The Schwa was Here

When it comes down to it, we all just want to know that we matter. I found this a rather poignant and funny coming of age tale about a Brooklyn teen, Antsy (short for Anthony), the relatively unnoticed one in his family, and his friend, Calvin Schwa, who is seemingly invisible to most of the world. The themes of mattering as an individual, being recognized as an individual and not blending into the background or existing only as part of someone's else's life, abandonment, and overcoming abandonment--if possible--are explored here, woven into the story deftly and heartbreakingly. I think that most people would identify with something in this book, and with some people it should really hit a nerve.

Antsy feels that he is the overlooked show more glue holding his family together. Calvin feels that no one notices him. (Almost no one does in the story. Most people don't even see him, even if he wears garish costumes.) He struggles with overcoming this negative self worth after he, at age five, is (likely) abandoned by his lost and unnoticed mother in a supermarket. Lexi, a crush of both boys, is blind and struggles with most people being blind to the real her. Anthony's mother struggles to find herself after years of everything she does being a part of everyone else's life, but not her own. She finds she has "put all her eggs in one basket" and needs to have some other egg baskets for herself, so that she matters outside of living her family's life/needs everyday--which really resounded with me, as I suspect it would with many other full-time moms.

In sum, another well-written book by Shusterman, with colorful, real characters, smart dialogue and fresh humor. show less

The Schwa was Here is a very funny and moving story. Shusterman ingeniously depicts the invisibility of the Schwa in a way that seems at once supernatural and totally real. All the characters are distinctive, from the quick-witted Ansty, to the curmudgeonly Mr. Crowley, to the wily Lexis, to the resignedly invisible Schwa. The Brooklyn dialect and humor makes the book a pleasure to read, and the conclusion offers hope to young teens that feel overlooked either at school or at home.

For Readers:

Have you ever felt like no one would notice if you were gone? Well, don't worry, I'm sure lots of people would notice if YOU disappeared, but imagine if no one, not your father, not your best friend, not your teachers, ever realized whether you were around or not. That is the plight of the Schwa, a mysterious boy who befriends the narrator, Antsy. The Schwa is nearly invisble; people just don't seem to notice him, ever. Until Antsy becomes his buddy. Then the Schwa and Antsy decide to embark on a mission to get the Schwa noticed, and they meet some pretty crazy people on the way.

This book is hilarious, first of all. Plus, it's pretty unique-it's kind of a little bit magical (here's a literary term for you: magical realism) show more but still true to life. I think it's a pretty universal feeling--to think that, at one point or another, no one really sees you--but Shusterman deals with it in a way that no other author ever has.

Who would like this book: anyone who has ever wondered if anyone really knows them, kids who like funny funny books.

For Educators and Librarians:

This is my first Shusterman novel, and I loved it. The characters are totally unique and believable and funny. I could totally identify with the Schwa and Antsy, and I couldn't wait to hear more about their adventures together. Kids will enjoy the rollicking narrative and fresh prose, as well as the crazy cast of Brooklyn characters. Great book.

Reading level: 10+
Appropriateness: Fine, nothing to really worry about
Who would like this book: kids who like realistic, funny fiction with a twist show less

I loved The Schwa Was Here because it had such an interesting, meaningful story. It is told in the first person by an eighth grader in Brooklyn who meets someone named Calvin Schwa, and it turns out “The Schwa” sits next to him in class but he never noticed him. The Schwa is so unnoticeable that he seems to be invisible, but not really. Just like the “uh” sound symbolized by Ə, he seems to almost always be there but nobody realizes it.
There is a deeper story that develops gradually that looks at the relationships between the different characters and their families. I think many people can identify with the story, because it’s easy to feel “invisible” or unnoticed. This book takes that to an extreme, but maybe that’s show more what readers need to get the point. It’s funny and enjoyable to read, and the deeper message that gets you thinking is very subtle. show less

Imagine my surprise when I picked up a Neal Shusterman book – Neal Shusterman of Unwind and the Skinjacker series – and found myself laughing more than I have during a book in a long time. Yet in the midst of all that laughter, there are moments of the deepest sincerity, too.
When Antsy realizes that Calvin, a/k/a the Schwa, is usually overlooked even when he’s standing right in front of someone, he’s intrigued and wants to know why. This leads to a course of experiments about what does and does not get the Schwa noticed. All of these experiments lead to a “job” that Antsy and the Schwa start together after school. Through the time they spend in their experiments and at their job, the two of them become close and Antsy wants show more to help the Schwa figure out the story behind how he became “observationally challenged”.
I loved every character in this book, from Antsy’s best friends to the possibly crazy butcher, and they each play an important role in the story. Mr. Crawley is perfect as the crotchety, agoraphobic shut-in. Lexie provides a sense of compassion, and teaches Antsy how to see things in a profound way. The Schwa’s dad is eerily detached from his son in a way that is disturbing to read.
At its core, this story is about feeling insignificant to the world. Although the story is hyperbolic, it works to make a point about how someone can feel completely surrounded yet completely alone at the same time. Antsy’s willingness to work against “the Schwa Effect” in order to help a new friend find peace – and to make sure he’s never really forgotten – gives the story its heart. show less

I liked parts of this book. It portrays modern nutty Brooklyn with nutty characters. A kid fades into the woodwork & then finds himself a bit. It had a feature that I hate, where there is a foreshadowing of something but what actually happens isn't nearly so bad as the foreshadowing says it will be.

This was a family audio book and it made the time pass well. Read by the author, Neal Shusterman and told by the main character, Ant'ny (Antsy) Bonano, the Brooklyn side of NY really shines through. He and his buddies Ira and Howie are typical teens, playing video games, wreaking experimental destruction and taking dares. A 4th boy shows up to join their hijinx one day: Calvin Schwa. He is a legend in his school -- because no one knows the real kid. He is all but invisible -- just one of those kids that blends into the background without making an impact. The book becomes a quest to test the Schwa effect and to make Calvin a solid presence. He has to come to terms with some aspects of his past (his mother ran off when he was young and show more his father is pretty incompetent as a result). One of the dares/tests put Antsy and Calvin in contact with Mr. Crowley, the neighborhood grouch and recluse with 14 dogs. When they get caught, Crowley does not turn them in to the police but makes them work off service hours with him -- walking the dogs and also entertaining his blind granddaughter who happens to be their age and beautiful. Lexie becomes part of the group and the escapades take on a whole new dimension. Ansty's family also plays a minor part as he considers his own invisibility where they are concerned. Alternately funny and touching, the book looks at the need for teens to make a mark on the world, to be noticed -- for good things -- and to embrace their family and heritage as part of their identity. show less