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Husky
"[G]enuinely funny, heart-wrenching . . ." - Kirkus Reviews
"[A] moving journey of self-discovery and a gratifying coming-of-age story." - Publishers Weekly
"Husky . . . is a superb addition to the middle grade literary canon." - VOYA Reviews
"There is not a false note in the writing . . ." - Lambda Literary
A beautifully voiced debut captures an intimate story of change and acceptance.
Twelve-year-old Davis lives in an old brownstone with his mother and grandmother in Brooklyn. He loves people-watching in Prospect Park, visiting his mom in the bakery she owns, and listening to the biggest operas he can find as he walks everywhere.
But Davis is having a difficult summer. As questions of sexuality begin to enter his mind, he worries people don’t see him as anything other than “husky.” To make matters worse, his best girlfriends are starting to hang out with mean girls and popular boys. Davis is equally concerned about the distance forming between him and his single mother as she begins dating again, and about his changing relationship with his amusingly loud Irish grandmother, Nanny.
Ultimately, Davis learns to see himself outside of his one defining adjective. He’s a kid with unique interests, admirable qualities, and people who will love him no matter what changes life brings about.
"[A] moving journey of self-discovery and a gratifying coming-of-age story." - Publishers Weekly
"Husky . . . is a superb addition to the middle grade literary canon." - VOYA Reviews
"There is not a false note in the writing . . ." - Lambda Literary
A beautifully voiced debut captures an intimate story of change and acceptance.
Twelve-year-old Davis lives in an old brownstone with his mother and grandmother in Brooklyn. He loves people-watching in Prospect Park, visiting his mom in the bakery she owns, and listening to the biggest operas he can find as he walks everywhere.
But Davis is having a difficult summer. As questions of sexuality begin to enter his mind, he worries people don’t see him as anything other than “husky.” To make matters worse, his best girlfriends are starting to hang out with mean girls and popular boys. Davis is equally concerned about the distance forming between him and his single mother as she begins dating again, and about his changing relationship with his amusingly loud Irish grandmother, Nanny.
Ultimately, Davis learns to see himself outside of his one defining adjective. He’s a kid with unique interests, admirable qualities, and people who will love him no matter what changes life brings about.
288 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
June 14, 2015
Davis is weeks away from starting high school and, as the "husky" kid in his grade, is not very excited. He would rather listen to opera music on repeat than go to a party, and his two best (and only) friends - both girls - are drifting away as they discover other exciting people. On top of everything, his mom is acting mysterious, and Davis suspects she might be dating someone new... and he is NOT ready for that!
This book started out for me at about 4 stars, and I was quite excited about it, but it just plummeted as it went on. It has a lot of promise, but didn't really use its potential. I LOVED the character of Davis at the beginning: he's refreshingly honest and his voice is so convincing. I definitely saw a lot of myself (at age 14) in his character and it felt really good to sympathize with him. I think Sayre does a great job at capturing the voice and the worries of adolescents at the cusp of teenager-hood. So that was good. Unfortunately, not a lot else was.
My main problem in this book is that nothing really... happened. Not a lot of plot, not a lot of growth in Davis' character. His brutal honesty quickly went from refreshing to irritating and whiny when he did absolutely nothing to help himself or work on anything or talk to people around him. The last two pages of the book wrap everything up in a nice tidy bow as characters completely act contrary to how they are in the rest of the story. It was unbelievable and cut too short, and yet I was left thinking that nothing had happened throughout the whole thing. You don't need to have tons of plot and movement in a novel, but this one needed more than it delivered.
This book started out for me at about 4 stars, and I was quite excited about it, but it just plummeted as it went on. It has a lot of promise, but didn't really use its potential. I LOVED the character of Davis at the beginning: he's refreshingly honest and his voice is so convincing. I definitely saw a lot of myself (at age 14) in his character and it felt really good to sympathize with him. I think Sayre does a great job at capturing the voice and the worries of adolescents at the cusp of teenager-hood. So that was good. Unfortunately, not a lot else was.
My main problem in this book is that nothing really... happened. Not a lot of plot, not a lot of growth in Davis' character. His brutal honesty quickly went from refreshing to irritating and whiny when he did absolutely nothing to help himself or work on anything or talk to people around him. The last two pages of the book wrap everything up in a nice tidy bow as characters completely act contrary to how they are in the rest of the story. It was unbelievable and cut too short, and yet I was left thinking that nothing had happened throughout the whole thing. You don't need to have tons of plot and movement in a novel, but this one needed more than it delivered.
June 24, 2015
I just finished the galley of this book and I'm really impressed on how author Justin Sayre handled the topic of body image, obesity, and teen issues with sensitivity and humor. Our protagonist Ducks knows he is overweight and even struggles with his own personal insecurities. He has a family and friends who love him but even still that does very little to appease his one self confidence. Hence, he hides in classic operas to express himself.
As chubster myself, I can relate to his struggles and trying to fit into a world where you feel like you don't belong. Sure, he hides it well but eventually it eats away until he finally explodes and that point I wanted to open my windows and cheer poor Ducks along for his triumph of discovering his own voice.
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At to it the slight twist ending of how he sees himself and everything starts to come full circle. Recommended for middle schoolers transitioning into teen. A truly, awesome book!
As chubster myself, I can relate to his struggles and trying to fit into a world where you feel like you don't belong. Sure, he hides it well but eventually it eats away until he finally explodes and that point I wanted to open my windows and cheer poor Ducks along for his triumph of discovering his own voice.
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At to it the slight twist ending of how he sees himself and everything starts to come full circle. Recommended for middle schoolers transitioning into teen. A truly, awesome book!
July 12, 2020
3.5 stars
This was a sweet book. I liked Davis from the first chapter because I, too, am a slightly 'husky' opera nerd. He is a nice kid and I liked that he grew and learned throughout the book without totally changing as a person or losing any of his charisma from the early parts of the book.
My main reason for the rating here can be summed up in two parts: 1. The random capitalization of some words, while good for characterization, is overused and can be annoying. 2. The roles are stereotypical. Perhaps it's because I just finished high school, but I am so sick of reading stuff about high school kids and the 'nerds' and 'popular kids'. Young people and their social hierarchies are a lot more nuanced than most authors seem to be aware of. Davis had a lot going for him, but I think his relationship with Sophie and his semi-acceptance of Allegra needed to be explored a lot more instead of pigeon-holing characters into one archetype.
