Bee Walsh

Written in verse, Manning Up follows Jack as he hopes to live up to everyone's expectations his senior year.

Jack possesses a really good heart. He wants people to be happy if he can help. He strives to make sure his mom never worries about him and he helps her. He actually enjoys spending time with his sister and doesn't mind getting her about to places. He also wants to help the football team advance, for Jack is a gifted athlete.

All of these good intentions take a bit of a toll on Jack--he worries. The way he worries isn't healthy for him. He'll choose not to eat, for example. Eventually, his choices and sacrifices come to a head and he has to face himself in the mirror and make changes.

Manning Up is a super short book--takes little time to read. Because it's a verse novel, no character gets any depth, so they are static. The author expects you to make assumptions based on the few hints given about each character. Overall, I enjoyed it. I learned something, so that's always good. Honestly, I think this book will be popular because it's engaging and short.… (more)