Fair Has Nothing to Do With It

by Cynthia Cotten

Every year, twelve-year-old Michael looks forward to his summer visit to his grandparents' farm, to the sights and sounds of the country that always make him feel so alive, and especially to spending time with his grandfather. When Grandpa dies suddenly right before Michael's visit, the loss hits Michael hard. It seems as if nothing is going right in his life right his dad is always working on his dissertation and has no time for Michael, and, when school starts, his math teacher seems to hate him and his best friends are never around. About the only thing that makes him feel better is picking up his sketchbook and pencil and drawing. Michael begins taking private art lessons with Charlie Andrews, a retired art teacher, and the two become friends. But then Michael learns that Charlie might be dying, too.

This is a touching first novel about a sensitive boy's struggle to work through his grief and let people into his life again. As Graham Salisbury pointed out, it provides "excellent comfort to any young reader dealing with the frailty of life."

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Juvenile

160 pages, Hardcover

First published April 17, 2007

Reviews

[Sreshtha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an inspiration to me

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was a really really good book

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Grandma Bev for TeensReadToo.com

Michael always spends the summer at his grandparents' farm, and he is really looking forward to this summer. He and Grandpa always go fishing on the first day, and this year he will be allowed to drive the tractor. They pack up and drive to the farm, but when they arrive, an ambulance is just leaving with Grandpa, who has had a fatal heart attack. Michael is devastated...how can this happen? Michael's uncle and cousin decide to put up the hay that Grandpa had cut so that it wouldn't spoil, but they refuse to let Michael drive the tractor -- they are afraid that he can't handle it.

Back in the city, Michael feels truly alone since Dad is always busy with his schooling and working on the dissertation for his P.H.D. Dad suggests that Michael might like to take some individual art lessons from his good friend, Charlie, since Michael always seems to have a pencil and paper at hand and is very good at art. Michael decides to do that, and trades doing some summer yard work for art lessons, and he and Charlie become friends.

Michael chooses a portrait of Grandpa for his art project at school, but he just can't seem to get the eyes right, even though Charlie works with him every week to improve his skills. This is a very emotional story, as Michael swings from denial to anger to sorrow, and feels that the whole world is against him. He feels that his math teacher hates him and his best friends have distanced themselves from him. They just seem to have other interests this year that don't include Michael. He does make a new friend in Melanie, the cute new girl across the aisle from him in math class. Then Michael learns that his new friend and art mentor, Charlie, might be dying from cancer.

Cynthia Cotten writes with great sensitivity about a difficult subject in this story with compelling characters and a well-developed plot. The title, FAIR HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT, is right on. Life is not fair, but learning to cope with what life hands out is crucial to our children's mental health. This book should be in every library and on your child's summer reading list.

[Ashleyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a book called Fair Has Nothing to Do With It. The book was really good and very emotional. It is about a boy named Micheal who is going to his grandparents house for a week, but when he gets there he sees a ambulance just leaving his grandparents house. Micheal's grandmother is crying. Micheal is just thinking that his grandpa had a heart attack like before but when hes mom tells him and his two sisters that he died Micheal changes. He doesn't even go to his grandpas funeral. When he gets back home he has nothing to do because his friends aren't home. So he just draws like he always does. When school comes around he meets this new girl that I think he likes. Also at school his art teacher tells him to run in this art contest thats says to draw a hero for the contest? Will he enter? Who will he draw? Also he has the meaniest math teacher Mr.Wolf. And hes failing all his math test. He needs someone to help him but his dad is to busy getting all his stuff in order so he can teach college math.Will his dad help him? His dad runs in to a old friend in the libray that needs a little help around his house and will exchange it for art lessons for Micheal.Will Micheal agree to do it? And will he even like him as friend? Him and his friends dont really hangout anymore because they join cross country track. Will he and his friends ever be the same?And will Micheal ever be the same? Hope I didn't give you to much information and I hope I told you a little bit about the book. You really should read this intersting book.

[Susan Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good portrayal of grief. Michael's grandfather is his favorite person in the world. Every summer his family goes to visit Grandpa and Grandma on their farm, and Michael and his grandpa fish, work in the fields, and just talk about life. This summer, as soon as they arrive for their visit, Grandpa dies of a heart attack. The kids are sent back home, and with his dad in school and his mom working and most of his friends away at camp, Michael doesn't know what to do with himself. He gets to know an older man in the neighborhood who needs some help with yard work each week, and this helps him to work through the grieving process. A quiet story, but I enjoyed it.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

A children's book on the emotional toll that the death of a loved one has on a young boy and his working through the grief process. The death in this story is of a beloved grandfather, and young Michael, an aspiring artist, learns to bond with another grandfatherly type man, this being his art tutor.
Cotten also throws in a girl that Michael is attracted to, which took away from the grieving aspect of the book and an unneeded storyline.

[Shadallark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering that this is a children's story, it provides a poignant examination of the impacts of death and family stresses on the life of a boy. The book is very well written; managing to evoke emotions in everyone in our house who read it.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but I just didn't. I didn't care about any of the characters at all and there wasn't enough of a resolution for me.