The Way I Say It is an old school feeling story with a modern take. The entire time I was reading I was thinking, “This is so 1980s!” I felt that while the issues being discussed in this book by Nancy Tandon, they were terribly tame by today’s standards. It almost felt like I had read this book back when I was between the ages of 8 and 12. Yet, dealing with a speech issue, brain injury and friendship woes is timeless at the same time.
Rory and Brent were best friends until “that day” happened. Now, paired up for a school project, they not only have to deal with their animosity towards each other, but Brent has had an accident that leaves him with a serious brain injury. And a bullseye on his back from the new friends he was hanging out with after he stopped being Rory’s friend. But that bullseye is a whole lot smaller than the one Rory has on his from Brent and the other boys. Together, along with a cool speech therapist teacher (he drops a lot of 1980s-1990s band names), the boys find that sometimes the hardest thing isn’t saying your Rs right, or remembering your assignments, but doing the right thing is. \
I had the opportunity to read this novel from Charlesbridge Publishing via an e-galley (I love publishers who do not use that PIB NetGalley!). That might have been the reason behind the flow issues I had as I was trying to read via the computer screen, and not my preferred method of physical book, but at times the flow was choppy and jumped around. Yet, I know that I would have enjoyed this book “back in the day” and know that kids today will also enjoy it.
