“Flat Stanley” by Jeff Brown was a painfully poignant commentary about the act of societal “other-ing”, masterfully juxtaposing the strengths of diversity with its challenges. Notably, while Stanley often uses his atypical body type to his advantage (e.g. becoming an ally to the arts and fostering his brother’s inclusion in an otherwise inaccessible recreational activity), it comes at the expense of his community— “They don’t like me anymore because I’m different. Flat.” [Chapter 5: Arthur’s Good Idea]).

Though undeniably a sharp, witty, and timeless parable, “Flat Stanley” is not a slam dunk. Read with a feminist lens, the book disappoints. There are very few female characters, let alone heroes. Damningly, the most prominent female character, Stanley’s mother, doesn’t even have a name. The first sentences of the book make her inferior position clear:

“Breakfast was ready.

‘I will go wake the boys,’ Mrs. Lambchop say to her husband, George.”

To me, this choice lacks the intentionality of other unnamed female characters such as Curley’s wife in “Of Mice and Men” or The Waitress in “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Instead, it cements Mrs. Lambchop’s position as wife and mother first, but fails to deliver without the accompanying criticism of these gender roles.

My final criticism of Flat Stanley lies in its tacit endorsement of child endangerment. Again and again throughout the book, Stanley is put in remarkably dangerous situations, like facing armed criminals and practically free falling through the sky. Again and again we ask, “why are his parents letting him do this?” The lack of serious long term consequences to Stanley’s wellbeing may tell the wrong story to an uncritical reader: that it is okay to be a bit careless with your child’s safety. This messaging is reckless; we mustn’t let any more heavy bulletin boards flatten our children while they sleep.

Overall, Flat Stanley was a quick read that still managed to pull my heartstrings and make me reflect on my position in the world, though it was not without its flaws. I think it would do us all some good to be Flat for a while, but the next best thing is to put ourselves in Stanley’s shoes. Four stars.

Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood

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adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

4.25

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced