Pay It Forward

Starred review from January 31, 2000
An ordinary boy engineers a secular miracle in Hyde's (Funerals for Horses) winning second novel, set in small-town 1990s California. Twelve-year-old Trevor McKinney, the son of Arlene, a single mom working two jobs, and Ricky, a deadbeat absentee dad, does not seem well-positioned to revolutionize the world. But when Trevor's social studies teacher, Reuben St. Clair, gives the class an extra-credit assignment, challenging his students to design a plan to change society, Trevor decides to start a goodwill chain. To begin, he helps out three people, telling each of them that instead of paying him back, they must "pay it forward" by helping three others. At first, nothing seems to work out as planned, not even Trevor's attempt to bring Arlene and Reuben together. Granted, Trevor's mother and his teacher are an unlikely couple: she is a small, white, attractive, determined but insecure recovering alcoholic; he is an educated black man who lost half his face in Vietnam. But eventually romance does blossom, and unbeknownst to Trevor, his other attempts to help do "pay forward," yielding a chain reaction of newsworthy proportions. Reporter Chris Chandler is the first to chase down the story, and Hyde's narrative is punctuated with excerpts from histories Chandler publishes in later years (Those Who Knew Trevor Speak and The Other Faces Behind the Movement), as well as entries from Trevor's journal. Trevor's ultimate martyrdom, and the extraordinary worldwide success of his project, catapult the drama into the realm of myth, but Hyde's simple prose rarely turns preachy. Her Capraesque theme--that one person can make a difference--may be sentimental, but for once, that's a virtue. $250,000 ad/promo; BOMC and QPB alternates; 7-city author tour; film rights optioned by Warner Bros.

August 1, 2014

Gr 5 Up-Twelve-year-old Trevor is a caring young man who, through a school assignment, begins a movement of kindness through the act of paying it forward. Encouraged by his mother and physically scarred school teacher, Trevor endeavors to make the world a better place in the midst of perceived failure and exciting social notoriety. As with the original adult version, Hyde brings readers into the Clinton administrative years and the home and life of the protagonist. The characters are believable and likable and children are taken along on their journey as willing participants. An ambiguous ending allows kids to make their own decisions about Trevor and his future. A thoroughly convincing narrative that will have children questioning the label of fiction. Well worth adding to a library collection.-Elizabeth Speer, Cisco College, TX

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 15, 2014
A lesson for middle schoolers about the power of a good idea to change the world.What's the secret to making the world a better place? Apparently, it has a lot to do with math. Give Trevor McKinney a calculator, and he'll show you how doing people favors and requiring only that they pass those favors on to three more people can soon create a movement of beneficial behavior that touches the entire world. But it's not so easy to convince his classmates, teacher and mom, not to mention strangers, who are stymied by an ingrained suspicion of the honor system and its failings. It's only when an intrepid journalist makes several connections among stories that Trevor's idea gets the attention it deserves. But a serious altercation may prove that doing good is too dangerous. This new version of the best-selling adult book by the same name delivers a message of hope and possibility to middle schoolers, who will find Trevor an interesting and identifiable character. The parts of the book that handle the relationship between Trevor's teacher and his mom will be less compelling for young readers, who may find the vagaries of adult love too...vague. Other secondary characters are vibrant and add both humor and necessary tension to the story.A mostly satisfying book that offers young readers an important alternative worldview and a vision of responsible activism. (Fiction. 11-15)

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August 1, 2014
Grades 4-7 A best-selling adult novel has been reworked for a younger audience, with mixed results. Trevor McKinney is asked to do a seemingly impossible assignmentcome up with an idea to change the world and put it into action. His idea is so simple that it might work: do someone a favor and ask them to do a favor for someone else instead of paying it back. Despite being the central character, Trevor is overshadowed by his mom, Arlene; teacher, Reuben; and their complicated relationship. This book may have been stronger had more of the story come from Trevor's point of view. Also, the original book was published in the 1990s, giving this edition a dated feel that adds another distracting layer over the central theme. However, with the growing popularity of books about tolerance and acceptance, such as Schooled (2007), by Gordon Korman, and Wonder (2012), by R. J. Palacio, Pay It Forward will likely find an audience.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)