3.5 Funny and touching middle school story. Jimmy's cousin Patrick has died, and Jimmy is tasked with saying something at the funeral. Never mind that Jimmy hates public speaking, doesn't have appropriate clothes that fit, and most importantly doesn't even like his cousin. Through the course of the wake and a bit of the funeral, we get snippets of Patrick's story through Jimmy's eyes as he sweats over his speech and tries to come up with just one positive memory about his cousin. It's not an easy job. Patrick is portrayed as a impulsive, out-of-control brat who doesn't know limits - if he's ever had any. He borders on violent, and while Jimmy knows something is wrong, he doesn't fully understand what that is. Worse, Patrick's parents, Aunt Rose and Uncle Mike also know something is wrong but try to manage it and deal with it without getting Patrick proper help. Aunt Rose is Jimmy's mother's twin, so the two families are together constantly and it always seems to end with Patrick in some sort of trouble. Super wise and sensitive for his 13 years, Jimmy comes up with a list of 10 observations about his first wake and funeral and these comprise the book's chapters. Everything builds to Jimmy's speech and he is honest but thoughtful, hopefully ending a family history of secrets and avoidance. Definitely a good pulse on middle school angst and the challenges that come with family embarrassment and shame. Kudos to this local author (Oswego, IL) for creating a realistic, sincere hero. ( )

Jimmy is told he'll be giving a speech at his cousin Patrick's wake. The whole book is told in a series of flashbacks about the relationship between the two boys as Jimmy struggles to figure out what to say. He is at the wake and the funeral in a too-tight suit feeling awkward and a little angry about the position his parents have put him in. However, as we learn about his past they have been putting him in these bad positions for years as he is expected to be a companion to his cousin who is a deeply troubled kid that no one seems to do anything to help. The family has a "don't interfere" policy. With each memory, it starts well enough by Patrick somehow has a meltdown or acts out in a way that is destructive to himself and others. It seems to have cost Jimmy friendships, activities, and pretty much every nice thing he has ever gotten. As the book unfolds Jimmy is forced to think deeply, tell truths, and take a stand for himself, his family, and his deceased cousin. ( )

Literary Merit: Great
Characterization: Good+
Recommended: Yes
Level: Middle Grade

In "Speechless" the reader follows a young boy named Jimmy who has to give a speech at his cousin's funeral. His parents tell him to just think of a fun story of when they were younger. The problem is that Jimmy was not very close with his cousin Patrick. Really, Patrick made Jimmy's life pretty miserable. He had a way of making disasters out of any kind of scenario. To make matters more complicated, Jimmy has a lot of anxiety about giving a speech in front of a lot of people.

This book does a great job of examining grief and the numerous ways that people go about the grieving process. Jimmy is a relatable character who learns to navigate his emotions and comes to terms with the speech he must make, while also coming to a revelation of his own. One really cool aspect of this book is the chapter titles. Each one is a "lesson" that Jimmy is about to learn. This is a neat way of representing the chapters that I found very endearing. ( )

A touching story, unique, well-written. The format was also interesting, with the back and forth between the wake and memories adding more to the story than a linear narrative would have. The ending might confuse some younger readers, but would also lead to interesting and helpful discussions on difficult topics for middle graders. ( )

Jimmy is requested to give the euolgy for his cousin, Patrick, with a one day notice. What do you say when everything was ruined by Patrick while growing up? Jimmy has to deal with his memories of often unpleasant behavior by Patrick to try to come up with a flattering tribute for a troubled cousin. This is where the book starts getting interesting, although I would have liked to have seen more of a backstory as to why Patrick did what he did. I liked that the author did not take the safe road and the end result (euolgy) is spot on-and will leave you thinking that he actually said what most people think but are too afraid to say. Great read for grades 5-8. ( )