THIS IS WHAT I DID
Ann Dee Ellis
Little, Brown for Young Readers
Fiction
Hardcover: 0316013633
Paperback: 9780316013628
176 pages

Seventh graders Logan and Zyler are best buds. They walk to school together, hang out, ride their bikes and admire pretty Cami Wakefield --- Logan from afar, Zyler slightly more forthright. They usually avoid Zyler’s house, as his father typically stews around in a foul mood and even beats up on Zyler now and again. So outside of school, the guys hang out at Logan’s house; Logan’s family oozes “normalcy” and actually cares for one another. But that was last year --- before the nightmare occurs, before the lives of Logan and Zyler twist and warp through that horrid evening.

After that night, everything changes. Logan doesn’t see Zyler, quits going to school, stays in his room reading books from the library, and doesn’t talk. Logan’s parents decide that the best thing to do would be to make a fresh start. So the family moves to a new house and a new school district where nobody knows about the nightmare. However, when asked, Logan’s mother unintentionally informs the new neighbors why they moved. It doesn’t take long for the story to leak out --- a slightly warped and invalid version, the typical way rumors tend to spread. And the eighth grade bullies, including Logan’s new neighbor Bruce, viciously bite and latch onto the rumor, teasing and harassing him every chance they get.

Positive it will help, Logan’s father insists that Logan join the local Scout group. Logan agrees to give it a try just to prove to his parents that he’s fine. Unfortunately, Bruce and his pals make up the main part of the Scouts, and they pounce on the added opportunity to ridicule Logan. Logan’s mother has another idea: she starts taking her son to a therapist. But he refuses to talk to Dr. Benson, who he knows can’t help erase the nightmare.

Logan does find a couple of bright spots at the new school. One day, an unusual girl named Laurel hands him a note with a palindrome, which is a word or group of words that spells the same way forward and backward (example: mom). This sparks off a subtle bond between the two, who both scrounge for more complex and humorous palindrome notes to exchange. And because of Laurel, Logan even tries out for the school play. Eventually, she insists on hearing the truth from him about what really happened that night, even though he doesn’t want to remember or relive it. But will he ever be able to heal if he doesn’t open up to the people who care?

THIS IS WHAT I DID is an amazing book. Superbly and distinctively written, this story’s memorable characters, unique style and stirring tenderness will warm hearts and fill eyes with tears. I look forward to more wonderful stories from debut novelist Ann Dee Ellis.

   --- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author of FINDING MY LIGHT and THE BLACK POND

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