FIGHTING WORDS

A boy’s anger literally buzzes to life and runs amok in the shape of words.

When Ali notices his cousin Ama mistreating his insect book, he moves to snatch it from her hands. During the skirmish, a page gets ripped out. In anger, Ali lets loose a yell; scrawled letters unexpectedly fill the air. His rage builds until he screams, “I HATE YOU!!!” The anthropomorphized letters quickly jump into action, attacking Ama and tearing up the couch and Abuelita’s special cushions. Despite Ali’s objections, the letters continue their fiendish assault. Soon, the devious letters go outside, smashing bushes and flowers. One letter even attempts to hurt a bee! Inspired by his insect book and joined by Ama and Abuelita, Ali rushes to stop the letters with a net, learning how best to release his anger along the way. Adopting a refreshingly empathetic perspective, Carranza adroitly depicts Ali’s transformation. The child’s wrath turns to observation—of the impact of hurtful words uttered amid a cloud of pain—and then to a recognizable potential to undo unintended emotional wounds while still acknowledging that initial anger. Overall, it’s an excellent message to potential anger-prone readers, wrapped in an understanding tone. Medina’s brisk, dynamic artwork whisks the action from page to page, boasting humorous creature letters with mean smiles and gruff frowns. The brown-skinned characters read as Latine.

A perceptive consideration of the effects of anger—and a much-needed blueprint for how to deal with them.