Young Man with Camera

by Emil Sher, David Wyman (Illustrator)

A picture is worth a thousand words--and with a unique photographic format, a stunning original voice, and a provocative portrayal of bullying, Young Man with a Camera is a book to get people talking.

T-- is used to getting grief. He gets it from his mom, who blames herself for his accident years earlier. He gets it from Mr. Lam, who suspects every kid of stealing from his shop. Worst of all, he gets it from Joined at the Hip, a trio of bullies so vicious that they leave T-- terrified of even using his entire name.

But T-- has his own strength too: his camera, which captures the unique way he sees the world. His pictures connect him to Ms. Karamath, the kind librarian at school; his friend Sean, whose passion for mysteries is matched only by his love for his dog; and especially Lucy, a homeless woman who shares his admiration for the photographer Diane Arbus. When Lucy is attacked by Joined at the Hip, T-- documents the assault on film. But the bullies know he has the photographs, and their anger could be deadly. What's the right thing for T-- to do? Do pictures ever tell the whole truth? And what if the truth isn't always the right answer?

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Fiction, School, Middle Grade, Art

218 pages, Hardcover

First published September 29, 2015

Reviews

[jv poore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to say that Young Man With Camera packs a powerful punch because my heart is heavily bruised; but that cliché is actually inaccurate. Instead, it is like a snake bite. A shocking, searing-hot flash of pain first, followed by a false sense of ease, into the stinging sensation of venom in your veins. And I mean this as an unequivocally enthusiastic endorsement.

T— is clearly strong, resilient and courageous…yet I immediately experience an inexplicable urge to protect him. Deftly dealing with diverse people, in completely different ways, displays his early-onset maturity and a kindness that cannot be contained. His sincere interest in Ruby, the quiet little girl with the chalk drawings, is as genuine and open as his affection towards the homeless woman with the witty signs.

When repugnant Ryan and his herd of hooligans antagonize T—, he tends to tolerate it; but the minute they set their sights on someone else, T— is quick to defend. Already “damaged”, his scars speak of suffering, while simultaneously showing survival. He has a best bud, Sean, who comes with a faithful and friendly pooch; but it was photography that saved T—. The very pictures he shares are worth way more than a thousand of the wisest words.

Although it is absolutely appropriate for the Middle Grade reader, I will be passing this copy on to “my” High School seniors, where I believe it will appeal to both ends of the reading spectrum. Reluctant readers will appreciate the photography as well as the short-not-so-sweet writing style and avid readers will dig the “something different”. T—’s tale takes you where you definitely do not want to go, and you can’t even cover your eyes along the way. Creating conflict by making you fully understand the why, even when it is so clearly wrong, in a real, raw and absolutely riveting way.

This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.

[Traci Renner · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like to read a book that makes you think and feel, read Young Man with Camera. It's not an easy story. I was angry at the protagonist because he didn't react as I wanted him to, but he reacted in a way that isn't entirely unexplainable. I was viewing the story through my adult eyes and processing it with my adult mind. The protagonist, though, isn't an adult. He's a terrified kid in a horrible situation. He does what he thinks is best, even if the reader doesn't agree. Upon finishing, I had to put myself in his young shoes. While I still didn't like his way, I got it.

The story is told in words and photographs. The words are powerful and the photographs add to the power of the story. What you read and see makes you confront uncomfortable issues in varying degrees (including bullying, homelessness, mental illness). If you can handle a book that makes you think about things that aren't pretty and if you like a book that may evoke difficult emotions, please read this book.

[Rachel Seigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still processing this amazing book. It made me angry, it made me think, it made me smile. Every middle-school student should read this. Themes of justice, bullying and friendship are handled sensitively without being preachy. The language is beautiful and I found myself wanting to highlight several phrases as I was reading.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me rage! This was one of the books that I almost threw across the room! Ryan is a freaking psychopath no, he's an angel who never does anything wrong. For Pete's sake OPEN YOUR EYES! This dude belongs in a mental hospital for the things he did to T. and to shawn. He killed Shawn's dog! What kind of angel does that! And then T. goes to jail for freaking nothing!!!

It makes me so mad that T. went to jail when he did nothing and Ryan got a lesser sentence when he's the one who did everything! This book made me so angry and I honestly really hated the ending. I wouldn't call it a happy ending. Ryan killed and he still kinda got away with it, the book to me was messed up and I didn't want to finish.

Although the pictures and how they were described were amazing and I think T. is a really good person but this book was really hard to read.

[Lucas Stillings]

A decent read, It has a lot of detailed words that really paint a mental image for readers of any age. I do think it could have a better ending and there could definitely be some things changed through out the book, but all in all it is a pretty good book.

[Paula · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not a bad book. It is either a one-star or a five-star book. If you give it anything in between, well, I don't know what you're thinking.

I decided on one star. Too much figurative language (from a kid narrator!), too many staggeringly stupid adults, too much raw evil. Too little gained by characters or the reader by the end. Too few answers.

Was that a flicker of growth or redemption I just saw? Too late. Book's over. Missed it.

The role of the photos in the storytelling was interesting, but the novelty (a very integral and creative novelty, to be fair) was not enough to save the book.

[Tara Downie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Younge man with camera was amazing book, after the first really interesting part it just kept getting better and better, didn't ever want to put my book down. The book definitely put me through all the different emotion sad, scared, anxious but mainly anxious because I was so anxious to find out how it was going to end. Young man with camera was a jaw dropping book not knowing what might happen next was maybe my favorite part. The ending could have been a little better but besides that very good!

[Heather Jōb · Rating 4 out of 5]

HOLY COW.

This book is going to give you serious anxiety. And with the lack of closure or justice in the ending, that anxiety isn't going to go away. I can't decide whether I like the unsettled effect, or whether I want the book to be three times longer so I can walk away without my heart racing. I literally threw my arc across my room.

I mean this all in a good way.

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can breathe again, now that I have finished this book. T- is a remarkable character, and the author has crafted his story with great care. At first I thought this was going to be just another book about bullying. I was wrong.

[Gaven Blair]

yayyyyyyy

we doneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee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[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story surprised me. I was all ready to write it off as fluff that would be a way for the author to voice his views for one cause or another, but it wasn't like that. It was a real hard look at the effects of being bullied. A book for everyone. Not just a shout out for the LGBTQ, or people of a certain skin colour or people of a certain faith. No, this book represented everyone. Something I found quite refreshing. At least I don't remember the main character being identified as one thing or another so it at least didn't dwell on it or make it the central focus. The story didn't even identify the main character; only gave his first initial, T. Is he black, white, gay, overweight, shy?? Don't know, because the author cleverly saw that bullying is the issue, not the why. It was quite brilliant in my estimation.

The second thing that made this story brilliant is that the author didn't bend and make it a tidy little story where everything always works out. For the most part it felt a little uncomfortable leaving a lot of people asking why the main character would act the way he did? But that is the brilliance! It is more likely that the way the character acted is exactly the way a real person might act under the same circumstances. Fear. That is what he is up against and fear usually triggers silence and inaction.

It also dealt with the rest of us as bystanders. How we are all manipulated by the bully and can even be downright deceived into believing the victim is the one who actually is the one who brought it on, or worse, that it isn't even happening. There are really no answers or solutions offered, but many times that is the horrible reality for the life of the bullied. Not that there are no answers, but fear imprisons the bullied into accepting their fate. "T" has become so withdrawn that other than with his best friend Sean and a homeless lady named Lucy he only communicates through his photographs. Communication with all others is a waste of words for T since he has already decided how they will respond so he has given up.