This was a sweet book. I liked Davis from the first chapter because I, too, am a slightly 'husky' opera nerd. He is a nice kid and I liked that he grew and learned throughout the book without totally changing as a person or losing any of his charisma from the early parts of the book.
My main reason for the rating here can be summed up in two parts: 1. The random capitalization of some words, while good for characterization, is overused and can be annoying. 2. The roles are stereotypical. Perhaps it's because I just finished high school, but I am so sick of reading stuff about high school kids and the 'nerds' and 'popular kids'. Young people and their social hierarchies are a lot more nuanced than most authors seem to be aware of. Davis had a lot going for him, but I think his relationship with Sophie and his semi-acceptance of Allegra needed to be explored a lot more instead of pigeon-holing characters into one archetype.
June 18, 2015
This book doesn't really have a plot, and let me be the first to say that's okay. I'm more tolerant than most of books that are more about a character's personal growth than about what they accomplish story-wise, externally. But to be perfectly honest, I didn't have much fun with this book or much connection to the protagonist, Davis. What I did like was that he had quite a few relatable characteristics that rang true to real-life experience; he had an anecdote that rang really true about how he is extra careful to avoid getting food on himself and hates it when he does (because of what people assume about fat people with food stains on their clothes). I liked his obsession with opera, and I liked the description of the different ways his mom smells after baking and the different kinds of laughs people have. The mean-girl politics were quite true-to-life without seeming contrived, and I like this one line he has about how he's done so many things wrong at a get-together that he feels like he might as well go punch somebody's dog. But overall, I just didn't much care for the book.
It felt a little too spacey, a little too unfocused for me to care about what was going on. I love seeing characters like Davis, but I think we were in his head a little TOO much sometimes, and the thoughts were really, really spelled out and often went on way too long. I would have liked to have picked up on some of these thoughts of his through more subtle interaction and presentation. I was irritated by this weird tendency to give significant things Capital Letters--the first half especially was littered with these--and there were several places where references to characters' "diversity" seemed random, as if they were there just to tell us "guess what, we have a black friend, and a deaf little sister, and a character who's neurodivergent in some way," with the text making these odd veers to the side to mention them. (Particularly weird to me was that right after a character's being black was revealed, the black girl suggested--as if this is a usual thing to say--that her blackness matched another character's black shoes. What? And I'm super uncomfortable with the deaf little sister being described as being "like a little puppy.") I also did not expect to see a book with a fat main character containing a sentence about how Davis is not THAT fat, just a little husky, because he's not gross or anything. I just didn't quite know what to think.
This book does well at capturing a certain essence of kids' transitions into young adults that most books don't quite hit; that incredible awkwardness was preserved very well and frequently rendered in believable interactions. But Davis spends the majority of this book wandering around being angsty about his friends leaving him out and whether they're doing it on purpose and he takes some of it out on his family in ways that felt odd--there's so much internal narration that I expected the connection between those two problem spheres in his life to be more explicit. And though I appreciate the relationships being messy, I felt like I was reading something that was usually realistic but not really what I would consider interesting subject matter for a whole book. I would have liked to see Davis with less internal monologue and more as a part of something happening outside his head, but I know that's just not the kind of book it is. I did find the style pretty easy to read, but I'd be lying if I said I was never mildly bored. A character can sometimes carry the story all by himself, but in this case I think the character was just carrying himself, without really worrying about the story part.
It felt a little too spacey, a little too unfocused for me to care about what was going on. I love seeing characters like Davis, but I think we were in his head a little TOO much sometimes, and the thoughts were really, really spelled out and often went on way too long. I would have liked to have picked up on some of these thoughts of his through more subtle interaction and presentation. I was irritated by this weird tendency to give significant things Capital Letters--the first half especially was littered with these--and there were several places where references to characters' "diversity" seemed random, as if they were there just to tell us "guess what, we have a black friend, and a deaf little sister, and a character who's neurodivergent in some way," with the text making these odd veers to the side to mention them. (Particularly weird to me was that right after a character's being black was revealed, the black girl suggested--as if this is a usual thing to say--that her blackness matched another character's black shoes. What? And I'm super uncomfortable with the deaf little sister being described as being "like a little puppy.") I also did not expect to see a book with a fat main character containing a sentence about how Davis is not THAT fat, just a little husky, because he's not gross or anything. I just didn't quite know what to think.
This book does well at capturing a certain essence of kids' transitions into young adults that most books don't quite hit; that incredible awkwardness was preserved very well and frequently rendered in believable interactions. But Davis spends the majority of this book wandering around being angsty about his friends leaving him out and whether they're doing it on purpose and he takes some of it out on his family in ways that felt odd--there's so much internal narration that I expected the connection between those two problem spheres in his life to be more explicit. And though I appreciate the relationships being messy, I felt like I was reading something that was usually realistic but not really what I would consider interesting subject matter for a whole book. I would have liked to see Davis with less internal monologue and more as a part of something happening outside his head, but I know that's just not the kind of book it is. I did find the style pretty easy to read, but I'd be lying if I said I was never mildly bored. A character can sometimes carry the story all by himself, but in this case I think the character was just carrying himself, without really worrying about the story part.
July 20, 2016
Husky by Justin Sayre.
It was really interestingly written. It was such a personal look into Davis’ life. The book is told in such a realistic way about the summer before high school. I am going to recommended this book to people looking for a book like John Green without the romance (it happens a lot) and people who want to read about high school, basically anyone who wants a good realistic story and people who want a book with no romance in it (which is hard to find in the teen section) and a lot of male readers who don’t want to read books where the protagonist is a girl and also without any romance or people asking me for books with gay characters. People always ask me about these topics. I always try my best to help everyone based on what they like and what they don’t! The narrative in this book is amazing: it is so believable. I'm going to recommended this to a lot of people.
When the book starts it is the summer before high school and Davis is trying to figure out his adjective that he believes he will be defined by in high school (he is basically talking about the stereotypes of high school, jocks, cheerleaders, geeks, etc) He desperately wants to change himself. His mom owns a bakery where he helps out at (along with Pablo), he lives with his grandmother/nanny (who is very loud.) and mom. He is often distressed about his weight. Davis loves opera and has loved opera since he was a little child.
