Mr. Santat relates to readers his transformative summer between eighth and ninth grade when he toured Europe with other students. Incorporating flashbacks to his middle school experiences, Mr. Santat allows the reader to understand him on a more intimate level and offers the reader insight to his reactions and feelings while on the trip.
I really liked 8th grader Dan Santat and would have wanted to be his friend. He was kind and compassionate when it would have been easier to be mean and to be disinterested. I, however, would not hand this graphic novel to a middle schooler or young high schooler without discussion (see warning).
I loved the A.A. Milne quotes that were included and the information how Dan and Amy kept in touch after the trip.
-Borrowed from the library.
Warning/points to discuss: Keep in mind while reading-Dan is 13 years old during this memoir: underage drinking in Germany; infer: a girl has her menstural cycle and bleeds through her clothing, in France the boys by accident watch a porn show; Dan tries smoking (he doesn't like it); Dan steals a bike; romance-Dan and Amy begin a relationship -they sit close to each other in the back of the bus where Amy "falls asleep" on his shoulder, they kiss a couple of times
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