If you don't like disappointment this book is probably not for you, but it has some valuable insights and a strong message about the more likely outcomes of being bullied. Perhaps not to the same extremes as the book, but a more likely scenario than the sugar coated everyone rallying around the bullied person and then putting the bully in their proper place in the end; not only defeating the bully, but reforming them.

Probably some good teaching opportunities for grade six through high school or at least a good read aloud for discussion purposes. Some mild swearing: "kiss my ass" was the worst of it.

[Maria Antonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basic Plot: T— is the young man with the camera. And he's dealing with a lot of issues, including a disfiguring scar, and the school bullies. He finds an escape in photography. Then he strikes up an unlikely friendship with a homeless woman. 

WHAT'S COOL...
1) Love the stuff about photography. As a photographer myself, I enjoyed the analysis of various famous photos that the teacher shows to T—. In addition, we have the actual black and white photos scattered throughout the book show a young photographer's attempts at viewing the world around him.

2) T—'s relationship to the various secondary characters, especially Lucy, the homeless woman. I especially liked the realism captured with her character. There's a moment where he can't reach her (it obvious she has some form of mental illness), and he doesn't know what to do. I liked how that played out. Sometimes with mental illness, there isn't anything we can do... in the moment. But T— still comes back another time. He doesn't give up on Lucy.

3) Another relationship I enjoyed was that of Sean and Watson the dog. What a good friend Sean is.

4) While I didn't like the bullies, I thought they were well-portrayed. It was painful to see T— trying to deal with them. I liked his "unsaid" moments... things he said in his mind, but wouldn't say out loud. He does this throughout the book, and not just with the bullies, but with many of the adults around him.

5) Other elements I liked... Jared's character arc. I like how that played out. Especially with regards to the photo that T— gives him.

6) I like the cover of the book with the blue-toned black and white image. Especially with how the camera is covering the identity of the boy's face.


FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, I liked this book. I liked the message of the teacher that you can change things through photography. Of course, when it comes to photography, maybe I'm biased ;)

This review was originally published at my blog.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this one, I really did. Goodreads readers seem to either hate it or love it. Unfortunately, the only thing I really loved were all of the photographs.

This is hard to read...for a number of reasons. It's not a nice story at all--the blurb says that Ryan "torments" T---, but that's not really accurate. Ryan is a sociopath and borderline (or not so borderline) psychopath who harasses, assaults, frames, blackmails...and worse. And NONE of the adults realize it, which seems sketchy. Also, T--- never ONCE stands up for himself, even a little bit, which makes his character kind of unlikable. And yes...I know this happens. I teach a lot of middle schoolers who never stand up for themselves. But it would have made for a better (and more enjoyable, at least for me) story.

The figurative language also felt out of place in what feels like is supposed to be a gritty, realistic novel--especially from such a young narrator. The metaphors are complex and might be hard for some of my middle grade readers to follow, and the all the hyperbole feels awkward.

[Trisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I did appreciate the photos in the book - I thought many of them were really fascinating to look at - I thought the deepness felt forced and the violence was awful.

[Christina Getrost · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good realistic novel for reluctant readers, with simple writing and lots of black and white pictures. The main character, T. (he doesn't like getting teased over his name so he never uses it) loves to take photos of his surroundings, and so the story is told as much through his lens as it is his narration. He has visible burn scars from a traumatic childhood incident, which make him an outcast among his peers except for his best friend Sean. The bullying here is pretty extreme, including the eventual death of a pet by poisoning. T. befriends a woman experiencing homelessness, who is a really standout character, and has some lighter days; he also has a supportive adult figure in the school librarian who introduces him to the work of street photographer Diane Arbus. But when T witnesses the bullies who usually attack him beating up the homeless woman, things escalate for him. Because the ringleader knows he took photos of the attack and wants them kept hidden, and will go to extreme lengths to do so. This becomes crucial when the homeless woman dies from her injuries. I would recommend this book to middle school readers who like Orbiting Jupiter by Gary Schmidt, as it reminded me a lot of that one, with a sensitive boy who has had a rough life and is going through a lot. This one is quite an emotional book too.