His friends (mainly Sophie) have evolved, she started hanging around with Allegra who is the “it” girl and different guys (Davis calls them “the boys with the armpits”) then Davis would normally talk to and his other best friend Ellen and Davis does not seem to fit in the clique. He notices them drifting away as the girls are doing a make over party and he is not invited. He thinks Sophie is picking Allegra over him.
He eventually finds his footings. Davis eventually breaks free from the labels (slash being defined by labels that you are given in high school) and is happy that he has not ended up labelled the husky one.
His mom dates Pablo throughout the book when Davis finds out about this he is angry and causes his dead grandfather’s (Jock) favourite tv to break. There is a big fight that night. The next day his Nanny makes him buy a new tv with the money he was saving to buy a cell phone. He apologizes to his mom for his bad behaviour.
It was really interestingly written. It was such a personal look into Davis’ life. The book is told in such a realistic way about the summer before high school. I am going to recommended this book to people looking for a book like John Green without the romance (it happens a lot) and people who want to read about high school, basically anyone who wants a good realistic story and people who want a book with no romance in it (which is hard to find in the teen section) and a lot of male readers who don’t want to read books where the protagonist is a girl and also without any romance or people asking me for books with gay characters. People always ask me about these topics. I always try my best to help everyone based on what they like and what they don’t! The narrative in this book is amazing: it is so believable. I'm going to recommended this to a lot of people.
When the book starts it is the summer before high school and Davis is trying to figure out his adjective that he believes he will be defined by in high school (he is basically talking about the stereotypes of high school, jocks, cheerleaders, geeks, etc) He desperately wants to change himself. His mom owns a bakery where he helps out at (along with Pablo), he lives with his grandmother/nanny (who is very loud.) and mom. He is often distressed about his weight. Davis loves opera and has loved opera since he was a little child.
His friends (mainly Sophie) have evolved, she started hanging around with Allegra who is the “it” girl and different guys (Davis calls them “the boys with the armpits”) then Davis would normally talk to and his other best friend Ellen and Davis does not seem to fit in the clique. He notices them drifting away as the girls are doing a make over party and he is not invited. He thinks Sophie is picking Allegra over him.
He eventually finds his footings. Davis eventually breaks free from the labels (slash being defined by labels that you are given in high school) and is happy that he has not ended up labelled the husky one.
His mom dates Pablo throughout the book when Davis finds out about this he is angry and causes his dead grandfather’s (Jock) favourite tv to break. There is a big fight that night. The next day his Nanny makes him buy a new tv with the money he was saving to buy a cell phone. He apologizes to his mom for his bad behaviour.
July 10, 2017
This is like a coming of age story but without the romance and I was totally okay with it because Davis is getting his love from the people that surround him.
I'm not going to lie I cried about two hundred pages in and I felt for Davis, like he just wants to be a part of something and doesn't want to get left behind and in a lot of ways I can relate to that I think that most of us can; because things change in life and we have to keep adapting to that.
Another thing is that wasn't much plot except that he wanted to stay friends with his best friends and was willing to put up with anything to make that a possibility. I can't say I know anything about Davis and other than he has a loud Irish mom and likes Opera but I hope he finds out what he's meant to be.
I'm not going to lie I cried about two hundred pages in and I felt for Davis, like he just wants to be a part of something and doesn't want to get left behind and in a lot of ways I can relate to that I think that most of us can; because things change in life and we have to keep adapting to that.
Another thing is that wasn't much plot except that he wanted to stay friends with his best friends and was willing to put up with anything to make that a possibility. I can't say I know anything about Davis and other than he has a loud Irish mom and likes Opera but I hope he finds out what he's meant to be.
April 1, 2016
Perfectly captures the emotional turmoil of that awkward transition from middle school to high school along with being gay but not quite understanding what it all means. Sayre's book doesn't have much that actually happens in it - but it's never presented as a plot-driven book from the very start. This is a character-based middle grade novel that does an amazing job giving readers a glimpse into the emotional life of Davis, the main character. Will this book be for everyone? No. But the ones that enjoy it, it will change their worldview and that's what's important.
December 5, 2020
I found this gem at a Dollar Tree back in October. I haven't read a YA book in a while, but I picked it up because A.) It was a dollar, & B.) The main character is a plus-sized boy. Usually, those characters are the side-kick best friends, or comic relief, and they are never given a personality that doesn't revolve around their weight. I liked that this book was more than the characters self-esteem and labels, but also about his interests, friendships, and family life as a 13 year-old boy living in modern day New York. It's an easy read that's slightly humorous, and sad at times. Reading this as an adult takes me back, and 13 year-old me would have loved to see some representation. My only issue was some of the annoying characters. (Sometimes the protagonist himself too.) But I guess that's how kids are? Overall, it's a book I'm glad I stumbled upon.
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4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
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4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
April 17, 2019
i have to admit that i did cry a bit while reading this because of the advices that was given by Nanny, about the way we’re handling the reality. “There’s more to the world than you see. And there’s more to the world than you know. The worst thing God ever did was give us all eyes of our very own. We see what we see and we think that’s all there is. We’re blind and we don’t even know it.”
March 16, 2018
Husky by Justin Sayre is a heartwarming coming of age story about the journey of a husky and awkward twelve year old boy named Davis, better known by his nickname “Ducks.” While for me, a seventeen year old female, this was an unusual choice of book, it was a refreshing change of pace from my usual choices of realistic fiction that often involve the high school underdog story or a cheesy teenage romance. Although the plot is not high stakes like an adventure novel, not emotional like a romance, and not even very interesting in general, it holds an important message very relevant for those in their middle school years. However, it was originally published in 2015 after I was already out of middle school, but I still would recommend this novel to middle schoolers. In fact, I wish this book would have been released during or before my middle school years as I feel it could have given me valuable insight into how all my peers were just as confused, awkward, and anxious as me.
Davis’s story is one that revolves around his inner struggles and outer struggles. Among his inner struggles is his body insecurity as well as his awkwardness in social situations, and among his outer struggles is his exclusion in activities with his female friends due to his gender. He deals with all these problems through listening to opera music, a music form which helps his escape from his problems of everyday life. Davis is husky or someone with lots of excess fat and has issues with his body who worries about how he will be labeled in his quickly approaching first year of high school. It's refreshing for a male character to struggle with body image the same way that millions of female characters have. He also has a certain awkwardness to him as he is a male who is primarily friends with females including his best friend Sophie. Although lately Sophie tends to be distant and more interested in doing girl activities that Davis is not invited to. Among these activities include Sophie's spa birthday party organized by Allegra, a mean new girl who has seemingly been pulling Sophie away from Davis. Overall, the book does not really have a set plot which is an interesting choice, but to me, it makes it less engaging, it’s more realistic.
