The Life and Times of Benny Alvarez

Gr 6–8—In seventh grade, Benny is a contrarian, someone who consistently sees "the glass half empty." His younger brother Crash is as quirky and hyperactive as they come, while Benny's dad, a retired teacher, is known to be a bit unusual. Grandpa Alvarez has suffered several strokes and his health continues to decline. Benny, along with best friends, Jocko and Beanie, is deeply interested in words—their definitions and synonyms. When their teacher announces a new poetry unit, the girls in the class claim verse and rhyming, while the boys sit on the prose side. Benny's crush, the redhead Claudine, is a lover of poetry, which Benny hopes to use to his advantage. Family relationships and dynamics are entertaining at times—particularly Crash's ability to get his way—while Benny's negative outlook and the serious health problems suffered by Grandpa cast a gloomy seriousness to parts of the story. What remains is a solid foray into middle school with a kid whose first-person narrative reveals a potential leader and a surprisingly sensitive point of view.—Carol A. Edwards, Denver Public Library, CO