[Courtenay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an intriguing book. It gave me nightmares one night, made me yawn another. I was drawn to it by the photos as illustrations. My favorite character? Lucy. Never felt too close to T- (how close can you get when you don't even know a character's full name?) Hated the parents and the antagonist (-s, collectively, bully central) but that's the point. A book I couldn't NOT finish, but I'm not clear whether I hated more of it (parts) or loved it (parts). Do I recommend it? Not to middle grade readers. To YA readers who like darkness and suffering, sure. Smacked of Wonder in terms of disfigurement, though Wonder is far more hopeful (AND MG). I have to admit I'm partial to the more upbeat MG books myself (trying to write one for 12-13 year old kids, the age of my own daughter) and this one confirmed to me that YA on the whole is just .... FREAKING DEPRESSING. I've got to pick more carefully, but I'm glad I read the whole thing. I want more books that have photos as illustrations as I'm an amateur photographer myself.

[A Person · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young Man With A Camera



The book was about this character named T, T was a photographer and took photos of everything that caught his eye. He had many friends and foes, Ryan was the main person who bullied T. Ryan had bullied T since Kindergarten, Ryan was the type of person that only cared about himself and nobody else. T was a nice but quiet kid, cause of what Ryan had done to him.

I liked how the book could be random that it was almost impossible to guess what would happen. The characters really showed who they are and what type of people they are. The book connections could be very deep. It could be something very simple of something very complex and hard to find the meaning.

The books message is to never let people control you, don’t let them hurt you. Tell a person if you need to, don’t let them blame things on you, ruin your lives. Tell somebody if needed, don’t let people blame it on you, you can live your life the way you want to live. There may be risk on what you do, take the risk.

[Tara Durham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one will be so hard to review. I obviously felt it deserved the full 5 stars but explaining what I thought of the book is much tougher. It’s rare for me to find a book that truly impacts me, in good ways or bad. This one did both.
The compassion that T has for Lucy made my heart smile. His friendships with a few characters felt genuine. And then there’s the one group of fellas. Oh my word. They made my skin crawl and literally sick to my stomach.
I have to give the author serious credit because this book is all encompassing. I was absorbed and went from being leery...to sweetly smiling....to cringing...to hopeful....to being scared to death for T....to wanting to vomit out of sheer revulsion......and then to finally hit the end simply angry.
It’s amazing how with really no profanity and not a huge amount of detail of the violence-that the images are formed so vividly. I will be beat-up and bruised from this one for a very long time.
I assume that I don’t need to leave a synopsis since that’s already available above our reviews.

[Liz Friend · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story: "T---" has been bullied all his life. His enemies are always waiting, ready to pounce, and ready to do their worst not just to T---, but to anyone else he cares about. When the 7th grader befriends a homeless woman, Ryan and his gang come in for the kill, and the terrifying results just get worse and worse. Is there anyone--ANYONE--he can turn to for help?

(NYP: September 2015.) June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG-13; Sexual content G; Nudity G; substance abuse PG; magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (bullying, psychological torture) R; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: It's hard to describe this book in any way beside "gut-wrenching". Sher introduces the reader to a damaged boy with enormous self control, whose experiences at the hands of truly sociopathic bullies are horrifying and yet who just keeps his head down, trying to figure out his way down a path filled with nothing but dead ends. My only complaint is that the adults, particularly T---'s parents, are so clueless as to be cardboard cutouts, and the unadulterated awfulness that is 12-year-old Ryan is so uniformly terrible that it strains credulity--the kid isn't old enough to be so thoroughly evil. However, Sher ratchets up the tension throughout--clear up to an unexpected twist at the end, and the reader is left exhausted, but still hoping that somehow, T--- will figure out a way to triumph quietly over his adversaries.

