Vawter, Vince. (2013). Paperboy. New York, NY: Delacorte Press. ISBN: 9780307931511.
B. Plot Summary:
Paperboy is an autobiographical historical fiction novel set in the 1950s in Memphis, Tennessee. Eleven year old, Little Man (Victor) is asked to take over his best friend Rat's paper route for four weeks. Little Man is known around the community for two things: his mean fastball and his struggle with stuttering. While on his new paper route, he encounters three people that will change his life and teach him life lessons: a young boy with a disability, a housewife with her own struggles and a retired marine that has a passion for reading and philosophy.
Little Man faces many challenges on Rat's paper route such as the neighborhood thief and junk collector, Ara T. His biggest struggle is his ability to communicate effectively with others. His new friends on the paper route, along with his mother, adoptive father (real father is unknown) and Mam (housekeeper) shape him into who he ultimately becomes: a brave, caring young man who has finally found his true voice as a writer.
C. Critical Analysis:
The Newbery Honor Award winner, Paperboy started off as a very slow book. I listened to the audiobook, which was a struggle for me at the beginning, as I am not an auditory learner. It wasn't until about Chapter six when I started getting very interested in the book. There's a lot of time spent at the beginning to introduce Little Man's struggle with stuttering. Once he begins his journey on covering his friend's paper route, the plot really unfolds. The reader is able to see how he deals with challenging situations, such as defending himself from Ara T, communicating his ideas and finding out he doesn't know his real father. The audiobook was exceptional at expressing Little Man's thoughts and dialogue.
Each character that he encounters contributes to him becoming a stronger person. While reading this historical novel, I felt that there was a new surprising event in each chapter, from learning about the deaf boy on the route, to Mrs. Worthington's alcoholism and Mam's black eye from Ara T.
The reader can place themselves in 1950s Tennessee. I could imagine myself walking along the streets of Little Man's neighborhood. There were many accurate historical events and references in Paperboy, such as the segregated seats on the public bus, the movie Shane, and unfair treatment of African Americans. During my reading, I found many controversial topics for young students: alcoholism, physical violence, murder, language and question of religion and God. This book is recommended for students in older grades. Overall, the everyday reader can connect to the many overlapping themes in this historical novels: standing up for what you believe in, finding your true self and not worrying about what others think. This is what truly draws readers in to this fascinating historical novel.
D. Review Excerpts:
**Kirkus Reviews states "Carefully crafted language, authenticity of setting and quirky characters that ring fully true all combine to make this a worthwhile read. Although Little Man's stutter holds up dialogue, that annoyance also powerfully reflects its stultifying impact on his life. An engaging and heartfelt presentation that never whitewashes the difficult time and situation as Little Man comes of age."
**School Library Journal states, "The first-person narrative is told in small, powerful block paragraphs without commas, which the stuttering narrator loathes. Vawter portrays a protagonist so true to a disability that one cannot help but empathize with the difficult world of a stutterer. Yet, Victor's story has much broader appeal as the boy begins to mature and redefine his relationship with his parents, think about his aspirations for the future, and explore his budding spirituality. The deliberate pacing and unique narration make Paperboy a memorable coming-of-age novel."
E. Connections:
After reading this book, teachers and students can read other books that cover segregation. The arranged bus seating is discussed in the book, so it is a good idea to read about Rosa Parks. Students might also enjoy books with other protagonist characters that struggle with a disability such as Wonder by RJ Palacio. Readers would enjoy exploring Vince Vawter's website to learn more about his own struggles with his speech impediment.
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