Squint

SQUINT

by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown

(the authors of Mustaches for Maddie)

My name is Flint, but everyone in middle school calls me Squint because I'm losing my vision. I used to play football, but not anymore. I haven't had a friend in a long time. Thankfully, real friends can see the real you, even when you can't clearly see.

Flint loves to draw. In fact, he's furiously trying to finish his comic book so he can be the youngest winner of the ''Find a Comic Star'' contest. He's also rushing to finish because he has keratoconus--an eye disease that could eventually make him blind.

McKell is the new girl at school and immediately hangs with the popular kids. Except McKell's not a fan of the way her friends treat this boy named Squint. He seems nice and really talented. He draws awesome pictures of superheroes. McKell wants to get to know him, but is it worth the risk? What if her friends catch her hanging with the kid who squints all the time?

McKell has a hidden talent of her own but doesn't share it for fear of being judged. Her terminally ill brother, Danny, challenges McKell to share her love of poetry and songwriting. Flint seems like someone she could trust. Someone who would never laugh at her. Someone who is as good and brave as the superhero in Flint's comic book named Squint.

Squint is the inspiring story of two new friends dealing with their own challenges, who learn to trust each other, believe in themselves, and begin to truly see what matters most.

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This book is FANTASTIC!

You will learn some comic book rules, middle school rules, and  Grandma and Grandpa rules. PLUS if you join in the "Danny's Challenges" you will become a happier/better person.

LOVED IT! This is a MUST-READ for the whole family!

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Mustaches for Maddie

A review copy was provided
Audiobook is free with Bookshelf Plus

MUSTACHES FOR MADDIE

by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown

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Maddie has been my hero for a few years now-- I met her dad, author Chad Morris, at the time all of this was happening. I was, and continue to be, impressed with Maddie's ability to find happiness through the use of mustaches. As soon as I saw this book I knew I wanted to read it as it tells her story. You will fall in love with Maddie and want to wear a mustache to make her smile. So well told by Maddie's mom and dad, you will not be able to put it down. This girl will take over your heart. She is amazing! LOVED. LOVED. LOVED. IT!

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Maddie is a normal twelve-year-old girl. Well, except for the fake mustaches she carries in her pocket. She likes to make people laugh and slapping on a mustache, especially a fuzzy pink or neon green one, always gets a smile. Maddie hopes that the class queen, Cassie, will find her mustaches as funny as she does and want to play with her at recess. She's been self-conscious lately because her right arm only feels normal when it's curled against her chest and she's constantly tripping over her feet. But that's probably just part of growing up and not something weird, right?

When Maddie's arm continues to bother her, her parents take her to a doctor who gives them a shocking diagnosis: the cause of the abnormal behavior of her limbs is a brain tumor and she must have surgery to remove it. She's understandably afraid as he describes the procedure, but knows she must find a way to be brave and must face her fears--all of them--at the hospital, at home and at school.

She will need all of her courage not only to face her illness, but also to face Cassie at school. Both Cassie and Maddie are auditioning for the same role in the school play, but when Cassie accuses Maddie of lying about her tumor in order to get attention, Cassie's bossiness turns into bullying.

And as Maddie's surgery approaches, she begins to worry more and more about the outcome. What if something goes wrong? What if the doctors don't get all the tumor out of her brain? What will happen to her family? What will happen to her?

It will take all of Maddie's vibrant imagination, a lot of kindness-both given and received-and of course, the perfect mustache to overcome the tough stuff ahead of her.

* Here are some fun mustache pictures that were taken in hopes of giving Maddie a little laughter and joy--

 

Audiobook is free with Bookshelf Plus
Links will help you find it on 
BookshelfPlus - Amazon - Goodreads