Hello, Universe

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a really cute book that I feel teaches important lessons, especially in today's world. The kids in this book are not your average kids. One is deaf, one is anxious, and one has family issues, but they are still just kids trying to figure out how to navigate the world. I feel that even as adults, it is important to see people outside of what is considered the "norm" portrayed in literature.

Seeing Valencia navigate the world and try to communicate with others shows us that the little things we do, like looking at someone when we talk to them, might not seem like a big thing to us, but could be the difference between someone being included or completely left out. Virgil shows us what it is like to truly be caring, even when you are scared of what might happen. Not only is he caring to others, but he is caring to the animals he comes across. I think the most important lesson we as adults can learn is from Chet. His view of what is going on around him is really not the best. He looks down on pretty much everyone and feels like he is better than them. As the story progresses and you get an inside look at what is going on in his personal life, it seems like everything changes.

This book really shows that the circumstances we are placed in growing up, the people that raise us and shape us, really affect how we look at the world. It can be so easy to just see what is right in front of us and judge based on first impressions, but being able to know a persons background and what they have gone through can change everything.

Author: Erin Entrada Kelly
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: March 14th 2017

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