The book is in first person with our main character, Davis telling the story. Overall, Sayre’s writing is mediocre, but I believe this was purposeful, given that a awkward twelve year old is ultimately the one narrating. I firmly believe that Davis is one of the most realistic middle school age character I have ever read about. He is awkward, naive in some ways, and insecure which based on my experience as a twelve year old, is exactly how twelve year olds are. When I was in middle school and read a variety of books with middle school characters, most acted with teenage or even older age materity which is simply unrealistic. To me, Sayre’s choice to make Davis so realistic plays off the theme of the story which is ultimately an encouragement for young people who are coming of age to think and put themselves in other people’s shoes and overall believe in themselves. Overall, this book was a great read and I would highly recommend it for middle school age kids due to how relatable Davis is as a character and the great messages it gives.
Davis’s story is one that revolves around his inner struggles and outer struggles. Among his inner struggles is his body insecurity as well as his awkwardness in social situations, and among his outer struggles is his exclusion in activities with his female friends due to his gender. He deals with all these problems through listening to opera music, a music form which helps his escape from his problems of everyday life. Davis is husky or someone with lots of excess fat and has issues with his body who worries about how he will be labeled in his quickly approaching first year of high school. It's refreshing for a male character to struggle with body image the same way that millions of female characters have. He also has a certain awkwardness to him as he is a male who is primarily friends with females including his best friend Sophie. Although lately Sophie tends to be distant and more interested in doing girl activities that Davis is not invited to. Among these activities include Sophie's spa birthday party organized by Allegra, a mean new girl who has seemingly been pulling Sophie away from Davis. Overall, the book does not really have a set plot which is an interesting choice, but to me, it makes it less engaging, it’s more realistic.
The book is in first person with our main character, Davis telling the story. Overall, Sayre’s writing is mediocre, but I believe this was purposeful, given that a awkward twelve year old is ultimately the one narrating. I firmly believe that Davis is one of the most realistic middle school age character I have ever read about. He is awkward, naive in some ways, and insecure which based on my experience as a twelve year old, is exactly how twelve year olds are. When I was in middle school and read a variety of books with middle school characters, most acted with teenage or even older age materity which is simply unrealistic. To me, Sayre’s choice to make Davis so realistic plays off the theme of the story which is ultimately an encouragement for young people who are coming of age to think and put themselves in other people’s shoes and overall believe in themselves. Overall, this book was a great read and I would highly recommend it for middle school age kids due to how relatable Davis is as a character and the great messages it gives.
September 7, 2017
Davis doesn't want to be labeled as The Husky Kid. And is life is kinda falling apart because his mom is seeing someone and his best friend doesn't invite him to a girls' makeover thing. (And, despite how big of a fit he throws, he balks at the idea of being The Gay Kid)
So what does Davis do? He complains and pretty much alienates everyone around him. His complaints are louder than his nana's, which we are reminded of how shouty she is every. time. she. talks. I really don't know how he ended up with any friends by the end of this.
At one point, he sulks and doesn't get out of bed all day. He's bored, but he doesn't want to get up. I think we get a full chapter of that exciting part of his life.
This book nudges a lot of issues: being overweight, a working mother who isn't home, a mother who is dating someone new, possibly being gay, friends changing, new friends...etc. But NOTHING is handled with any depth, nor does Davis try to do anything about anything except complain and sulk.
I believe one of his friends was trying to flirt with him and fine, I get that Davis probably has no idea what is going on. In the second from last page (I think), someone gives him the new label of gay. His response is pretty much: 'I guess that is my new label, I hate it. I need to find my own label I guess.'
*sigh*
The whole point of this book should have been about finding your labels. And the fact that it doesn't end with Davis finally finding his defeats the whole purpose of the book. Unless gay really was his label, but the author didn't want to commit to anything with any depth, so who knows.
(Unless...maybe the author is trying to get the READER to give Davis a label: The kid loves Opera, his best friends are girls, he throws a tantrum about not going to the makeover. Then turns around and tells us that the label we might have given him is wrong. Which is an amazing concept if true, but handled so poorly)
And this book is repetitive. You know how when you write a thesis, how you start with your theme, then end with your theme? That is what every other paragraph felt like. And at one point, when something was being described like for the first time, I already knew the whole paragraph of information. I wish the book was fluffed out with new content.
I was going to give this 2 stars, but the only thing I enjoyed about it was when Davis got in BIG trouble and finally had to account for his actions. That was a looooong time coming.
And I hate myself that my longest review in a long time is for a book I could barely stand.
So what does Davis do? He complains and pretty much alienates everyone around him. His complaints are louder than his nana's, which we are reminded of how shouty she is every. time. she. talks. I really don't know how he ended up with any friends by the end of this.
At one point, he sulks and doesn't get out of bed all day. He's bored, but he doesn't want to get up. I think we get a full chapter of that exciting part of his life.
This book nudges a lot of issues: being overweight, a working mother who isn't home, a mother who is dating someone new, possibly being gay, friends changing, new friends...etc. But NOTHING is handled with any depth, nor does Davis try to do anything about anything except complain and sulk.
I believe one of his friends was trying to flirt with him and fine, I get that Davis probably has no idea what is going on. In the second from last page (I think), someone gives him the new label of gay. His response is pretty much: 'I guess that is my new label, I hate it. I need to find my own label I guess.'
*sigh*
The whole point of this book should have been about finding your labels. And the fact that it doesn't end with Davis finally finding his defeats the whole purpose of the book. Unless gay really was his label, but the author didn't want to commit to anything with any depth, so who knows.
(Unless...maybe the author is trying to get the READER to give Davis a label: The kid loves Opera, his best friends are girls, he throws a tantrum about not going to the makeover. Then turns around and tells us that the label we might have given him is wrong. Which is an amazing concept if true, but handled so poorly)
And this book is repetitive. You know how when you write a thesis, how you start with your theme, then end with your theme? That is what every other paragraph felt like. And at one point, when something was being described like for the first time, I already knew the whole paragraph of information. I wish the book was fluffed out with new content.
