This is the book "Fish in a Tree" should have been. Albie struggles in school. He is an "Almost" in the sense that he isn't really good at anything, just "almost good". His overachieving parents believe he can overcome with a little more effort but no matter how hard he tries, it never gets better. The beauty of this book (over the aforementioned title by Ms. Hunt) is that it isn't clean. A series of complex threads intertwine to make a kind of messy, slice-of-life story with fits and starts but not simple answers. Albie transfers schools, deals with bullies, gets a new nanny and struggles with his one significant friendship while simultaneously working to create more. The adults are not black and white. His nanny is great but has her flaws, his parents care but don't seemingly have the time to really understand who their son is. His teachers are aware of the bullying but don't stop it. In one of the Kleenex moments in the book, one teacher gives Albie advice which changes his perspective. It doesn't solve the problem but is one of the baby steps in growing up. The end comes suddenly and not with the kind of neat conclusion you might expect. Albie has made some progress but still struggles, questions remain. The "absolutely real" voice of Albie and the urban NYC setting should make this a good read for many students. Not as upbeat as "Tangle of Knots" (my Lisa Graff fave) but hugely accessible. Another strong hit from an up-and-coming author to watch.
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