Paul, Big, and Small by David Glen Robb-Book Review

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Book Details Publication Date: 10/1/19 Hardcover ISBN: 9781629726021 Retail Price: $17.99 Page Count: 336 Genre: Young Adult Fiction / Social Themes /Bullying Ages 14 to 18, Grades 9 And Up Book Design: © Shadow Mountain Art Direction: Richard Erickson Design: Barry Hansen Production Design: Emily Remington

***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own***

Book Summary

A YA novel about the turbulent, emotional lives of teenagers who are struggling with life’s challenges openly and sometimes in secret.

Paul Adams has always been short, but he’s an excellent rock climber. And his small size means he can hide from the bullies that prowl the halls of his high school.

Top on his list of “People to Avoid” are Conor, from his Language Arts class, Hunter, who hangs around the climbing gym, and Lily Small, who happens to be the tallest girl in school. But he might be able to be friends with a new kid from Hawaii who insists that everyone call him “Big.” He’s got a way of bringing everyone into his circle and finding the beauty in even the worst of situations.
When the three of them—Paul, Big, and Small—are assigned to the same group project, they form an unlikely friendship. And Paul realizes that maybe Lily isn’t so bad after all. He might even actually like her. And maybe even more than like her.

Paul and Lily team up for a rock-climbing competition, but when Lily is diagnosed with leukemia, Paul ends up with Conor on his team. And when Paul learns that Conor is dealing with bullies of his own—as well as some deep emotional pain—he realizes that the bullying in his school has got to stop.

My Review

Paul, Big, and Small is a book I want to put into the hands of every kid between the ages of 10-20...and everyone else that can read. This book is full of so many emotional moments and unique characters. Anyone that has ever been a teenager will be able to relate to one of the main characters found in this novel. Author David Glenn Robb doesn't hold back on showing the turbulent happenings inside of a high school involving bullying, acceptance, and social awkwardness. Other topics in this book that involves one or more characters are mental illness, loss, grief, cancer, and suicide. Everything is written without being showy or preachy. It will open up the eyes of teens that think no one else has any problems except them.  

The characters of Paul, "Big", and Lily are written so well and you grow to love them. "Big" the new kid from Hawaii has to be my favorite character. He always looks for the beauty in everything and everyone. I actually learned a lot from this character and want to be more like him. The biggest character development shown is by Paul and Lily, bringing about many heart-warming moments and tears to the reader. As I was reading this book, I couldn't help but think about how this novel could change the lives of real teens. This book read at school or home could bring about great discussions on hard topics. 

I also wanted to add how there is a lot of information about rock climbing that was very interesting. Much of the story revolves around this sport. 

The thing I absolutely loved most about this book is how the story flows so easily. Once you are immersed in the story it's hard to pull yourself away. Readers' emotions are pulled up and down continually throughout this novel. I'm very impressed that this is the author's first published novel. This book has the potential of becoming a classic like the Outsiders. So, Paul, Big, and Small gets 5 stars from me! 

Purchase Links: 

Deseret Book: [Search domain deseretbook.com/p/paul-big-and-small] https://deseretbook.com/p/paul-big-and-small

Amazon:https://amzn.to/2oPbi0f

Meet Author David Glenn Robb 

David Glen Robb lives in the Rocky Mountain West with his wife, two sons, and two dogs and is an avid rock climber who also coaches youth rock climbing teams. He taught high school English, art, and creative writing for eleven years before deciding to pursue writing full time.

Learn more about David and his book HERE: https://www.davidglenrobb.com/

Advance Praise/Endorsements: 

"Paul is hardly five feet tall which makes him the perfect target...in high school. He encounters Lily Small, a tall, athletic black girl, and Big, a triple-X Hawaiian shirt-wearing Polynesian. The trio are partnered up for a project on Of Mice and Men...this assignment is the seed for the strongest friendships he has ever had. Through this project and at the local rock climbing gym, Paul, who is white, learns to recognize others’ issues that cause them to pick on those weaker than themselves. While much of the book focuses on the mental strength and physical agility necessary to be a successful climber, the subplots demonstrate how this sport can provide the therapy needed to overcome bullying, grief, and trauma. This book shows how friendships can be found when least expected. Perfect for libraries building their sports collections, as it clearly explains the fundamentals of rock climbing not often found in other YA books." 

-School Library Journal