Being yourself can be such a bad idea. For sixteen-year-old Badi Hessamizadeh, life is a series of humiliations. After withdrawing from public school under mysterious circumstances, Badi enters Magnificat Academy. To make things “easier,” his dad has even given him a new name: Bud Hess. Grappling with his Iranian-American identity, clinical depression, bullying, and a barely bottled rage, Bud is an outcast who copes by resorting to small revenges and covert acts of defiance, but the pressures of his home life, plummeting grades, and the unrequited affection of his new friend, Nikki, prime him for a more dangerous revolution. Strange letters to the editor begin to appear in Magnificat’s newspaper, hinting that some tragedy will befall the school. Suspicion falls on Bud, and he and Nikki struggle to uncover the real culprit and clear Bud’s name. Permanent Record explodes with dark humor, emotional depth, and a powerful look at the ways the bullied fight back.
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Book Review
Every once in a while you come across a GEM that the story line is so powerful it should be read by FAMILIES. That's exactly the category Mrs. Stella's book should be in! From the blurb alone I knew this book would be different than my usual reads, but every now and then you need a good dose of reality. This story is the REALITY of a young middle eastern high school student and his PURE HELL. What Badi Hessamizadeh had to endure in his short life would bring a person to there knees knowing your child or even family member was going through what he did. This was a very emotional read. Mrs. Stella touched on so many sensitive topics effecting today youth. Let me stop and say kudos Mrs. Stella for addressing not one but multiple important topics facing the next generation. The way you meshed together bullying, suicide, cultural differences, and the effects of 9-11/terrorism on middle eastern families ( just to name a few) was beautiful. This story flows so well.
What happens to a child that is told by society/his peers/ and even his family ( in certain situations) your not good enough and your weird? That child is a Badi Hessamizadeh. Someone who gets toilet dunked daily, fingers slammed in lockers, beat up just because he breaths your air, hit in the head with skate boards.....you get my point.... If your cringing by my description trust me there is a lot worse in this book. But everyone has his breaking point. Badi's included a bottle of pills and explosives in a toilet.
Well surviving his suicide attempt, getting dismissed from his local public school and having his parents change his name to something more American sounding has given him a second chance right? Ya you would think but you know the saying the grass isn't always greener on the other side..... Well it's TRUE! New school, new name (bud Hess), new friends ( I was fist pumping at this) but same old simple minded high school drama making anyone that is slightly different an outcast. Equipped with therapy sessions, meds he's not taking( for anxiety and depression), a teacher who tries to understand him ( or so he thinks) and new BFF's bud tries to make the best of his second chance. Of course peace and happiness would be to easy.
As the drama at his new school starts to spiral out of control and all fingers point to him, Bud fights/chases his demons (bullies/to a extent his parents). As this story played out we see bud struggle to push forward and have the courage to fight for his beliefs. I mean why should you have to sell chocolate bars for a school if you don't want to? I loved buds character. In my mind I thought of him as a young Sheldon Cooper lol. His logic was always right and the rest of the worlds was wrong. Smh, smart people lol. In this book bud made some stupid decisions, but what teenager doesn't. My favorite part of this book was the ending. Bud sees himself filled with that same anger/hate as before, and is slipping down the same disastrous road. However unlike before is his life the same as it once was? If he makes his statement, will he finally win or will they win?
I loved this book. This book is one that I recommend to parents, kids, grandparents etc to read. The sensitive topics touched on in this book by Mrs. Stella are of grave importance today. If you don't believe me ask your self over the years how many times have you heard in the news about school shootings or related incidents. Bullying is a serious problem that is not addressed enough. Be sure to hug/give and say I love you to your brothers/sisters, children,/grandchildren etc.....I did!
Great job Mrs. Stella!
*** I was provided an ARC for an honest review***
Book rating: 4.5 stars/A
Cheers,
Dr.Books
http://www.amazon.com/Permanent-Record-ebook/dp/B00AOBGZ86/ref=tmm_kin_title_0
http://www.lesliestella.com/site/
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