Geoff Butler

After reading this book, I had mixed feelings. I appreciated both the language and the writing in the sense that they were both very descriptive and imaginative. I also appreciated that the word choice or syntax didn’t seem simplified, as children’s books occasionally seem. I did not enjoy the illustrations. I found them to be relatively dull and boring—they certainly did not catch my attention. And while I liked the majority of the characters, I did not think the magistrate was realistic or relatable. His character seemed like a parody of an arrogant person, as if the author was trying too hard to make him unlikeable. For example, the magistrate—before even learning that John has Downs Syndrome—finds him annoying because he talked during church. John is a child, and although such behavior may be slightly grating, children are not typically renowned as well behaved at all times. It seemed as if the magistrate simply wanted something to be annoyed about. Additionally, the magistrate only changes his mind about John after he helps him while at sea—in simpler terms, he only decides that he likes John once he becomes useful to him. At the end of the book, all is well, but I do not believe that the big message came across as the other wanted. I believe the author was trying to depict that a person should never judge another person without getting to know them; however, the message really comes across as, do not bother to get to know a person until they have become useful to you.… (mere)