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Description
Sixteen-year-old Kevin is uncomfortable with the publicity surrounding his act of accidental heroism, but when a reporter photographs him apparently being unpatriotic, he steps into the limelight to encourage people to think about the symbols of freedom
Quick Summary
If you've ever wondered what would happen if a regular kid accidentally became a local hero and couldn't escape the spotlight, this book nails that scenario perfectly. Kevin is hilariously relatable a sixteen-year-old who just wants to blend in and survive high school, but after a life-or-death moment at a mall (not even his fault, really), he becomes the town's "Hero Kid" complete with a memorial plaque and everything. The real fun starts when a photographer catches him doing something that looks bad on camera, and suddenly he's either the poster boy for American values or a public enemy, depending on who's looking. Barry Lyga has a way of making Kevin's sarcastic inner voice so real that you'll find yourself laughing out loud while also thinking about how messed up it is that we put teenagers on pedestals and then love tearing them down. It works for reluctant readers because the plot moves fast and never takes itself too seriously, but it's also got enough depth to make you think about media manipulation and what it actually means to be brave. Parents should know it deals with some heavier stuff cyberbullying, public shaming, and the pressure of living up to an image but it's handled with humor rather than heaviness. If you've read Lyga's "Unwind," this has that same sharp, modern voice, or if you liked "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," you'll appreciate how this book balances laughs with real questions about identity.