Savvy - Ingrid Law

Also reviewed by Heather.

Summary:  Mibs is about to turn thirteen, and in her remarkable family, becoming a teenager means finally discovering your extra-special ability--

your savvy.

Will Mib's savvy be strong enough to guide her through the journey of a lifetime?  (Summary from back of the book and image from http://egb63.wordpress.com/)

My Review:  There is so much to love about this book.  I loved the overall idea of this book: a family with abilities that are out of the norm, ones they have to learn to curb, control, and use.  I also liked the explanation that everyone has a type of savvy, they just aren't as pronounced as the ones the Beaumonts have.   The overall story is great, the ideas, the savvy's, the relationships, the plot development, all of it is great.

In fact, this book is really so good I could almost give it 5 stars.  But, I couldn't.  And you might be surprised why.  While I love the imagery, the descriptions, etc., the made-up words and use of repeating words got old fast.  I started skimming whenever she'd use another one of the "shy as shy" or "red as red" phrases.  I think it was overdone to the point of being distracting.  I'd forget about the storyline and start thinking how annoying it was.  While I realize this is what English teachers look for in good writing, and that when writing for early young adults or kids graduating out of the children's fiction section writers are striving to introduce kids to more descriptive language, this book pushed that limit beyond what I could enjoy. It became flowery language for flowery language's sake.

Overall, I'll still be recommending this to my students and even to adults who like YA fiction.  I just can't give it the 5 star rating that I've seen so many others give it.

Rating: 4 stars

Sum it up:  A creative and fun, though not realistic, early young adult read.

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