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 Review by
Louella Moreland
Michael Scotto's book "Postcards from Pismo" uses letters, emails and (of
course) postcards to tell the story of a young boy named Felix from Pismo
Beach, Calif. The letters begin as a class pen pal exchange for Memorial Day
as Felix leaves fourth grade. The story ends during his fifth-grade school
year. Writing to Lt. Green in Afghanistan allows Felix to explore his
feelings about his family, bullies at school and his own brother enlisting
in the military.
During the story we only see Felix's correspondences. However, the reader
has a good idea of what Lt. Green's writings entail. The format of Felix's
writing is also made clear to the reader through the use of different fonts
and illustrations. The writing itself is quite perfect in its spelling and
punctuation, which detracts from its authenticity, but helps keep the flow
of the story going smoothly without the reader having to decode any text.
I did not find the illustrations supplied by Dion Williams very pleasing,
however. Williams depicts Asians as rather cartoon characters with large
heads and short, muscular trunks. The use of illustrations as postcards or
photos was a nice variation for the reader and appropriate to the text.
What I did find pleasing was the voice author Scotto used throughout,
putting the reader into the mind and feelings of a boy of this age. Felix
has true emotions about school, especially when he is bullied by a
classmate. His confusion about his brother's enlistment allows the reader to
see how pride mixes with fear when a loved one is going off to war.
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Lt. Green's responses to Felix help him work through the events
that occur, while giving Felix the assurance that someone is
listening. That is, after all, what can be the most difficult
situation for young people, especially boys this age. Everyone needs
to have their feelings validated. Feelings are never right or wrong.
How we handle those feelings determine our values and how the world
sees us as a person. The choices Felix makes about his feelings
create the character we see on the written page.
The reader is also introduced to the lifestyle of a young person
living on the central California coast, an area that may not be
familiar to readers living in other parts of the country.
The story itself may provide comfort to young people who have
family members in the military or give adults a discussion starter
to assist in bringing fears out in the open. Perhaps it will
encourage readers to find a soldier with whom to become a pen pal.
For this book and others about military families, come see us at
the Lincoln Public Library, 725 Pekin St.
[Text from file received from Louella Moreland,
Lincoln Public Library District]
Ms. Lou's blog:
lincolnpubliclibraryupdates.blogspot.com |