I was going to give this 2 stars, but the only thing I enjoyed about it was when Davis got in BIG trouble and finally had to account for his actions. That was a looooong time coming.
And I hate myself that my longest review in a long time is for a book I could barely stand.
July 20, 2016
Husky was really interestingly written. It was such a personal look into Davis’ life. The book is told in such a realistic way about the summer before high school.
When the book starts it is the summer before high school and Davis is trying to figure out his adjective that he believes he will be defined by in high school (he is basically talking about the stereotypes of high school, jocks, cheerleaders, geeks, etc) He desperately wants to change himself. His mom owns a bakery where he helps out at (along with Pablo), he lives with his grandmother/nanny (who is very loud.) and mom. He is often distressed about his weight. Davis loves opera and has loved opera since he was a little child.
His friends (mainly Sophie) have evolved, she started hanging around with Allegra who is the “it” girl and different guys (Davis calls them “the boys with the armpits”) then Davis would normally talk to and his other best friend Ellen and Davis does not seem to fit in the clique. He notices them drifting away as the girls are doing a make over party and he is not invited. He thinks Sophie is picking Allegra over him.
He eventually finds his footings. Davis eventually breaks free from the labels (slash being defined by labels that you are given in high school) and is happy that he has not ended up labelled the husky one.
His mom dates Pablo throughout the book when Davis finds out about this he is angry and causes his dead grandfather’s (Jock) favourite tv to break. There is a big fight that night. The next day his Nanny makes him buy a new tv with the money he was saving to buy a cell phone. He apologizes to his mom for his bad behaviour
When the book starts it is the summer before high school and Davis is trying to figure out his adjective that he believes he will be defined by in high school (he is basically talking about the stereotypes of high school, jocks, cheerleaders, geeks, etc) He desperately wants to change himself. His mom owns a bakery where he helps out at (along with Pablo), he lives with his grandmother/nanny (who is very loud.) and mom. He is often distressed about his weight. Davis loves opera and has loved opera since he was a little child.
His friends (mainly Sophie) have evolved, she started hanging around with Allegra who is the “it” girl and different guys (Davis calls them “the boys with the armpits”) then Davis would normally talk to and his other best friend Ellen and Davis does not seem to fit in the clique. He notices them drifting away as the girls are doing a make over party and he is not invited. He thinks Sophie is picking Allegra over him.
He eventually finds his footings. Davis eventually breaks free from the labels (slash being defined by labels that you are given in high school) and is happy that he has not ended up labelled the husky one.
His mom dates Pablo throughout the book when Davis finds out about this he is angry and causes his dead grandfather’s (Jock) favourite tv to break. There is a big fight that night. The next day his Nanny makes him buy a new tv with the money he was saving to buy a cell phone. He apologizes to his mom for his bad behaviour
January 7, 2016
I have been waiting to read this book since I skimmed an article about it before it's release and I was elated when I got it as a gift in the office Secret Santa.
I both enjoyed and was disappointed by the book but my review is too marred by personal feelings to be any shade of unbiased. I saw both my husband and myself (more him than me) in the main character Davis and I found myself mentally screaming at him (Davis) when he was making ill-advised decisions.
I felt that the book accurately represents the turbulent times of a confused introvert as they tradition from the relative simplicity of a stable childhood into the uncertain waters of adolescence. Coupled with large changes coming for all facets of once comfortable constants and there is enough morose melancholy to last twenty books. The writing style was perfect and captured Davis inner turmoil while highlighting the fact that maybe the end the world wasn't ending but we are all too often blinded by our own emotions to see the whole picture.
My only complaint would be the ending. No spoilers but the events that transpired seemed rushed and did not provide the closure or growth I would have liked. Perhaps this was the authors intentions though staying true to life; unpredictable and there is never really a good definitive place to end.
I both enjoyed and was disappointed by the book but my review is too marred by personal feelings to be any shade of unbiased. I saw both my husband and myself (more him than me) in the main character Davis and I found myself mentally screaming at him (Davis) when he was making ill-advised decisions.
I felt that the book accurately represents the turbulent times of a confused introvert as they tradition from the relative simplicity of a stable childhood into the uncertain waters of adolescence. Coupled with large changes coming for all facets of once comfortable constants and there is enough morose melancholy to last twenty books. The writing style was perfect and captured Davis inner turmoil while highlighting the fact that maybe the end the world wasn't ending but we are all too often blinded by our own emotions to see the whole picture.
My only complaint would be the ending. No spoilers but the events that transpired seemed rushed and did not provide the closure or growth I would have liked. Perhaps this was the authors intentions though staying true to life; unpredictable and there is never really a good definitive place to end.
October 17, 2024
Husky portrays the journey of an insecure kid, but unfortunately, I don't think this book offers much help for those struggling to accept their imperfections. The story was challenging to engage with as Husky comes across as ungrateful (really!). The only redeeming part was the ending, where he begins to somewhat accept change, but overall, the reading experience was quite disappointing and exhausting.
July 13, 2015
Fantastic getting inside the thoughts of a fat, socially awkward kid. And I really like the complicated levels of interaction with family. But what's with the gay dig at the end? "At least I don't have problem" is how I read it, and it left me with a bitter taste of lack of intersectionality that ruined the sweetness of reading about a fat kind talking honestly about the discomfort and shame he has about his body. Or did I miss something? Maybe the MC is realizing he's gay? It was too rushed at the end for me to understand.
(review based on ARC)
(review based on ARC)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2015
I got this book in my Lammy gift bag and read it eagerly on the train ride home. Kudos to the author for a vivid setting and great details in the background, like the mother's wall of bakery mistakes, that brought the novel to life. I found the main character's voice to be engaging but didn't so much feel compelled by his psychology, particularly his motives. Other than that, though, I found much to like here.
February 9, 2022
I didn’t love this but I didn’t hate it. I just feel like there was no point to it? It was quite slow and Davis was very annoying when complaining about situations that were bothering him but never tried to resolve them.
October 8, 2015
One of the best audiobooks that I have listened to this year!
January 6, 2016
terrific novel for older kids/YA -- and for adults like me who will really identify with this book's hero, Ducks. Wonderful, warm, and funny!
