He’s not the world’s greatest artist and he’s not going to win any awards for his wit. He’s not what you’d call much of a natural at anything. The question then is whether or not child readers will let him. Albie is not extraordinary in any possible way and he would like you to be okay with that. We all want our kids to do well in school, but where do you distinguish between their happiness and how hard you’re allowed to push them to do their best? Do you take kindness into account when you’re adding up all their other sterling qualities? Maybe the wonder of Absolutely Almost is that it’s willing to give us an almost unheard of hero. For some parents nothing in the world could be more embarrassing. Your child is above average? Kudos to you. Your child is a genius? Congratulations! You must be a genius for raising a genius. For parents, how well your child does reflects right back on you. Go fig-ueur! / Is it some modern miracle of calculus / That such frequent miracles don’t render each one un-miraculous?” This song ran on a bit of a loop through my cranium as I read Lisa Graff latest middle grade novel Absolutely Almost. In the stage musical of Matilda, lyricist Tim Minchin begins the show with the following lines about the state of children today: “Specialness is de rigueur.
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