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lauriehnatiuk's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to Edelweiss+ and the publisher Feiwel Friends for a digital ARC of this title to read.
After reading Chris Baron’s The Magical Imperfect, I can now say that I will read any book he writes. The Magical Imperfect took me down memory lane, taught me more about not one but two cultures and tenderly shared an intergenerational story, making the book magical.
In The Magical Imperfect, set in San Fransico in 1989, we meet Etan and Malia, who have unique challenges. Etan has selective mutism since his mother went away due to mental health issues. He has a strong relationship with his grandfather, who came to San Fransico during World War II from Prague, ending up on Angel Island with other immigrants. His grandfather owns a jewelry shop, and Etan spends time there while his father is at work. Etan also helps out other community members, such as walking Mrs. Hershkovitz”s dog and acting as a delivery boy for a local shop.
Malia suffers from eczema, which is so bad, her face and limbs are red and raw. Malia no longer attends school because of her condition and the malicious comments from classmates, calling her “the creature.” The sun further irritates eczema, so she stays inside. She lives with her parents and her grandmother. Malia’s relationship with her grandmother is similar to Etan’s relationship with his grandfather; they are very close. Malia loves to sing popular pop songs of the day, and her voice would carry outside the house, which is how the two meet.
Etan delivers a package to their home and inadvertently hears her singing, and the lonely two connect and become supportive of one another. Etan encourages Malia to sing at a talent show in the community while Malia gently draws out Etan’s words.
We see how both families value their heritage and culture. Malia's grandmother often is cooking and feeding the two children various Phillipino dishes and speaks in Tagalog. Etan’s grandfather shares with him some precious items, including clay from the Dead Sea, thought to be magical for its healing abilities. He briefly shares stories about coming to Angel Island and the connections the community has to one another. Readers learn the importance of religion is to his family, especially for his grandfather. Etan’s father struggles to visit the synagogue after what happened with his wife, and this puts a strain on his relationship with Etan’s grandfather that comes to a head during the World Series.
Everything all comes to a critical point on the night of the talent show, which coincides with the third World Series game. Etan promised Malia he would help sneak her out of the house to attend the talent show, so he has to share with his dad that he cannot go to the game with him. His dad promised Etan’s grandfather that he would celebrate Yum Kippur and go to the synagogue, which also is the same night of the game. Malia and Etan are at the talent show, his dad is at the ballgame, his grandfather is at the synagogue, and then the earthquake happens.
The relationships existing between Etan and the community but especially with his grandfather, are tender and gentle. When Etan was at his grandfather’s shop, I felt like I was sitting on a park bench watching Etan and the locals go about their daily tasks helping one another. The way the world should be, the way you want it to be, and how readers will connect and feel the story rather than just read the words.
And oh, those words are melodic and emotional! The way Chris Baron beautifully strung them together made me pause and slow down to savour the phrasing. Here are two of my favourites, but there are many examples that one will experience.
“She says that the roads
her thoughts take
are too windy for now,
and she needs help
straightening them out.”
“It’s not the words,
it’s the noises in between
that the truth.”
The Magical Imperfect has all the right ingredients to hook readers; unique challenges for characters to overcome, relatable family problems, 80’s music, earthquakes, baseball, lyrical words, and a touch of magic make this story MAGICALLY PERFECT.
FIRST LINE:
The alarm
is a wave
that knocks us
out of our chairs.
PICTURE BOOK PAIRINGS: The 1989 Bay Area Earthquake: The Story of San Francisco's Second Deadliest Earthquake (I have not read but the setting and event play a role in the novel), I Got It!, Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup! and I Have Eczema (another book I have not read and now see a gap)
SIMILAR TITLES: Much Ado About Baseball, Wink, After Zero, and A Place at the Table
OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR: All of Me
SUBJECT HEADINGS/TAGS: Juvenile Fiction, Middle-Grade, Novels in Verse, Fantasy & Magic, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Diversity & Multicultural, Friendship, Intergenerational, Illness and Conditions: Eczema, Sports: Baseball, Earthquakes
After reading Chris Baron’s The Magical Imperfect, I can now say that I will read any book he writes. The Magical Imperfect took me down memory lane, taught me more about not one but two cultures and tenderly shared an intergenerational story, making the book magical.
In The Magical Imperfect, set in San Fransico in 1989, we meet Etan and Malia, who have unique challenges. Etan has selective mutism since his mother went away due to mental health issues. He has a strong relationship with his grandfather, who came to San Fransico during World War II from Prague, ending up on Angel Island with other immigrants. His grandfather owns a jewelry shop, and Etan spends time there while his father is at work. Etan also helps out other community members, such as walking Mrs. Hershkovitz”s dog and acting as a delivery boy for a local shop.
