Review: Always Anthony
Always Anthony
written and illustrated by Terri Libenson
Balzer + Bray (imprint of HarperCollins), 2024
Category: Middle Grade
Reviewer: Stacy Nockowitz
Buy at Bookshop.org
Always Anthony is the newest addition to author/illustrator Terri Libenson’s "Emmie & Friends" series. As with the other books in the series, Libenson zeroes in on a particular aspect of adolescence that many children deal with and offers ways to handle these difficulties through the storyline. In Always Anthony, popular, athletic Anthony Randall is a whiz at science, but he struggles in language arts class. His teacher asks his classmate Leah Ruben to tutor him until he brings his grade up. Leah is reluctant to work with Anthony, as he is “TPFW” (Too Popular for Words), and she has been bullied by the popular kids in the past. As Anthony and Leah get to know one another, he shows her that you shouldn’t judge someone too hastily based on their friends, while she shows him the damage that being a bully or a silent bystander can cause. The book is split between the two kids’ points of view, with Leah’s half done in comic book style and Anthony’s half done in Libenson’s trademark illustrated text. Always Anthony shows the author’s expertise at characterization, as both Anthony and Leah are complex, multidimensional people who learn from one another in a very natural way. Leah, the Jewish character, is honest, likeable, and quietly powerful. Libenson shows other parts of Leah’s life, like her relationships with her widowed mother and her loving brother, to round out her character more fully. While Always Anthony may not be breaking any new ground in its depiction of blossoming friendships and standing up for the little guy, Libenson certainly offers a thoughtful and sweet story about two kids who wouldn’t normally become friends, coming together to teach one another some important lessons.
Leah, her mother, and her brother are portrayed as a traditional Jewish family that celebrates Shabbat and other Jewish traditions while assimilating smoothly with the multicultural population of their town. The bullying Leah was subject to in her past wasn’t because she’s Jewish. While Leah does not hide her Judaism from Anthony, and they do discuss aspects of her faith occasionally, the focus of Always Anthony is the friendship growing between the two characters. Though the mix of authentic tween voices and Libenson’s humorous illustrations helps Always Anthony hit its target audience of 8-12 year olds, the book probably does not contain enough Jewish content to be considered for the Sydney Taylor Book Award.
Always Anthony is the newest addition to author/illustrator Terri Libenson’s "Emmie & Friends" series. As with the other books in the series, Libenson zeroes in on a particular aspect of adolescence that many children deal with and offers ways to handle these difficulties through the storyline. In Always Anthony, popular, athletic Anthony Randall is a whiz at science, but he struggles in language arts class. His teacher asks his classmate Leah Ruben to tutor him until he brings his grade up. Leah is reluctant to work with Anthony, as he is “TPFW” (Too Popular for Words), and she has been bullied by the popular kids in the past. As Anthony and Leah get to know one another, he shows her that you shouldn’t judge someone too hastily based on their friends, while she shows him the damage that being a bully or a silent bystander can cause. The book is split between the two kids’ points of view, with Leah’s half done in comic book style and Anthony’s half done in Libenson’s trademark illustrated text. Always Anthony shows the author’s expertise at characterization, as both Anthony and Leah are complex, multidimensional people who learn from one another in a very natural way. Leah, the Jewish character, is honest, likeable, and quietly powerful. Libenson shows other parts of Leah’s life, like her relationships with her widowed mother and her loving brother, to round out her character more fully. While Always Anthony may not be breaking any new ground in its depiction of blossoming friendships and standing up for the little guy, Libenson certainly offers a thoughtful and sweet story about two kids who wouldn’t normally become friends, coming together to teach one another some important lessons.
Leah, her mother, and her brother are portrayed as a traditional Jewish family that celebrates Shabbat and other Jewish traditions while assimilating smoothly with the multicultural population of their town. The bullying Leah was subject to in her past wasn’t because she’s Jewish. While Leah does not hide her Judaism from Anthony, and they do discuss aspects of her faith occasionally, the focus of Always Anthony is the friendship growing between the two characters. Though the mix of authentic tween voices and Libenson’s humorous illustrations helps Always Anthony hit its target audience of 8-12 year olds, the book probably does not contain enough Jewish content to be considered for the Sydney Taylor Book Award.
Are you interested in reviewing books for The Sydney Taylor Shmooze? Click here!
Comments
Post a Comment