The Boy with 17 Senses

June 15, 2016
Twelve-year-old Jaq is willing to do anything to save his family's home; he'll even travel to another world.Everyone on the planet Yipsmix has synesthesia. They can see sounds, taste words, and feel colors. In fact, Jaq, pale-skinned with a shock of brown hair, has 17 different senses. Unfortunately, all of the senses in the world will not help his family's failing farm. Desperate, Jaq agrees to part with his beloved pet freasel in exchange for a magical key. Initially it seems he has been scammed, but further study yields a map to a portal to another world. Jaq travels to Earth with wipper Bonip, a sort of wacky fluff ball, where he finds both the means to save his family and others who need his help. This retelling of "Jack and the Beanstalk" tries hard but fails on many fronts. Forced whimsy, a too-complicated plot, and a tendency toward narrative preachiness are only a few of this story's problems. Jaq's mother is borderline abusive, throwing plates at his head, while Jaq's bitter and lazy grandfather is more horrible than amusing. The addition of synesthesia feels like another forced element, and those 17 senses add little to the already struggling story. A fractured fairy tale that splinters on impact. (Fantasy. 9-12)

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July 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-In Grau's inventive play on "Jack and the Beanstalk," our hero Jaq lives on a planet where everyone has synesthesia. Food changes flavor depending on what words one hears while eating it, numbers have their own personality, and sounds have color and shape. Initially, the mixed senses combined with the unusual setting might be disorienting for some readers, but the world-building pays off as Grau uses Jaq's story to explore themes of bullying and identity. The narrative follows the classic mold as Jaq tries to save his family's farm, in this version trading his pet freasel for a key and discovering a wormhole to another planet. There's a fun twist when readers learn just who the giants are in this alternative version. Readers will get a kick out of seeing Earth from another perspective. VERDICT Cleverly told, this original take on a classic tale uses an unconventional setting to explore universal emotions. Hand this to fans of whimsical retellings.-Eliza Langhans, Hatfield Public Library, MA

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