everything. The message, the characters, the description are all amazing. Just go read it. 

Hesitations

Nada. Never been more sure of anything— no hesitations!