Malia suffers from eczema, which is so bad, her face and limbs are red and raw. Malia no longer attends school because of her condition and the malicious comments from classmates, calling her “the creature.” The sun further irritates eczema, so she stays inside. She lives with her parents and her grandmother. Malia’s relationship with her grandmother is similar to Etan’s relationship with his grandfather; they are very close. Malia loves to sing popular pop songs of the day, and her voice would carry outside the house, which is how the two meet.
Etan delivers a package to their home and inadvertently hears her singing, and the lonely two connect and become supportive of one another. Etan encourages Malia to sing at a talent show in the community while Malia gently draws out Etan’s words.
We see how both families value their heritage and culture. Malia's grandmother often is cooking and feeding the two children various Phillipino dishes and speaks in Tagalog. Etan’s grandfather shares with him some precious items, including clay from the Dead Sea, thought to be magical for its healing abilities. He briefly shares stories about coming to Angel Island and the connections the community has to one another. Readers learn the importance of religion is to his family, especially for his grandfather. Etan’s father struggles to visit the synagogue after what happened with his wife, and this puts a strain on his relationship with Etan’s grandfather that comes to a head during the World Series.
Everything all comes to a critical point on the night of the talent show, which coincides with the third World Series game. Etan promised Malia he would help sneak her out of the house to attend the talent show, so he has to share with his dad that he cannot go to the game with him. His dad promised Etan’s grandfather that he would celebrate Yum Kippur and go to the synagogue, which also is the same night of the game. Malia and Etan are at the talent show, his dad is at the ballgame, his grandfather is at the synagogue, and then the earthquake happens.
The relationships existing between Etan and the community but especially with his grandfather, are tender and gentle. When Etan was at his grandfather’s shop, I felt like I was sitting on a park bench watching Etan and the locals go about their daily tasks helping one another. The way the world should be, the way you want it to be, and how readers will connect and feel the story rather than just read the words.
And oh, those words are melodic and emotional! The way Chris Baron beautifully strung them together made me pause and slow down to savour the phrasing. Here are two of my favourites, but there are many examples that one will experience.
“She says that the roads
her thoughts take
are too windy for now,
and she needs help
straightening them out.”
“It’s not the words,
it’s the noises in between
that the truth.”
The Magical Imperfect has all the right ingredients to hook readers; unique challenges for characters to overcome, relatable family problems, 80’s music, earthquakes, baseball, lyrical words, and a touch of magic make this story MAGICALLY PERFECT.
FIRST LINE:
The alarm
is a wave
that knocks us
out of our chairs.
PICTURE BOOK PAIRINGS: The 1989 Bay Area Earthquake: The Story of San Francisco's Second Deadliest Earthquake (I have not read but the setting and event play a role in the novel), I Got It!, Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup! and I Have Eczema (another book I have not read and now see a gap)
SIMILAR TITLES: Much Ado About Baseball, Wink, After Zero, and A Place at the Table
OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR: All of Me
SUBJECT HEADINGS/TAGS: Juvenile Fiction, Middle-Grade, Novels in Verse, Fantasy & Magic, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Diversity & Multicultural, Friendship, Intergenerational, Illness and Conditions: Eczema, Sports: Baseball, Earthquakes
csquared85's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
yapha's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to love this book. I'm so fascinated by all of the topics covered -- the 1989 earthquake, Jewish immigrants, the World Series, California history. Unfortunately it just didn't pull me in. It may have been that it was just trying to cover TOO much. For grades 4 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
dinipandareads's review against another edition
3.0
Special thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. 3 stars
This was a very different middle-grade read compared to what I normally pick up in this genre. It's historical fiction but also has aspects of magical realism that leant the story an even more whimsical atmosphere. It's written in verse and though the prose is simple and without unnecessary flair, it was also evocative and I could easily picture the neighbourhood form in front of my eyes. The community was diverse and there was a sense of camaraderie between all the neighbours that made the pages feel full of warmth and joy.
While I expected a touching story about the friendship between two young misfits, and we got that, it also went beyond that and there were many elements to the plot and setting that I didn't expect to find—from religious to historical and cultural, and I was see it in a MG. I was intrigued by the 80s setting in San Francisco and by the historical event that occurred during the time period of the story. What I found most refreshing though was seeing the Filipino representation in a historical setting and I was pleasantly surprised to read about the migrant journey to America from a different (non-Western) perspective! Etan's Jewish and Maia's Filipina cultural heritage also played important roles in their story and as I grew up in the Philippines, I found reading about Maia's family—her Lola and the food!—was comforting and made me a little nostalgic, too.
I found the friendship that grew between Maia and Etan to be very sweet and full of youthful optimism and joy. As their bond grows closer, Etan finds the strength in his own voice again. Maia also finds joy in being able to have someone her age who doesn't see her as "The Creature" but can look beyond her eczema to the loving, precocious and vibrant little girl she is. I really loved her sass and confidence, as well as her connection to nature and the trees surrounding her home.