August 14, 2018
Husky aka Davis, a boy who lived his whole life coming through stages of being a young-adult contemplating on what he’s supposed to be, and also wonders- what would he rather be, what an adjective to be fit- to be called upon himself? MIGHT BE EVERYONE TELLS HIM TO, WHAT HE IS... ??? would he fully accept himself for who he truly be? would it be better off if he’d just stay left alone, and avoid everyone?... Is it a good idea to stay lie down all day, do nothing so not to pretend it’s okay when it actually aren’t? Listening to opera music might help this one sort out.
Reading this book, honest. The character on this book reminds me of how Holden Caulfield has anything to say about everyone, everything that surrounding him. At such a young age; there are lots to discover around, it depends on how broad or complex you view life as it is. So close, but not so close enough! Each character is nothing alike, and beyond comparable.. But, in a story, you can tell, it’s a coming-of-age when you read through pages about a character that goes on which complains a lot. And, when you hear something stuff like this that comes from a teenager can be sometimes tolerable to consider coz it’s a viewpoint, and genuine. And it’s something we’d also past through during younger selves.
It’s a good read about friendship, family, self-discovery, growing up, and life and etc.
Pick up the book to find out your own adjective. If you have a younger sibling, recommend this book as he/she who might be also tired of hearing everybody’s sayings or false adjectives right through their faces. Having a hard times at school, or anywhere else they could have ever been. As this book also might help them to value what’s really important in this world. They may find this book that will aspire them to become who they want to be, while it’s not too late. Better late than never to read this kind of book. :)
Note: You may hate the protagonist, at first reading; but, give it a try until you’d flipped at the very few last pages. It’s worth reading, I promise. I’m telling you, I did. Hated the character, at first. But, it made all sense.
I wish I could have more experienced being close to my grandmother, or my grandfather. But, it never happened, sadly. I never had a chance to meet my grandfather; he died, and had no idea what’s the cause of death. I’d never ask my mother, ever. And, as my grandmother, she died early before I came up to my senses. I had a few snap memories with her when I was a kid playing around in our hometown, province. I remember she’s at bed rest and had dealt difficulty of being sick, then died back last 2004. While, on my Father’s side, this was different because I had few moments with my granny coz we used to go celebrate her birthday every year along with my relatives and different sides of their family. So, there were moments that I can remember even that last one day before she died 4 years ago. She’d told me something before she died. Telling me in a whisper that she can no longer live coz she’s getting weaker that her immune system tells her to. It’s so sad and weird, I even have the guts to share this to all of you, and I loved her even for that last moment with her. But, one thing is, I regret the most and still, I felt sorry that I never had a very last chance to see her for one last time on her funeral, or even before they buried her. Still, I felt sorry that I was sick that time, and my family decided not to let me go coz it would be better to, for some reason, that it’s a bad luck to go along there to mourn while being sick. So there... And, same goes to my grand father, never met him coz he died before I was brought to this world.
Thanks for reading! sorry, it’s a long review. I hoped you don’t mind me writing all this down and my sentiments.
You. Yeah, you reading this review, you do have a great day! 🤗
Reading this book, honest. The character on this book reminds me of how Holden Caulfield has anything to say about everyone, everything that surrounding him. At such a young age; there are lots to discover around, it depends on how broad or complex you view life as it is. So close, but not so close enough! Each character is nothing alike, and beyond comparable.. But, in a story, you can tell, it’s a coming-of-age when you read through pages about a character that goes on which complains a lot. And, when you hear something stuff like this that comes from a teenager can be sometimes tolerable to consider coz it’s a viewpoint, and genuine. And it’s something we’d also past through during younger selves.
It’s a good read about friendship, family, self-discovery, growing up, and life and etc.
Pick up the book to find out your own adjective. If you have a younger sibling, recommend this book as he/she who might be also tired of hearing everybody’s sayings or false adjectives right through their faces. Having a hard times at school, or anywhere else they could have ever been. As this book also might help them to value what’s really important in this world. They may find this book that will aspire them to become who they want to be, while it’s not too late. Better late than never to read this kind of book. :)
Note: You may hate the protagonist, at first reading; but, give it a try until you’d flipped at the very few last pages. It’s worth reading, I promise. I’m telling you, I did. Hated the character, at first. But, it made all sense.
I wish I could have more experienced being close to my grandmother, or my grandfather. But, it never happened, sadly. I never had a chance to meet my grandfather; he died, and had no idea what’s the cause of death. I’d never ask my mother, ever. And, as my grandmother, she died early before I came up to my senses. I had a few snap memories with her when I was a kid playing around in our hometown, province. I remember she’s at bed rest and had dealt difficulty of being sick, then died back last 2004. While, on my Father’s side, this was different because I had few moments with my granny coz we used to go celebrate her birthday every year along with my relatives and different sides of their family. So, there were moments that I can remember even that last one day before she died 4 years ago. She’d told me something before she died. Telling me in a whisper that she can no longer live coz she’s getting weaker that her immune system tells her to. It’s so sad and weird, I even have the guts to share this to all of you, and I loved her even for that last moment with her. But, one thing is, I regret the most and still, I felt sorry that I never had a very last chance to see her for one last time on her funeral, or even before they buried her. Still, I felt sorry that I was sick that time, and my family decided not to let me go coz it would be better to, for some reason, that it’s a bad luck to go along there to mourn while being sick. So there... And, same goes to my grand father, never met him coz he died before I was brought to this world.
Thanks for reading! sorry, it’s a long review. I hoped you don’t mind me writing all this down and my sentiments.
You. Yeah, you reading this review, you do have a great day! 🤗
August 22, 2019
This book just frustrated me. I despised the main character and could not find an inkling of compassion for him. I realize that he was only 12 but he just complained so much. And everything was the end of the world to him which makes sense for someone that age but the problems he was dealing with were all very easily solvable. Yet, he does nothing to make light of the situations or work towards a goal that will make him feel better. Nope, he just wallows in his own self pity.
He made way to big a deal out of something that was really not a big deal and was so dramatic. I felt like the world revolved around him and he didn’t consider anyone else’s feelings when he would confront them. It surprises me that he still has friends because if my friend treated me the way he did and was clearly being crazy over things that were not a big deal then I don’t think we would stay friends.
