Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It

I just finished reading this book. I loved it! I felt like I was in the characters' world. It's like they are people I now know. I miss them already. Frazier does a great job developing her characters. My favorite characters are Brendan and Gladys, his grandmother. I can't wait to read it with my sons or have them read it themselves. I look forward to the good discussions we'll have about it. I could see it being read in a 4th/5th grade classroom to open a discussion about prejudice and racism, which I think is very important to do. Frazier handles the fragile issues of racism and family in a way that you have sympathy for all who are involved. To balance out the more serious issues, there are many humorous moments that kids would relate to and laugh outloud about. I highly recommend tis book!

Brendan is such an inquisitive boy and that is what I like about him. I love Khalfani's name and the antic he plays on his little sister. And both of these boys seem so real because of the "boy" things they do together. I love the strong message of the importance of family and loving each other regardless of race.

Brendan is both likable and complex, which is always a good combination in a protagonist. In fact, he's the kind of character you really miss when a book is finished (I'd like to meet him in person!). I especially like that when he faces an important question, Brendan takes action (sometimes even the drastic kind) to find an answer and when he uncovers something that he senses is wrong (in the world or even in himself), he doesn't rest until it's made right. The themes of family, race, and forgiveness are all poignant. Plus, there's a lot of fun in this book. A worthy read for kids and adults alike.

I really enjoyed this book. Brendan is a terrific character, and I am waiting for the sequel to find out what happens next. I found myself relating to the way he experiences the world, and admiring the decisions and choices he makes. The story is extremely engaging, filled with laugh out loud moments. Its also poignant and heart wrenching, and I shed some tears while reading this on an airplane. I was at a reading event for this book, and the kids in the audience were extremely interested in the excerpts read aloud. They all laughed at some of the funnier moments, and seemed really interested in Brendan's hobbies - rock collecting and TAE KWON DO. This was such a rich story, and I recommend it highly.

I LOVED Brendan Buckley for many reasons. First of all, when I met the character Gladys I laughed until I nearly cried because she was such a spunky old woman. And then I was curious about Brendan's grandfather because of the way he acted toward Brendan. Khalfani was such a funny character! I was very disgusted in Chapter 8 when Brendan and Khalfani had a little "contest" about something that shouldn't be spoken of here. I would recommend this to people who like comedy, tae kwon do, and kid scientists. Five stars out of five because of its comedy and it made me feel like I had to believe in family and sticking together.