Another aspect that I liked (for the most part) was the representation of Maia and Etan's disabilities—severe eczema and selective mutism, respectively. I've never read a book with these disabilities represented (whether it be adult, YA or MG) so I found it interesting to read about and have it be part of these characters. However, what disappointed me was the use of the magical healing clay as a "cure" for these disabilities to make Maia and Etan 'normal happy kids'. It made it seem like people with disabilities are not 'normal' and that you need to look and act like others to be happy. Yes, Maia wasn't 100% 'cured' by the clay but the message is still the same and it's not one that I would want any person to read and believe that they're less than because they have a disability. The topic of mental health was also explored a bit through Etan's mother but I wish it was done in more depth as it impacted Etan and his family so greatly.
Ultimately, while I might not recommend this for its disability rep, I appreciated the historical context and the representation of cultures and the immigrant perspective This was very different from what I expected after reading the blurb but I was pleasantly surprised by the nostalgic vibes it gave me. This did read a bit on the younger side of MG for me but I do think that it would be suitable and enjoyable for MG readers across all ages, even older readers such as myself.
This was a very different middle-grade read compared to what I normally pick up in this genre. It's historical fiction but also has aspects of magical realism that leant the story an even more whimsical atmosphere. It's written in verse and though the prose is simple and without unnecessary flair, it was also evocative and I could easily picture the neighbourhood form in front of my eyes. The community was diverse and there was a sense of camaraderie between all the neighbours that made the pages feel full of warmth and joy.
While I expected a touching story about the friendship between two young misfits, and we got that, it also went beyond that and there were many elements to the plot and setting that I didn't expect to find—from religious to historical and cultural, and I was see it in a MG. I was intrigued by the 80s setting in San Francisco and by the historical event that occurred during the time period of the story. What I found most refreshing though was seeing the Filipino representation in a historical setting and I was pleasantly surprised to read about the migrant journey to America from a different (non-Western) perspective! Etan's Jewish and Maia's Filipina cultural heritage also played important roles in their story and as I grew up in the Philippines, I found reading about Maia's family—her Lola and the food!—was comforting and made me a little nostalgic, too.
I found the friendship that grew between Maia and Etan to be very sweet and full of youthful optimism and joy. As their bond grows closer, Etan finds the strength in his own voice again. Maia also finds joy in being able to have someone her age who doesn't see her as "The Creature" but can look beyond her eczema to the loving, precocious and vibrant little girl she is. I really loved her sass and confidence, as well as her connection to nature and the trees surrounding her home.
Another aspect that I liked (for the most part) was the representation of Maia and Etan's disabilities—severe eczema and selective mutism, respectively. I've never read a book with these disabilities represented (whether it be adult, YA or MG) so I found it interesting to read about and have it be part of these characters. However, what disappointed me was the use of the magical healing clay as a "cure" for these disabilities to make Maia and Etan 'normal happy kids'. It made it seem like people with disabilities are not 'normal' and that you need to look and act like others to be happy. Yes, Maia wasn't 100% 'cured' by the clay but the message is still the same and it's not one that I would want any person to read and believe that they're less than because they have a disability. The topic of mental health was also explored a bit through Etan's mother but I wish it was done in more depth as it impacted Etan and his family so greatly.
Ultimately, while I might not recommend this for its disability rep, I appreciated the historical context and the representation of cultures and the immigrant perspective This was very different from what I expected after reading the blurb but I was pleasantly surprised by the nostalgic vibes it gave me. This did read a bit on the younger side of MG for me but I do think that it would be suitable and enjoyable for MG readers across all ages, even older readers such as myself.
ambersbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jengennari's review against another edition
5.0
A warm story about Etan and his new friend, Malia, who is homeschooled because of severe eczema. Set in SF, it's a story about a talent show, the World Series and the earthquake of 1989. Baron does a great job of subtly depicting the mom, who is being treated for depression, the strained relationship between Etan's grandfather and father, and the worry of Malia's parents and Lola, her grandmother.
library_kb's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The story is the impactful part of this book--not the writing in my opinion. This perhaps magical realism, perhaps historical fiction book shines with its depiction of the characters--from Etan, who doesn't want to talk since his mom left to get treatment at a mental hospital, impeding his friendships with classmates and his participation at the synagogue, to Malia, who because of her severe eczema is isolated until they strike up a friendship. Set among earthquakes and the World Series, this story about Etan finding what he is made of amidst challenges from all sides was really enjoyable--recommend for 6th grade and up!
elmeeks's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
jadatrack's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Chronic illness
Minor: Death of parent and Antisemitism
satu_jay's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
3.0