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Reviewed by:
  • The Other Felix
  • Kate Quealy-Gainer
Graff, Keir . The Other Felix. Roaring Brook, 2011. [320p]. ISBN 978-1-59643-655-8 $15.99 Reviewed from galleys Ad Gr. 3-5.

Fourth-grader Felix wakes up in the bedroom of his family's small apartment with a tear in his robe, a missing slipper, and mud on his sheets—evidence that his recent dreams about being chased through a forest by terrible monsters may be [End Page 205] more than just dreams. Unfortunately, reality has recently gotten just as unsettling for Felix as his nightmares: his mom and dad seem more stressed out and distant than usual, and Chase, the new kid at school, has decided Felix makes a perfect fall guy for his thieving ways. At least in his dreams, he has the Other Felix, a boy who looks exactly like Felix but who is much braver and stronger than the original. Predictably, the real Felix learns a thing or two about courage from his alter ego, and predictably, Felix also uncovers secrets about both the monsters and the bully that make them less frightening. Most readers will see where this symbolic tale is going from the moment Chase comes on the scene, but some will be able to look past the heavy-handed moral and recognize a kindred spirit in Felix. Quiet, unassuming, and plagued by realistic and universal insecurities, Felix is an amiable protagonist to whom even more boisterous youngsters will readily relate. Some of the more metaphorical aspects of the land of monsters and Felix's interaction therein may fly over the heads of youngsters on their own, but this tale of maturation and friendship is suitable for sharing between parents and their children.

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