The Other Felix

Gr 4—6—Fourth-grader Felix Schwartzwalder has it rough in his dreams and in his waking life. Each night, he finds himself in the same nightmarish forest filled with scary monsters. When he escapes by waking up, his mother notices a clawed bathrobe and muddy sheets, but neither parent takes him seriously when he says that monsters are to blame. Stressed and distracted, they leave him on his own to deal with his dilemmas. One of his biggest problems is the new kid at school, Chase, who steals a calculator for the sole purpose of getting Felix in trouble and succeeds in turning the teacher as well as classmates against him. Felix is too intimidated to stand up to the bully. Back in his dreams, though, he befriends a boy who looks just like him. The Other Felix is brave and self-sufficient. He teaches Felix how to hunt and survive in the forest, and he isn't frightened of monsters—at least at first. When something goes wrong, and the Other Felix doesn't think he can be strong anymore, Felix decides he needs to learn how to fight monsters. The story has a beautifully crafted innocence reminiscent of The Little Prince. This is a satisfying tale in and of itself, as well as a helpful and sensitive guide for those children who are just learning to confront life's sticky challenges. The ending is exquisite.—Diane McCabe, Loyola Village Elementary School, Los Angeles