The Waffler

An engaging novel with convincing, contemporary portrayals of both school and home environments. Gail Donovan authentically narrates the inner thoughts of fourth-grader Monty: “It was like a grown-up counting: One . . . two . . . They didn’t really want to get to three. They just wanted you to do whatever it was they wanted.” Readers may identify with Monty’s family situation. Monty’s parents are divorced and have shared custody. Both parents have remarried and Monty and his twin sister, Sierra, have a stepsister and a half sister. The complicated relationships are part of the story, but there’s also an uplifting, positive tone, including one touching scene in which all of the family members gather to celebrate Thanksgiving together. Monty’s interactions with adults create some involving conflicts, such as his father asking him to select a pet from the pet store under a time constraint and his teacher taking such a hard line on his “waffling” that it leads to teasing from classmates. Many kids will relate to Monty’s difficulty not only in making up his mind, but also his inability to convey related feelings. For example, when his mother offers to let Monty and Sierra alternate time at their parents’ houses separately because of their bickering, Monty can’t express how opposed he is to the idea or how hurt he is when Sierra agrees to the plan.

Fourth grader Monty (short for Montana) seems to be the only one in his family who's paralyzed by indecision. His twin sister, Sierra, is a go-getter; Mom and Dad, amicably divorced, are both remarried and distracted by the challenges of keeping track of the blended family members' various schedules. At school Monty is dubbed "The Waffler" by the principal, and he gets in trouble with his teacher after agreeing to be the reading buddy for multiple kindergartners instead of choosing just one. His friendships with the little kids and his new pals at the no-peanut lunch table (where he's assigned to sit after not being able to make up his mind) -- not to mention his new pet rat -- help boost Monty's self-esteem. Though the story takes a while to get going, Monty's good spirits come through in the third-person narrative. Thankfully, his parents come through, too, after finally realizing that Monty's "waffling" can be a good thing. It's nice to see a blended family realistically portrayed as busy but loving and to see Monty stand up for himself in the end. A solidly realistic school and family story for fans of Louis Sachar and Claudia Mills. robin l. smith