Anthony Randall knows his strengths. He’s good at basketball, Chemistry, Science and Maths, and so a low grade at Language Arts doesn’t
bother him much. But his mum has other thoughts on the matter when she sees his online grade. To help him improve his marks, he is lined up with Leah Ruben who has volunteered to tutor other students.
Leah is intimidated to begin with, her perception of Anthony being a popular boy in the school basketball team who will think himself above her. Anthony along with others in their grade, knew Leah as a high achiever and a teacher’s pet. They enter the tutoring with trepidation.
To their joint surprise, they begin to enjoy each other’s company and after time even begin to confide in one another about personal things. Anthony’s facade finally begins to crack after rarely showing his feelings. Leah’s tutoring helps him delve deeper into his emotions to help with his essay writing.
When one day they see Anthony’s team mates bullying a younger boy, they are not only forced deeper into their own past experiences with bullying, they know they must do something after a second incident.
Truths are shared, memories rear up, and friendships bend. Middle school is seldom straight forward, and Anthony and Leah must make decisions, forgive, understand and grow from it all.
Although named Always Anthony, like other books in this popular graphic novel series, there are two main characters. Leah is an equal and important part of this story about unlikely friendships, misconceptions about people around you, and bullying.
Leah has been bullied before and can relate to a younger boy’s fear and feelings as he flees from older boys. Anthony is on the basketball team with these boys and doesn’t want to rock the boat, attract the bullying or make a big deal of it. Both Anthony and Leah have to deal with the complicated feelings that rise up at seeing a younger boy bullied.
There are other things happening as Anthony and Leah work together on his English class grade. Leah’s friends become jealous, Anthony’s friends are dismissive of Leah, and then his best friend Tyler is left feeling out in the cold after an essay project.
Wrangling friendships in school can be difficult – especially when group dynamics change, but it’s all part of the growing process for us all, and this bright, engaging episode in the emmie & friends series is a fun foray into all sorts of possible connections.
I always enjoy the two distinct styles of illustration and storytelling for each character’s point of view in this series. In between the more serious themes are amusing drawings that add even more to the tale. I love them all!
Author / Illustrator – Terri Libenson
Age – 8+
Find lots of cool stuff on Terri Libenson’s Author page here
(2024, Harper Collins, School, Series, Friendship, Bullies, Courage, Growing up, Peer Pressure, Popularity, Misconceptions, Friendship Dynamics, Middle School, Intermediate School, Jewish, Baking, Cooking, Chemistry, English, Language Arts, Funny, Humour,