ANNOTATION WITH SPOILERS:
Annotation with Spoilers: “T---“, the basically-unnamed hero, introduces sidewalk-chalker Ruby and the insidious “Joined at the Hip” gang in Ch. 1, where the bullies ruin Ruby’s artwork and harass and threaten T--- just to keep in shape. T---, whose face is scarred by a bad burn accident in early childhood, has been bullied by these guys since kindergarten, but since ringleader Ryan possesses an almost magical charm that makes all adults love him, T--- knows it’s no use to do anything but suck it up and deal with it. We’re also introduced to T---‘s best friend Sean and his dog Watson, who are essentially T---‘s only friends, although T--- soon meets Lucy, an old woman, homeless who lives on the street near his secret hideout in the Goodison Building (an abandoned building where T--- has made a den and where he keeps all the photos he takes that won’t fit in his bedroom at home.
Another possible adult friend in a sea of people who can’t seem to see the sickness in Ryan is Mrs. Karamath, the librarian. She encourages T---‘s photography, and sets him up with pictures and musings from famous photographers like Diane Arbus.
T--_ is fascinated with fire, and Ryan knows this about him. Anytime there’s a fire in town, T--- is present to watch the action. This time, though, it’s a false alarm. Ryan is there and confesses to T--- that HE pulled the alarm—right before he falsely implicates T--- for the trick. Now T--- is on the FD’s radar.
T--- makes a series of photos of Lucy, who seems able to celebrate her life (she has a running series of gag signs asking for handouts) despite being homeless. Soon, though, Ryan and his gang discover the two of them together and are obligated to start tormenting her as well. She calls them all gutless and gets the best of them in that night’s war of words, but that’s just the beginning. In the meantime, T--- has several exchanges with Ms. Karamath about the power of certain famous pictures, like the Vietnamese girl after napalm, and the man in Tiananmen Square. She gives him three binders; he begins putting pictures of Lucy in the first one.
Just outside T---‘s bunker in the Goodison Building, Ryan and his gang jump Lucy and beat her badly. T---, without a phone, takes pictures of the assault, but as things get more violent, he jumps out to protest. The bullies follow him, but are headed off by a homeless guy in the Goodison Building. T--- is safe for now, but the next morning, there’s an article in the paper about a homeless woman found dead in the city park. Now T--- is left to try to figure out what to do. Sean wants him to take the flash drive with the pictures to the police, but T--- knows that it looks just as much like Lucy’s assaulting the boys as that they were assaulting her.
Soon, the threats start. Ryan implicitly threatens Sean by letting T--- know that he knows where Sean lives, and making comments about his dog. The next day, the bullies are getting ready to shove T---‘s head in the toilet when Jared, one of the gang who isn’t present, walks in and asks what they’re doing. He kind of takes their attention off T--- long enough to diffuse the situation, the implication being that Jared isn’t quite as bad as the rest of them.
Sean announces that Watson has unexpectedly bitten him, causing a long gash on the kid’s stomach and a deeper wound on his arm. It’s only later that T--- finds out it wasn’t Watson at all, but a knife wound delivered by the evil-doers. When Sean’s dog is poisoned soon after, T--- knows he can’t tell anyone about the photos he took of the “Joined at the Hip” gang, even though he’s tempted to confide in Mrs. Karamath. He knows the gang will go after Sean, and that’s not something he’s willing to risk. Even when Ryan sets fire to the Goodison Building and does a convincing frame-up job on T---, the boy keeps silent even though he’s sentenced to 7 months at a correctional facility.
The reader thinks it’s time to breathe a sigh of relief, but then something astounding happens—Ryan ends up in the same facility, having knifed Jared for not obeying him. He immediately commences to threaten T---, just like in days of old—but things have changed. Ryan’s spell has been broken; now he’s just another juvie offender like T---, and T still has the pictures. He is no longer under Ryan’s thrall. Instead, he spends his time working on the second binder, where he writes down his story for Mrs. Karamath and for anyone else with ears to hear.

[Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that this book was very suspenseful. After almost every chapter you read there was something new to figure out. Half the time I didn't want to put the book down! I wanted to continue reading and finish it. Although I liked this book, I did not like the ending. I did not like how it left you in the middle of a conflict. I do know that both Ryan and T- get out of Douglas Furrow at some point, but what happens when they get out? Are T- and Sean still friends? Does Ryan still have all of his followers? Does T- and Ryan still have problems once they're released? Would they maybe get more time added to their sentence? I wish that there was a second book to answer all of my questions. Overall I thought that this was a very good book and I would definitely reccomend it to a friend.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great book it really got me into the story and got me thinking about life. Emil Sher is a great writer and I now want to read more of his books. Young man with a Camera was honestly the best book I have read in a while. I love this book it gives you great advice on how to look at things. Thanks to the book I now don't look at a bag for just a bag I look at a bag as something that holds my things and in return I hold it.

[Alex Kern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unpredictable and thrilling, this book kept me gripped the entire time I read it (for the past two days, not for the several month gap.) It was the first book I can recall that, in my recent memory, compelled me to keep reading and not put the book down. The mystery-drama aspect was unexpected but well-written. The plot is deep and palpable, and emotions run high. A good read, for y'all "goodread"ers.

[Pete Gegick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, this book had a lot of action and drama. Once you get past the structure (it's unlike almost any book I've read before) it's easy to appreciate Sher's genius. It's a Russian Nesting Doll or onion book, one where every layer you peel brings another level of meaning. I can't wait to go through this book with my students. Sher, I'm impressed, this book caught and held my attention the whole way through.

[Mindy Gough · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was left with an "icky" feeling after reading this - the writing was ok, the story was creepy and realistic, but oh, the choices the narrator made were terrible. Maybe that's the point, that he felt he had no choice? If this is a YA book, it leaves young readers believing that sometimes it's best to let evil win to (possibly) avoid more evil. While that **might** be realistic in some rare circumstances, I'd rather have seen this narrator behave differently.

[Tatenda M · Rating 2 out of 5]

YMWC is insanely well written and is the only book to ever make me cry; it’s one of two pieces of literature that have ever lingered with me after the final page and sit in my memory as fresh as the day I turned the last page. That being said, the passiveness and incapability of the main character to take control of his agency and push the plot continue to frustrate me to this day. A read that has stuck with.

[Emilou · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not like this book not because it was poorly written. This book was written very well, had a lot of good things in it and for the right person, would be a very good book. I just did not like how passive the main characters was. I do not enjoy books where people stand by while bad things happen.

[Mel :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite books of all time. Sher is able to paint these incredible scenarios without relying on adjectives. I ended up truly caring about all of the characters and was genuinely upset when shit went down. The use of photographs was clever and not like something I had ever seen before. One of the very few books that made me cry. A book I can never get tired of.

[Suzan Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. This powerful novel, illustrated with the narrator's own photos, is moving & thought-provoking. About bullying, photography, friendship & hope. Will stay with me for a long time.

My full review, including some excerpts: https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2021/...

[Kenzie Oldham · Rating 1 out of 5]

This books was so unrealistic and weird. Like not only was the main character letting everyone walk all over him but everyone wanted to kill him because he was a nerd. Not to mention the atrocious writing, literally everything he said was, “she looked at the picture for about five years” or “she didn’t say anything for about a week”. This got on my nerves to a point where I wanted to put the book down. I wasn’t attached to any of the characters besides for the dog (but even he was a bit off). I honestly wouldn’t recommend this book, it was just too messy. The ideas were good (I though the photos were a cool addition) but the execution wasn’t great at all.

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

(SPOILERS)!!!!!!
Liked the book had to read it for a project tho the ending kinda ticked me off ngl. Like no justice? For Lucy? And the dog? Kinda messed up ngl. Overall the book was okay wouldn’t read it again it’s one of those read once then never again type