Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Sunday, June 16, 2019

Birthday by Meredith Russo

How I Heard About It:  I can't remember where I read the review, but it was a stellar one so I ordered this young-adult novel from Amazon and pretty much read the entire book yesterday and last night.  It kept me up WAY past my bedtime.  

What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:  
1.  *Eric and Morgan were born on the same day in the same hospital.  Their families were also "trapped" in the hospital because of a storm.  It was that experience that bonded these two families and their two boys.  

2.  *Each year the two boys celebrate their birthdays.  At first they celebrate as families, but after one of the mothers dies, the celebrations become mostly between Eric and Morgan.  

3.  *Eric lives with his parents and two older brothers.  They are pretty well off and he is destined to be great as a football player.  

4.  *Morgan lives with just his dad in a trailer.  They are surviving day to day after the loss of Morgan's mother; but things haven't been quite the same since her death.  

5.  *Morgan has a secret which he struggles with from the ages of thirteen to eighteen.  As much as he would like to share the secret with his best friend Eric, he just can't bring himself to do it.  The stress of what he is keeping to himself, has a great impact on himself, his best friend, and both families.  


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
1.  *As I mentioned above, once I started the novel I could not stop reading.  I absolutely love when I find a story that I can't stop reading.  I think I finished the book at about 1:00 AM and then had a hard time falling asleep because I couldn't get Eric and Morgan out of my head.  

2.  *The story is told on the boys' birthdays from the ages of thirteen to eighteen.  Within each section/birthday; the reader gets a glimpse into that day from the point of view of Eric and Morgan.  This format created a very personal and intimate feel to the story.  

3.  *I must say that Meredith Russo did a terrific job of writing about each boy's journey during some very difficult years.  I definitely got to know them on a very deep level.  

4.  *There were some difficult scenes to read, but it reminded me of what teenagers go through when not only dealing with day to day life, but when faced with some major decisions and choices.  

5.  *I thought the story was real, true, and authentic.  I didn't know a lot about some of the topics presented throughout the story; but after reading this book, I now feel a bit more knowledgeable.  


Who Should Read It:    I not only would recommend this title to all young adult readers, but I will also be sharing with my adult reader friends.  The plot is captivating.  The characters are endearing.  The feelings you will experience will shatter your heart.  Happy Reading!  


Rating:   5 STARS out of 5 Stars!


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