Talking to Alaska

January 15, 2021
Two very different kids who need the same dog realize they both sometimes feel like they're walking around on Mars. Parker and Sven, two White 13-year-olds, are both nervous starting a new year at their school in the Netherlands. Parker's recovering from a traumatic experience, and Sven hasn't adapted to his epilepsy diagnosis. The first day of school begins badly for both of them: Sven, trying to impress people, gives Parker a mean nickname, then closes the day with a very public seizure. He frequently experiences generalized tonic-clonic seizures and can no longer bike or swim, and he has a service dog, Alaska, whom he resents. But only four months ago, Alaska was Parker's pet. In alternating perspectives, Parker and Sven confront trauma, grief, and how they feel like aliens at school. The premise that Parker's former house pet is now Sven's skilled seizure dog after only one month of training bends credulity to the breaking point in a novel packed with little informational lessons about epilepsy and service animals. The book was translated from the original Dutch into British English, and although the text has been largely Americanized, it frequently uses the word fit for seizure--considered ableist and pejorative phrasing in the U.S. (though not in the U.K.). On the other hand, it's wonderful to see a helmet normalized for a disabled protagonist who's prone to falls. A mixed bag for epilepsy representation; satisfying as a friendship tale. (Fiction. 12-14)

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Starred review from February 15, 2021
Grades 5-8 *Starred Review* Alaska is a beloved dog. At least, she is beloved to Parker, the girl who had to give her up because of a sibling's allergy. But Alaska has become known as "the beast" while serving as an assistance dog to Parker's new classmate, Sven, who resents that the dog makes his invisible disability, epilepsy, visible. Meanwhile, Parker takes advantage of the fact that Sven doesn't know of Alaska's former ownership, disguising herself in a balaclava in order to visit her old friend. Deft and satisfying, this book--an award winner from the Netherlands--explores far more than dog ownership. Alternating between the two preteens, Woltz lets them express vulnerabilities and fears all too relatable to most middle-graders. Parker suffers as a witness to violence. Sven, unaware that "Balaclava Girl" is Parker, enjoys talking during her clandestine visits, sharing his despair and anger over his newly diagnosed disease. Then, a major seizure, filmed by a classmate and gone viral, drives Sven to leave school. His discovery of Parker's true identity results in him feeling further betrayed--until she is in danger. His helping her, and discovering his dog can predict seizures, helps change both kids' lives. For animal-loving readers, the fluffy white dog may be reason enough to add this to collections, but the deeper layers of story make it a must.

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