The book also didn’t really have a plot. I feel like I wasted time because nothing really happened over the span of 270 pages. There were chapters where it would go into excessive detail about him lying in his bed, not getting up because he didn’t feel like it. I just feel like I wouldn’t be missing anything if I never picked this book up. I only finished it because I was using it for the magical readathon otherwise I probably would have DNFed it and that is a big deal because I never DNF books.
The only redeeming quality for me was the fact that his mom is a baker and her descriptions of the food she created. It made my mouth water and I found myself get hungry when I would read about her sweet treats. And the fact that Davis liked opera. This intrigued me but it didn’t dive into the topic as much as I had hoped it would.
I feel like the book had potential if the main character actually tried to come up with a solution to his problems instead of constantly complaining about them.
He made way to big a deal out of something that was really not a big deal and was so dramatic. I felt like the world revolved around him and he didn’t consider anyone else’s feelings when he would confront them. It surprises me that he still has friends because if my friend treated me the way he did and was clearly being crazy over things that were not a big deal then I don’t think we would stay friends.
The book also didn’t really have a plot. I feel like I wasted time because nothing really happened over the span of 270 pages. There were chapters where it would go into excessive detail about him lying in his bed, not getting up because he didn’t feel like it. I just feel like I wouldn’t be missing anything if I never picked this book up. I only finished it because I was using it for the magical readathon otherwise I probably would have DNFed it and that is a big deal because I never DNF books.
The only redeeming quality for me was the fact that his mom is a baker and her descriptions of the food she created. It made my mouth water and I found myself get hungry when I would read about her sweet treats. And the fact that Davis liked opera. This intrigued me but it didn’t dive into the topic as much as I had hoped it would.
I feel like the book had potential if the main character actually tried to come up with a solution to his problems instead of constantly complaining about them.
March 27, 2024
Davis is a young man who faces a series of challenges in his everyday life. At school, he is the target of bullying due to his body structure and his sexuality. Bad and intolerant classmates make school a bad and boring environment, making it difficult for Davis to concentrate on his studies and feel good and happy in his own life. space.
In addition to the torment at school, Davis also deals with the pain of false friendships and betrayals. He discovers that not everyone who appears to be his friend is actually there for him when he needs them most. These disappointments only add to the emotional weight he already carries.
Davis' problems are not just in the school environment. At home, he faced difficulties with his mother and lack of money. This financial instability adds a lot of stress to his life, making him feel even more overwhelmed.
Despite all this, Davis finds the strength within himself to resist. He realizes that, at the end of the day, what really matters is his own happiness. Davis' journey is a lesson for everyone around him, showing that accessibility and respect are key, regardless of differences. As the story unfolds, both Davis and those around him learn to value diversity. In the end, love and advantage win over hate and lack of respect
I wouldn't recommend it but if he was older and circumstances changed I don't think there would be a problem, of course people have different tastes, I don't think these delicate and personal subjects should be dealt with in a children's book “middle school”
In addition to the torment at school, Davis also deals with the pain of false friendships and betrayals. He discovers that not everyone who appears to be his friend is actually there for him when he needs them most. These disappointments only add to the emotional weight he already carries.
Davis' problems are not just in the school environment. At home, he faced difficulties with his mother and lack of money. This financial instability adds a lot of stress to his life, making him feel even more overwhelmed.
Despite all this, Davis finds the strength within himself to resist. He realizes that, at the end of the day, what really matters is his own happiness. Davis' journey is a lesson for everyone around him, showing that accessibility and respect are key, regardless of differences. As the story unfolds, both Davis and those around him learn to value diversity. In the end, love and advantage win over hate and lack of respect
I wouldn't recommend it but if he was older and circumstances changed I don't think there would be a problem, of course people have different tastes, I don't think these delicate and personal subjects should be dealt with in a children's book “middle school”
December 15, 2019
This book is about a 12 year old boys journey on trying to find an adjective to describe him in high school , but has troubles along the way .
“The truth is , it all goes . Only the love stays . Unless you break it .”
This quotation is powerful because it is his grandmother (nanny) giving him advice about how it is ok to be afraid of changes .
As the distance starts between him and his two best friends , Davis’s mom starts dating someone from work . The only thing that distracts him is opera . But as everything doesn’t seem to go as planned , it gets even worse . One night his mother invited over her boyfriend for dinner and he decided he can’t keep it in anymore and just snaps , ending everything in disaster . He apologizes to both his grandmother and mother and learns a valuable lesson while buying his grandmother a new tv due to the fact that he had broken his dead grandfathers tv during the argument . Ultimately , he sees that he is loved no matter what and that an adjective does not have to define him .
Emotional would be a good word to describe this book because of the way the author made Davis so honest and easy to sympathize with .
The kind of person that would like to read this is a young adult reader . The reason why would be because this is a coming of age book , which talks a lot about self discovery and heart-wrenching situations that some teens may go through .
“The truth is , it all goes . Only the love stays . Unless you break it .”
This quotation is powerful because it is his grandmother (nanny) giving him advice about how it is ok to be afraid of changes .
As the distance starts between him and his two best friends , Davis’s mom starts dating someone from work . The only thing that distracts him is opera . But as everything doesn’t seem to go as planned , it gets even worse . One night his mother invited over her boyfriend for dinner and he decided he can’t keep it in anymore and just snaps , ending everything in disaster . He apologizes to both his grandmother and mother and learns a valuable lesson while buying his grandmother a new tv due to the fact that he had broken his dead grandfathers tv during the argument . Ultimately , he sees that he is loved no matter what and that an adjective does not have to define him .
Emotional would be a good word to describe this book because of the way the author made Davis so honest and easy to sympathize with .
The kind of person that would like to read this is a young adult reader . The reason why would be because this is a coming of age book , which talks a lot about self discovery and heart-wrenching situations that some teens may go through .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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June 23, 2023I have some conflicting feelings about this story. And had the ending been done just 1° differently I think it would have been fine.
Essentially this book is about a chubby kid trying to figure out who he's going to be going into either The end of middle school or the beginning of high school I can't quite remember but he feels like he's defined only by his size. So he spends this time going through whatever coming of age story which was fine but My biggest issue though is that this whole book is coded to have this main character be queer in some way shape or form. Yet at the very end when someone else mentions that he could be gay as a passing note from another kid who wasn't thinking about what they were saying, he has such a viscerally negative reaction to it and then that's the end of the book. Like what? I just don't understand how that's how it was ending. Had he just been a little bit more open to exploration or maybe made a note on oh shit yeah that works too I would have been fine but the casual hinted at homophobia was weird to me. And I'm also pretty sure that this author is queer and so I'm not really sure what's going on here maybe it's just the way that I heard it or the tone the narrator used (which was also the author I think) but it didn't quite sit right with me.
