Official Review: Paul, Big, and Small by David Glen Robb

[LV2R]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Paul, Big, and Small" by David Glen Robb.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Paul, Big, and Small by David Glen Robb is a young adult fiction book about issues that teenagers face in high school and life. Paul Adams has no friends and is often bullied at school by Conor and Hunter. Paul’s life begins to change when he becomes friends with two of his classmates thrown together on the same class project. His two new friends are Big, who is a large friendly Hawaiian and sees beauty all around him, and Lily Small, who is the tallest person in the school. Paul and Lily both like to rock climb in the climbing center and form a team for a coed competition. Sam (Samantha) joins their team, but when Lily finds out that she has Leukemia, Conor joins the team. Can Paul be on the same team as Conor, a bully? Who will win the competition? What is the “Bildungsroman” competition? How does Paul overcome his struggles?

The book also includes twelve discussion questions at the end about the things that happened in the book. One of the questions refers to the title in which it has a double meaning. Another question was about the meaning of “Bildungsroman” and how Paul changed throughout the story. This discussion section is a bonus to the book, as it could add more understanding of the story and how it relates to one’s own life.

I liked that the characters were well developed. It was as if I knew Paul, Big, and Lily personally. Paul was humorous, insecure, afraid of things and people, but throughout the story, he changed. I best liked Big because he was such a friendly person that brought smiles to people’s faces, and I found myself wanting to be touched by his “yellow happiness ray.” He found beauty everywhere. Lily had a strong character and was self-confident.

I disliked the descriptions of the bullying the most because I did not like the belittling behaviors of the bullies nor the serious consequences that happened from being bullied. However, bullying is a real problem that does need to be addressed, and this book gave a good look at it.

A lot of descriptions and terminologies were given about rock climbing and bouldering, and if you are interested in the sport, you may find this book of interest. This book would appeal mostly to teenagers because the characters are in high school and deal with friendships, coming-of-age, school matters, and fears. People who do not like to read about mental illness, cancer, death, or bullying may want to skip this book. Though the book deals with heavy issues, it is mostly written in a light-hearted way and is character-driven. This book may not be appropriate for young children, as they are not mature enough to handle some of the issues in the book.

I rate Paul, Big, and Small by David Glen Robb 4 out of 4 stars. The book was written and edited well. There was a lot of humor even with all of the bullying and other heavy issues making it a good story. The descriptions of rock-climbing were very realistic and understandable as the author wove together a great heart-warming story.

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Paul, Big, and Small
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[Y0landa]

I'm glad to see more books on bullying. It's a very concerning and worrying issue in schools today. It sounds like the author did a good job of portraying the cruel reality of it through this book. Raising awareness of the severity of the matter may help many young kids deal with this problem in the future. In my opinion, this book should be sitting in every highschool bookshelf. Thank you for helping in promoting it with your great review!

[kandscreeley]

It sounds like there are a lot of good themes in this one that young ones might come across. It sounds like an interesting story. Maybe I should pick it up myself. Thanks!

[Mrunal Tikekar]

I think the book address most teenage issues. It seems like an interesting read. But I am post the age when I can enjoy teenage novels. So might give this one a pass.

[Rachel Lea]

This sounds like a really well-written story! I find stories about bullying hard to read, but the cast of characters seems so well-drawn and colorful that I may just give it a try. Thank you for your review!

[Diana Lowery]

This sounds like a good book for a high school classroom library. Sometimes it is easier for teens to relate through fictional characters to learn how to deal with issues. What happens to the bulliers in the story, or do I have to read the book to find out?

[tristenb]

This sounds like a great book for highschoolers to read. The discussion questions at the end of the book would make this a great book to read in school and assign as homework. I think the themes in this book, especially bullying, could be useful for many young readers. Thanks for the review!

[Ekta Swarnkar]

It's in rare books when you can feel the characters present in person. Plus, it has an intriguing plot. Thanks for the review!

[kdstrack]

This book does a good job of highlighting themes that are important to this target audience. I like the idea of the discussion questions to get young people to reflect on these themes. This would be a good suggestion for youth groups. Thanks for your insightful review of this book.

[djr6090]

I'm wondering if the book included any particular strategies that young people could grab hold of in the face of bullying. If it did, it might have some therapeutic value for middle school kids.

[Sanju Lali]

A young adult fiction book "Paul, Big, and Small" by David Glen Robb. which depicts about issues that teenagers face in high school and their personal life. The descriptions and terminologies about rock climbing and bouldering could be useful for those who dream of going for it.

[LV2R]

This sounds like a good book for a high school classroom library. Sometimes it is easier for teens to relate through fictional characters to learn how to deal with issues. What happens to the bulliers in the story, or do I have to read the book to find out?

Yes, you need to read the book to find out.

[Diana Lowery]

This sounds like a good book for a high school classroom library. Sometimes it is easier for teens to relate through fictional characters to learn how to deal with issues. What happens to the bulliers in the story, or do I have to read the book to find out?

Yes, you need to read the book to find out.

Ahh, you sound like a teacher now.

[Maríe Wamakima]

I am definitely interested in mental health as well as rock climbing and bouldering. Bullying has been part of our school system and it's time things change. This book will help bullied kids learn to forgive as well as stand up for themselves.

[Michael40]

I used to be a victim of the subject in the spotlight. I think addressing this issue makes this book unique.