Review: Kevin's Point of View

Title: Kevin’s Point of View

Author: Del Shannon

Book Summary:

“Kevin Tobin is a relatively ordinary 12-year-old dealing with the aftermath of his father's death in a mountain biking accident near their home in Boulder, Colorado.  To escape from his emotional turmoil, Kevin has developed his imagination into a dangerous foil and a powerful ally.  While he antagonizes his sister through his superhero antics on an average Wednesday morning, his ability to escape inside a character's head become critical to his survival after his life is once-again turned upside down a year after his father's death.  A mysterious package arrives in the mail, Kevin and his best friend are hunted down by a ruthless villain set upon world domination, and after enlisting Kevin's teenage sister and her pizza-delivery boyfriend in a battle for control over time itself, the secret of Kevin's whole existence is revealed to him by a source we never expected.  Del Shannon's imaginative story, appreciation for the powers of family and the desire of young boys to both escape reality and prove themselves within it, and fast-paced, adventure-filled storytelling style make this a book with wide appeal for readers of all ages.”

I like to think of myself as a creative person… but even I have nothing on Kevin Tobin and his seemingly infinite store of creativity.  Kevin is a young boy who deals with the death of his father in a very unique way… he pretends to be someone else.  These little pretend sessions of Kevin’s are not typically dangerous, and everyone assumes he will grow out of them.  His many personas provide Kevin a hiatus from his life for a brief time and, more than once, these “alter egos” help him and his friends out of sticky situations.  Don’t be fooled however; the “alter egos” also get Kevin into many difficult situations, especially with his mother!

            When I first read the premise for Kevin’s Point of View I’m not really sure what to expect.   It looks like an interesting plot, but I worry it will be too childish of a writing style for my taste.  Luckily, my fears turn out to be unnecessary.  The one thing that really grabs me when I see Kevin’s Point of View is the cover… it is HYSTERICAL.  I love it.  The cover is made even better when a naked Kevin mimics the picture in the first couple of chapters!

            When I first start to read, I am instantly pulled into the story.  The description Shannon puts into it is amazing, and I can fully envision everything that is happening.  I instantly feel like part of Kevin’s family, and I understand Kevin’s mischievous nature and his pride in annoying his sister.  At the same time, I can connect with both his sister, Betsy, and his mother in both their roles. Kevin annoys Betsy with his antics and, like all good big sisters, she is very vocal with her frustrations.  Kevin’s mother is obviously trying to be patient with Kevin and his unique way of dealing with grief.  I really feel like I know all of them, as if we’ve been friends for ages!

            Tony is Kevin’s best friend and fellow (reluctant) adventurer.  I can really see the push and pull of Tony and Kevin’s relationship… it’s easy to see how these two young boys are so close.  I do admire Tony’s high tolerance of Kevin.  It makes me happy that Kevin has someone who cares enough to stick by him through everything.  Kevin himself is so unique; I really don’t think I can capture his character accurately enough to do him justice. 

The Cover:

            Well, as I said before, I find this cover HYSTERICAL.  Seriously, anyone not finding this artwork funny must be crazy!  But, even if the cover isn’t for everyone (for whatever reason) I would definitely recommend reading the book anyway!

I give Kevin’s Point of View 5 out of 5 hearts: I LOVED it!