Essentially this book is about a chubby kid trying to figure out who he's going to be going into either The end of middle school or the beginning of high school I can't quite remember but he feels like he's defined only by his size. So he spends this time going through whatever coming of age story which was fine but My biggest issue though is that this whole book is coded to have this main character be queer in some way shape or form. Yet at the very end when someone else mentions that he could be gay as a passing note from another kid who wasn't thinking about what they were saying, he has such a viscerally negative reaction to it and then that's the end of the book. Like what? I just don't understand how that's how it was ending. Had he just been a little bit more open to exploration or maybe made a note on oh shit yeah that works too I would have been fine but the casual hinted at homophobia was weird to me. And I'm also pretty sure that this author is queer and so I'm not really sure what's going on here maybe it's just the way that I heard it or the tone the narrator used (which was also the author I think) but it didn't quite sit right with me.
July 5, 2017
I was initially really excited about this book: the main character's voice came off as authentic and I liked the opera angle. I had an opera phase for a bit when I was sixteen or so. But then... things just kind of meandered.
I was increasingly annoyed by the author's repetitive way of writing. Oftentimes it was starting a paragraph with one statement and then ending it with the same statement, just worded slightly differently. It was also repetitive in the sense that some of the characters used only variations of the same adjective for development: nanny is loud, but in a thousand different ways and scenarios.
All of these writing quirks seemed like they were covering up for the thin plot. I almost wondered whether this started as a shorter, simpler MG, because the character reads as very immature sometimes and the plot centers around family, not friends. The themes were underdeveloped; I wish everything tied together a bit more.
+1 star for movingly capturing the intense suffocation teens feel when desperately craving freedom but being confined and watched constantly.
I was increasingly annoyed by the author's repetitive way of writing. Oftentimes it was starting a paragraph with one statement and then ending it with the same statement, just worded slightly differently. It was also repetitive in the sense that some of the characters used only variations of the same adjective for development: nanny is loud, but in a thousand different ways and scenarios.
All of these writing quirks seemed like they were covering up for the thin plot. I almost wondered whether this started as a shorter, simpler MG, because the character reads as very immature sometimes and the plot centers around family, not friends. The themes were underdeveloped; I wish everything tied together a bit more.
+1 star for movingly capturing the intense suffocation teens feel when desperately craving freedom but being confined and watched constantly.
June 15, 2022
This was underwhelming and overdramatized. It felt all a bit silly, maybe so silly that I felt like there was no point to the book. I was planning on rating 3 stars then maybe 2 stars because I felt so apathetic towards the novel, but I rated 1 star because not only did I feel apathetic there was some second-hand embarrassment from all the bad decisions made throughout the novel. I did not enjoy this book despite reading it in three hours. To be honest I only felt a positive emotion once while reading this book and it was when Jock's television broke as horrible as that seems. Perhaps if the novel didn't feel so try-hard I would've enjoyed it a lot more than I did. The diversity also felt a bit try-hardy but that's just my take. I felt like this comedy (?) was trying to make the diversity more relatable or different but it fell flat most times even if there were moments when I thought some of the jokes were funny-ish.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2019
Approximately 9 hours ago, I’d never heard of this multi-talented author or his amazing YA novels. Very luckily for me, a short chain of serendipitous events - including what is, at minimum either a powerful migraine or sinus infection...or the onset of imminent death (48 hours of pain-induced insomnia & counting) - led me to here.
I was fortunate to find an audiobook copy available digitally from my local library (and, since I literally cannot sleep now even if my life depended on it, I listened to the entire book in one lie-down). Unfortunately, the library only offers ebook versions of the other 2 books and I’m not sure how long I can look at a screen - even in dark mode - but I also know that I have to finish the other 2 books before I die...which I hope is not too imminent 🤞
I was fortunate to find an audiobook copy available digitally from my local library (and, since I literally cannot sleep now even if my life depended on it, I listened to the entire book in one lie-down). Unfortunately, the library only offers ebook versions of the other 2 books and I’m not sure how long I can look at a screen - even in dark mode - but I also know that I have to finish the other 2 books before I die...which I hope is not too imminent 🤞
July 22, 2023
I'm a big fan of Justin Sayre. He has an absolutely marvelous gift of storytelling. His voice lends to the story so well, and overall I enjoyed the nuances of some of the characters. However, Davis, our protagonist of the story, if you can call him that, quickly devolves from someone who has a biting wit and honesty to a petulant child. It's frustrating when someone is mad at everyone and everything but never takes the time to try and resolve their grievances. Strangely enough, I thought Davis and Nannie were shockingly similar in their stubbornness and inability to consider someone else's point of view. Still, Sayre does such a wonderful job telling the story so that I can look over a particularly unlikable character or two.
January 3, 2018
A wonderful look into the mind of a truly fabulous writer.
Original characters that are well developed and multi layered. At least one of the characters could have been me, several could have been my friends growing up.
A story line that is relatable and moving. The angst of growing up is always difficult, this author does an excellent job of pulling you into the story and helping you remember your teen/pre-high school dramas and perceived traumas.
Can not wait to hear more from this series.
As a treat the multi talented author does the audible production. It was very enjoyable to heat his own words in his own voice.
Original characters that are well developed and multi layered. At least one of the characters could have been me, several could have been my friends growing up.
A story line that is relatable and moving. The angst of growing up is always difficult, this author does an excellent job of pulling you into the story and helping you remember your teen/pre-high school dramas and perceived traumas.
Can not wait to hear more from this series.
As a treat the multi talented author does the audible production. It was very enjoyable to heat his own words in his own voice.
May 15, 2018
The book was boring, in my opinion. I thought the book would talk more about his friendship and let it progress through the story. It just focused on one specific part of his life, and we weren't even told about what he chose as his adjective. I kept reading it because I was expecting more to happen. I was not very thrilled about the end, it almost ended on a cliffhanger. Overall, the book could have used a longer timeline and it could have had a more interesting plot.
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