“Kalisha Jackson is a girl with a stomach-churning secret – she cut school for a year and never got caught! A new year begins. Kalisha decides to go back to school. While waiting for the bus she sees an old man struggling with a cart full of groceries. She stops to help and meets Albrecht Spinoza, a man who can speak seventeen languages, but who’s had no one to talk to since the death of his beloved wife, Rosa.Kalisha is late the first day setting off a conflict with her teacher, Jack Ralston. She’s been stuck in something called “Project Restart,” a strange new program in which the penalty for not doing well is a special classroom in Juvenile Hall. Mr. Spinoza gives Kalisha a copy of the Compact Oxford Dictionary. But the more “big” words Kalisha learns, the less everyone understands her and the madder Jack Ralston seems to get. Which to Kalisha and her new friends sounds like fun – and a great way to destroy Project Restart!
That is, if they don’t get trammeled, proscribed, or incarcerated, first.”
There’s not much I can really say about The Word Gang. It was an adorable read. You know the type…the ones you read to feel good? This definitely fits in that category. The story is interesting and somewhat educational! I found myself having to look up new words to learn the definition of them. Overall it was a great breath of fresh air to read something that wasn’t a totally heavy read, but also wasn’t incredibly immature like light reads usually are.
Kally was deemed a problem child and sentenced to “Project Restart”, when in reality she was just overwhelmed and rebelled a bit. She was a fun character you just have to love. I absolutely love Mr. Spinoza, he’s a quirky old gentleman who I’d love to live next door to for chats. I mean, his apartment is like a giant library? What book lover wouldn’t love him! Kally’s friends and classmates illicit a few giggles with their crazy uses of the new words they’ve learned.
McKenna has weaved an interesting story that I definitely picture myself reading again in the future.
Many thanks to the author for sending me a copy of his book for review!