4 out of 4 stars
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A Bloody Book by Chris Bowen
This short novel is the story of Maxx, a teenager who was always in trouble, and was failing at school. Later on in his life he took up the challenge his teacher had given to him, and put down on paper the moment he gave up on hope, and gave up caring about life. This book is his story.
Maxx narrates how he didn’t care about his grades, or how much trouble he got into at school. He describes what is was like being in the ‘Reading hell’ class with others who were struggling with school. During the story we find out more about Maxx’s home life, and the traumas and challenges that he faced as a result of his parents addictions, and the abuses that were a part of his daily life.
When Mr Foxx starts teaching Maxx’s class they assume he will be like all the others, but he is different. He uses unorthodox ways to show them that he understands the challenges that they are facing. As a result Maxx begins to re-evaluate where his life is going, and he writes his story for Mr Foxx as a way of getting closure on that part of his life.
The novel is a heart wrenching read that speaks about the desperate situations that some children face daily, often as a result of poverty, alcohol and drugs. It also gives real insight into why some children and teenagers might have behavioural or social challenges, and how easy it would be for nobody to notice what was going on in their lives. The introduction of Mr Foxx into the story was a good way of showing how one person can have an impact on a child’s life, and how teachers in particular can have such an influence on how children view themselves.
The author of A Bloody Book is an extremely experienced teacher, and this shows through in this novel. He understands the problems within the school system, and why some children struggle with it. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who works with children and teenagers, especially teachers and social workers. However, everyone could benefit from reading this story, as it demonstrates how we cannot judge the actions of others until we understand more of what they have experienced, and the challenges they have faced.
I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is well written and was just the right length to communicate its intended message. It keeps you reading to the end to find out what has happened to Maxx, and it has a good mix of suspense and emotion.
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A Bloody Book
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