The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen

In the wake of a family tragedy, thirteen year old Henry has moved to a new town, and started a new high school, hoping to start over where no one knows his family's history. His therapist gives him a notebook to record journal entries, and although Henry is at first reluctant, he begins to share his innermost thoughts and feelings in the journal, as he tries to cope with the turmoil his life has become. His older brother is dead, after something horrible happened that Henry only reveals in small glimpses through many entries, adding suspense to the story; Henry's mother is no longer living with him and his father, and this adds to the upset in his world. And Henry has put on weight and has to deal with a bully at school, which is show more giving him terrible flashbacks to go along with his already recurring nightmares. My heart just went out to this bright, nerdy, sensitive boy, who is struggling with so much heartbreak and anger. But I also laughed out loud at many scenes in the book (especially the fruit fly scene!), smiled at the many pop culture references to classic movies or tv shows, and at Henry's droll sense of humor in describing his neighbors and classmates. I cheered for Henry and his geeky new friend Farley to succeed in their moneymaking scheme, as well as for Henry to come to grips with his grief and other feelings. I liked the way Henry's family had bonded over watching tv wrestling matches together, and how he makes new friends who are on the Reach For the Top academic quiz team ("Academic Challenge" or "Varsity Quiz Bowl" here in the U.S.), since I was on one of those teams in my awkward high school years too. This is a wonderful book, full of heart and humor, and an excellent depiction of the horrors of bullying. Recommended for middle schoolers and up; despite the serious topic, the maturity level of the characters and the language make it a good book for middle schoolers to read, and as with any novel about bullying in school, I wish every teen could read it--for every kid has been affected by bullying, either a victim, a perpetrator, or a bystander. The fact that it is set in Canada should not be a problem, as there are no terms that an American kid shouldn't be able to figure out. (Okay, they may not know what a "loonie" is, but there's always Google if they're curious enough, and the context makes it pretty obvious) And some of the humor would not have worked as well if set in the US--here, a kid named Alberta would not have the same impact... show less

I got this book free from LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

This is an excellent depiction of a boy and his family family, ripped apart at the seams by violence and tragedy, and how they begin to stitch themselves back together again. The protagonist, 13-year-old Henry, began his diary at the request of his therapist. Although reluctant to write at first (hence the title), Henry came to depend on his journal as a confidant to help him deal with his pain and grief. The characterization of this boy and the people around him -- his parents, other residents in his apartment building, his new friends -- is spot-on.

The big problem, though, is that this really doesn't sound like a real diary. In my experience just about every diary-novel has this show more issue. For the story to work, it has to be detailed. You have to actually hear the characters talk, and so on. But most people don't write in their diaries in that kind of detail; diary entries are usually summaries of the day's events instead, since the diarist writes for himself and he already knows what happened.

Try not to let that bother you. This is a very good book. But I think it would have been better in a more typical, episodic format. show less

A bunch of Nielsen’s titles have jumped out at me and said “Hey! Read me!” but this is the first one that I’ve yet to cross off the TBR list. And oh, I absolutely cannot wait to read some of her other titles now.

This was such an amazing novel – it was funny, it was heartbreaking, it was charming and it was utterly loveable. The characters – both main and supporting – are so relatable and real that it is hard not to get invested in this book and in Henry’s story.

I say this almost every time I read a book written in diary or letter format, but I often have a hard time really getting into and really loving novels written in epistolary form. When they work well, they can be amazing, but it seems like it is so much harder to show more make it work well. It’s similar to first-person narratives for me… I typically dislike hearing a story only from the main character’s point of view because you never know how truthful they are, don’t know how much they are really telling you… But when it works, it can be amazing and enchanting, which is exactly what this ended up being.

I just positively loved how Nielsen made this whole story so real. You can feel the pain all the characters are going through, and you can completely understand why they decide to do what they do (even when you don’t agree with what they do). To take a subject like this, and to put the reader in the position that Henry finds himself and his family, is rather brave and I am thoroughly impressed with how Neilsen handled everything. It gives an amazing perspective that we perhaps don’t see nearly enough, and is something we should remember when we start blaming the families of people who do horrible things…

I will fully admit that this book brought tears to my eyes. It was lovely and I really don’t have anything bad to say about this book at all. While a book aimed at young adult readers, I have a feeling that it is something that almost any age group could appreciate and enjoy.

The Bottom Line
This was such a wonderful book! I highly recommend it. show less

A fatal school shooting, suicide and bullies are all covered in this book by Susin Nielsen, weighty topics handled quite deftly. Henry is the narrator, writing in this journal on the advice of his therapist. It is his brother, Jesse, who shot his tormentor and then turned the gun on himself. This has all happened months before the book starts. This is the aftermath for Henry and his family.
I have read both WORD NERD and DEAR GEORGE CLOONEY... by Nielsen. Her characters have an edge to them and this is one is no different. In spite of that, humor lightens the load. The adults are realistically portrayed with all their quirks and foibles. I particularly like the supporting characters, Karen and Mr. Atapattu.
The incident which precipitated show more Jesse's choice is a stomach-churning one. It is not overly graphic but neither is it glossed over. Shooting his tormentor was not an inevitable path for Jesse and Nielsen uses Henry's story to show that. This book will stay with you but not overwhelm you. show less

For 13-year-old Henry Larsen, the move was supposed to be a fresh start. But with his parents broke and barely talking to each other, his psychologist a dweeb, and the least popular kid at his new school the only one angling to be his friend, things are not looking up. But none of that compares to the ever-present specter of IT – the event so horrible that it causes Henry to overeat, go into robot mode, and fly into furies. How can things ever get better when your world’s been turned upside down?

Author Susin Nielsen’s unflinchingly realistic book gripped me with dread early on, a feeling that did not dissipate until the final pages. Don’t get me wrong – the book is filled with humor and love and laced with hope, but that show more doesn’t make it easier to read. To say I was unprepared for this book would be putting it mildly. That’s what I get for judging a book by its cover. On the other hand, if I had known what the book was actually about, I probably would not have read it, which would have been my loss.

This is a powerful, important story full of beautifully (and occasionally, horribly) flawed people, but it’s not for everyone. Curse words are scattered throughout the book, but that is inconsequential compared to the story’s examination of the worst kind of bullying and its devastating and far-reaching effects. I would, however, whole-heartedly recommend the book to anyone brave and mature enough to read it. show less

Young teen Henry K. Larsen write in a journal at the recommendation of his therapist in order to work through his emotions over the death of his brother and the subsequent collapse of his normal family life. This book deals with a lot of topics that are prevalent in the media right now, including mental illness, bullying, and suicide. Some individuals may be uncomfortable giving this book to a middle schooler, but young people need a safe space to process the complex emotions and situations that they may be dealing with. Henry K. Larsen can act as that mechanism because it is honest and not at all preachy about potentially controversial topics.
The journal format of this book makes it very easy to get into Henry’s head. He feels like show more an outsider, which is an emotion that will be familiar to the intended audience of young teenagers. His emotions and the ways he copes with his brother’s death and his parents’ behavior feel authentic. The book may not have the happiest of endings, but it is simultaneously realistic and hopeful. It is a powerful book that should be read by all young teens and the people who work with them. show less

Amazing depth and empathy in a story about a young teen coping with tragedy and grief at losing a sibling. Told with humour and in a way that hopefully the YA reader will engage. This novel holds a lot wisdom for adult readers as well. Superbly crafted plot (but that cover illustration? IMHO, doesn't do the book any favours.)