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Writer's pictureSeema M. Fazil

The Summer of Owen Todd by Tony Abbott


Title: The Summer of Owen Todd

Author: Tony Abbott

Release Date: October 17, 2017

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

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Rating: ★★☆☆☆.5






Synopsis:


Owen and his best friend, Sean, are both eleven years old. They've lived on Cape Cod all their lives, and now that they're a little older, they'll finally be free to spend some time on their own. But Sean's mother has a different idea--she hires a babysitter to look after Sean. Paul is in his twenties, and a well-liked guy from church.
Paul starts doing things that just feel wrong. Because they've always been as close as brothers, Sean tells Owen, and no one else. What's not certain to Owen is what he should do. Sean warns him not to tell anyone what is happening. But if Owen doesn't tell, could something even worse happen to Sean?
This harrowing and sensitively told tale of child abuse is a must-read for anyone who might ever be called upon to help a friend in need.

 

My Review:


TW: child abuse, child molestation


What would you do if the only way to help a friend would also hurt them?


In Tony Abbott's The Summer of Owen Todd, Owen Todd finds himself in a difficult situation when his best friend, Sean Huff, is being molested - yes, MOLESTED - by his BABYSITTER! Because they've always been as close as brothers, Sean tells Owen everything but makes him promise not to tell anyone. So what should Owen do?

This book really raises awareness of sick people being out there and how we should be careful of who to trust.


The Summer of Owen Todd has been on my TBR for a long time, and as someone who's into books with mental health rep, I was really looking forward to it.

To be honest, it wasn't the best I've ever read. It was... alright, I guess. Some things were a bit confusing for me, and there was something in there that made me uncomfortable (did the author really have to do that?!). Also, there was a really disgusting graphic description that I felt like was really unnecessary in a children's book!


The only thing I would say I liked about it was the powerful message in the end that we should never remain silent when someone is in trouble. Owen did the right thing!

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