Stanley Will Probably Be Fine

November 1, 2017

Gr 3-6-Stanley Fortinbras is not excited about seventh grade at Peavey Middle School. Stan has sensory processing disorder and when his environment becomes too chaotic, he begins to worry. He gets "red alerts" from Principal Coffin's safety drills, crowds, too much noise, and all the ways that his brother, Calvan, picks on him. Recently, his best friend Joon has begun to drift away and hang out with the more popular kids. Stan is an expert on comic trivia and comics comfort him when life gets to be too much. When Stan is called to the stage to participate in one of Principal Coffin's safety drills, he passes out. Humiliated in front of the whole school, Stanley is escorted to the office where he meets with the school psychologist. She gives him a relaxation technique and shows him a room he can visit whenever he feels overwhelmed and needs time to himself. In his "ready room," Stan finds a giant sketch pad on an easel and a box of markers. Drawing helps Stan relax, so he begins to sketch and creates his very own superhero named John Lockdown. Now, Stanley has entered Trivia Quest and must face his fear of crowds, talking to people, and busses. He is paired with his fearless new neighbor, Liberty. But Liberty has a secret that may affect the outcome of the Trivia Quest. The story encourages students to see the best in others and to understand that sometimes people are going through difficulties that cannot be seen. VERDICT An excellent addition to promote social-emotional learning.-Annette Herbert, F. E. Smith Elementary School, Cortland, NY

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2017
Superheroes can be found in unlikely places.Middle schooler Stanley Fortinbras has a sensory-processing disorder and experiences anxiety, both of which make the principal's many emergency preparedness drills difficult for him to handle. When he passes out at a safety assembly, he's sent to school counselor Mrs. Ngozo, an African-American woman, who creates a Ready Room for him: a quiet place where he can go when school becomes too chaotic. It's here that John Lockdown, hero of the underdog, is born. Stanley, son of a "dark," Morocco-born French father and white mother, is no superhero, but he does have a superpower: comic-book trivia. When his best friend, Joon (who is Korean), suggests they enter Trivia Quest, a comics treasure hunt that takes place all over San Diego, Stanley's mind reels with both possible and unlikely worse-case scenarios. After Stanley and Joon have a disagreement, Stanley asks his new neighbor, confident white girl Liberty, to go with him instead. To get through the stress of the day, Stanley creates his own way to manage his out-of-control thoughts and the resultant paralyzing fear: What would Lockdown do? The story never dumbs down or oversimplifies Stanley; he's a multidimensional character of great depth who gradually learns how to calm his worried mind, and the book avoids patronizing readers with a false sense of everything's-right-with-the-world.Add to the growing list of intelligent books about kids whose brains operate outside the norm. (Fiction. 8-12)

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November 15, 2017
Grades 4-8 Stanley is an expert at comics trivia. Comics give him comfort in the world when he feels overwhelmed from sensory overload and his anxiety rears its head. With Stanley's best friend acting weird and distant, his dad overseas for a job, and his middle school's alarming safety assemblies, Stanley has a lot to worry about. After fainting during an assembly, Stanley creates an imaginary superhero named John Lockdown to help him overcome his fears. And Stanley needs help because he's just entered the biggest comics event, Trivia Quest. Partnering with his new neighbor Liberty, he endeavors to tackle his fears, win passes to Comic Fest, and get his best friend back. Stanley's anxiety and sensory processing disorder are portrayed in a sensitive and relatable way, although, at times, Stanley overcomes his worry too easily, thanks to Liberty's pushing and some quick breathing. The novel loses steam after the contest ends, but it's nevertheless refreshing to see a middle-grader tackling SPD and anxiety in an understandable way.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)