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cskylar's review against another edition
Returned the book, will try this summer from library
trix21's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
sad
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? Yes
4.5
love the poem-style, makes it more fun to read.
bickie's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this book about family, friendship, community.
I had some trouble with a few things:
**"houses decorated for Halloween / with jack-o'lanterns in the windows" occurs about 100 pages before "NL West (Sunday, October 1)." I kept trying to sort out the timeline because carved Halloween decorations and not knowing who would be in the world series at the same time seemed wrong, especially in the late '80s.
**in the first "Mom" poem, Etan talks about going past the Golden Gate Bridge and up and down hills to get to the heart of the city, but later, says the GGB is north of where he is, and even later, mentions that he lives near Santa Cruz. I was confused about this geography; even coming up 1 or 280, you wouldn't pass the GGB (or really go up or down much) to get to near Golden Gate Park.
**the illustration on the cover shows "Blankie" looking evocative of Navajo weaving, but the character is Filipino-American, and the blanket is described as having musical notes and at least one treble clef on it in the book
There is some discussion about the town's being settled by people in the gold rush and immigrants coming through Angel Island from the same ship. Malia communicates with the redwoods, and she and Etan spend time on the Sitting Stones. There is no mention of the Ramaytush, Ohlone, or Muwekma, or even indigenous people in general.
I had some trouble with a few things:
**"houses decorated for Halloween / with jack-o'lanterns in the windows" occurs about 100 pages before "NL West (Sunday, October 1)." I kept trying to sort out the timeline because carved Halloween decorations and not knowing who would be in the world series at the same time seemed wrong, especially in the late '80s.
**in the first "Mom" poem, Etan talks about going past the Golden Gate Bridge and up and down hills to get to the heart of the city, but later, says the GGB is north of where he is, and even later, mentions that he lives near Santa Cruz. I was confused about this geography; even coming up 1 or 280, you wouldn't pass the GGB (or really go up or down much) to get to near Golden Gate Park.
**the illustration on the cover shows "Blankie" looking evocative of Navajo weaving, but the character is Filipino-American, and the blanket is described as having musical notes and at least one treble clef on it in the book
There is some discussion about the town's being settled by people in the gold rush and immigrants coming through Angel Island from the same ship. Malia communicates with the redwoods, and she and Etan spend time on the Sitting Stones. There is no mention of the Ramaytush, Ohlone, or Muwekma, or even indigenous people in general.
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
5.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
The Magical Imperfect is a story about hiding---and what it means to come out of your shell. Etan has barely spoken since his mother went away to get help for her mental illness. He keeps his thoughts locked away inside where they can't hurt him. Meanwhile, Malia has kept herself (including her beautiful singing voice) hidden because of extreme exzema and the bullying she's experienced because of it. The two bond over their insecurities and soon form a fast friendship. But when Malia's skin condition worsens, keeping her from stepping into the limelight where Etan knows she belongs, he is determined to help her---using the magic of his Jewish ancestors. The book incorporates culture and religion with 80's pop-culture, baseball, and even earthquakes. And the result is wholly engrossing!
The Magical Imperfect is a story about hiding---and what it means to come out of your shell. Etan has barely spoken since his mother went away to get help for her mental illness. He keeps his thoughts locked away inside where they can't hurt him. Meanwhile, Malia has kept herself (including her beautiful singing voice) hidden because of extreme exzema and the bullying she's experienced because of it. The two bond over their insecurities and soon form a fast friendship. But when Malia's skin condition worsens, keeping her from stepping into the limelight where Etan knows she belongs, he is determined to help her---using the magic of his Jewish ancestors. The book incorporates culture and religion with 80's pop-culture, baseball, and even earthquakes. And the result is wholly engrossing!
geesammy's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
This is a very sweet and touching story about coming of age, building community, the importance of friendship, remembering where you came from, and how adversity can show you what your made of. Loved it.
rryep's review against another edition
1.0
#Magic Realism, Friendship, Mental Health - Mutism, Physical Health - Skin Ailments, Family, Historical Fiction - 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, Realistic Fiction
>Lower Middle Grade Reader
* POC characters - (main: Jewish, secondary: Asian)
* Written in Verse
* Authors Note
>Lower Middle Grade Reader
* POC characters - (main: Jewish, secondary: Asian)
* Written in Verse
* Authors Note
rikkir77's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked the setting - all events were leading up to the San Francisco earthquake of 1989. And you get to learn about eczema and refugees in this story.
miszjeanie's review against another edition
4.0
The Magical Imperfect is an incredibly moving verse novel about friendship, family, body image, and community. Set in 1989 San Francisco, this middle grade book highlights the ever changing landscape of a place, especially with immigration and people coming in and out of our lives.
With a protagonist dealing with selective mutism, a character with severe eczema and a parent checking into a mental health facility, this book touches on mental and physical health conditions and how they can affect the way we view ourselves, but also how the best kind of healing we can find is from love, friendship and connection.
Read my full review on my blog.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for an eARC of this book.
With a protagonist dealing with selective mutism, a character with severe eczema and a parent checking into a mental health facility, this book touches on mental and physical health conditions and how they can affect the way we view ourselves, but also how the best kind of healing we can find is from love, friendship and connection.
Read my full review on my blog.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for an eARC of this book.
sierranorgan's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
3.5
VRC #9! I enjoyed the book but I did find it a little repetitive at times.