Brave: 05/30/19

Brave by Svetlana Chmakova is the sequel to Awkward. This one is told from the point of view of Jensen. He's part of the art club but doesn't feel like he fits in as they go head to head with the science club. Meanwhile, Jenny and Akilah are putting together a study about bullying for the school paper and they want Jensen to participate.

Reading this as an adult, it's clear from the first page that Jensen is being bullied. There are the two boys who he tries to avoid. There are other so called friends who doesn't let him speak and push him around verbally. He's tied into emotional knots.

But Jensen and probably a few middle grade readers doesn't realize he's being bullied. He sees bullying as a physical thing and he's too big to be targeted that way. He doesn't want to make a fool of himself and waste Jenny and Akilah's time.

Through this book, Jensen comes to understand he's being emotionally bullied. He comes to realize who his true friends are and some of them, who have been bullying him realize the error of their ways and apologize.

It's a strong second book, but way more of an emotional rollercoaster than Awkward. The third book is Crush (2018).

Five stars

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