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Reviewed by Melinda Hills for Readers' Favorite
Alex Penfold is a fifth grader who refuses to fit into anyone else’s mold. Unfortunately, that makes her a target for the other students and a source of irritation to her teacher. Alex the Great by Rebecca Linam follows the misadventures of Alex, whose older brother was killed by a drunk driver several years earlier. While everyone else has moved on, Alex is still struggling with the loss and maintains her individuality in Jeremy’s honor. She is a tomboy who is not interested in the things the other girls find so important like clothes, hairstyles and boys; and her energy, enthusiasm and straightforward nature get her into trouble at school. She also does not feel a real connection to her parents, who are coping with Jeremy’s death in their own way and don’t seem to take her feelings into consideration. Her best friends are her cat Creamy and dog Yippy, but her contact with them is limited since they have to stay outdoors. Another tragedy hits Alex and her reaction causes a major upheaval in school, leading to the police being called in. Hiding so that she doesn’t have to deal with anyone, Alex is discovered by Josh, a boy who has always liked her. Josh remembers the secret spot where Alex would hide when she was upset about Jeremy. Will this be the wake-up call for people to understand why Alex acts the way she does?
While truly entertaining, Alex the Great by Rebecca Linam deals with several deep issues that are not usually the topic of youth literature. Death, loss and misunderstanding are things that children face but are not often talked about so Alex helps her readers as she navigates these issues herself. Well written with plenty of humor but also deeply moving, this book shows that it is okay to be yourself and how to stand up to the consequences of not really fitting in. Alex is a strong yet vulnerable character and deserves tremendous credit for sticking to her beliefs.
