Reading Metrics
Description
At the heart of this story is Robert Nobel, a shy teen who is constantly teased and feels invisible at home and at school. A class project sends him to the apartment of Edith Sorrell, an enigmatic elderly woman who insists he has the power to fly and needs his help with something from her past. As Robert confronts a bully, his distant father, and his own self-doubt, Edith's secret pushes him to discover courage he never knew he had. The novel blends a realistic school setting with a touch of mystery, showing how a young person can find his place by confronting both inner fears and external obstacles.
Quick Summary
Robert thinks he's just stuck with a boring school project when he meets Edith, an elderly neighbor who has clearly seen better days, but what starts as an assignment about old people turns into something neither of them expected. Nicky Singer has written a story that tackles grief, loneliness, and the surprising ways we can heal each other without getting heavy-handed or preachy about it. Kids who enjoy books like "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" or stories where young people form unexpected friendships will find a lot to love here, especially if they appreciate a little bit of mystery mixed in with their character-driven tales. There's some sadness threaded through the story since Edith clearly carries painful memories, and the book doesn't shy away from exploring what it means to feel like an outsider, but it never tips into being depressing. The pace picks up considerably once Robert starts digging into Edith's past, and there's a satisfying emotional payoff that rewards readers who stick with it. This would work really well for reluctant readers who think they don't like "serious" books, since the mystery element gives them something to latch onto, and parents should know it's appropriate for the upper elementary through middle school crowd despite the lower reading level.