The new line of Pauline Teen Books by Pauline Media promises
to bring young people stories that “make you laugh – and sometimes cry, make
you think and help you dream, and let you explore the real world.” If a.k.a. Genius by Marilee Haynes is any
indication, this line of books is off to an incredible start.
Haynes tells the story of Gabe, a student at St. Jude Middle
School who has just found out that, according to test results, he is supposed
to be a genius. There are a few problems with this –his second-best friend Maya
is supposed to be the smartest kid in school and doesn’t take kindly to being
upstaged, he can’t even get his locker open, and his father would much rather
he be good in sports than good in
school. Meanwhile, he is asked to tutor Becca, a girl he likes so much he can
barely speak in her presence, and his best friend Linc is trying to “woo” (his
words) a girl named Rachel. There is a lot going on in the mind of a
middle-school boy.
Gabe, Maya, Linc, Rachel and a few other students all end up
in a class for gifted students, nicknamed the G.A.S. class. Taught by a very
cool Sister Stevie, the class is preparing to take part in an academic Olympics
competition.
Haynes has made a great splash with this debut novel. Unlike
so many books in the Catholic Fiction genre, a.k.a. Genius is a story about real middle-school kids with real
middle-school problems. While filled with elements of the Catholic faith, it
isn’t overly pious or preachy. This is a book middle-schoolers would actually
want to read, and laugh out loud while they are doing it. It is a Catholic “Diary
of a Wimpy Kid” without the accompanying comics. A.k.a. Genius will make readers laugh and cry and teaches an
important lesson about self-acceptance in the process.
There are many books I have enjoyed, but there are only a
handful of stories that I consider “awesome.” A.k.a. Genius is one of those
books.
1 comment:
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! Reading it was certainly a major bright spot in the cold, rainy day we're having. I am so glad that you enjoyed meeting Gabe and all of his friends.
I'm also excited to tell that the sequel to a.k.a. Genius, Genius Under Construction, will be available in just two days!
Thanks again and happy reading,
Marilee Haynes
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