MMGM: The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner
ABOUT THE BOOK
46 mountain peaks.
A second chance to make things right.
Finn Connelly is nothing like his dad, a star athlete and firefighter hero who always ran toward danger until he died two years ago. Finn's about to fail seventh grade and has never made headlines . . . until now.
Caught on camera vandalizing a cemetery, he's in big trouble for kicking down some dead old lady's headstone. But it turns out that grave belongs to a legendary local mountain climber, and her daughter makes Finn an unusual offer...climb all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks with her dead mother's dog, and they can call it even.
In a wild three months of misadventures, mountain mud, and unexpected mentors, Finn begins to find his way on the trails. At the top of each peak, he can see for miles and slowly begins to understand more about himself and his dad. But the mountains don't care about any of that, and as the clock ticks down to September, they have more surprises in store. Finn's final summit challenge may be more than even a hero can face.
REVIEW
Finn's journey through poetry, grief, anger, and climbing makes for a compelling, empathetic read. After getting in trouble for kicking over a gravestone, Finn needs to climb all 46 of the Adirondack High Peaks to make amends. He is resentful and angry as he begins. Over time though the project allows him to start thinking about what got him in trouble in the first place: his anger and grief over the loss of his father. He starts writing poetry about his climbing to fulfill a school assignment so he can move on to 8th grade, but he continues because he finds it is an effective outlet for his feelings. The use of poetry to highlight Finn's feelings works very well as the reader gets a feel for his reactions to things rather than focusing on the activities themselves.
Finn's a relatable protagonist as he struggles to express himself in appropriate ways. He also struggles to make good choices as he deals with the consequences of his poor choices. It turns out though that climbing is not only good for his physical health (except for some mishaps along the way) but for his mental health as well. The texts between Finn and his mom add some humor along the way. The photographs give readers a glimpse into the beautiful places Finn (and the author) visits. What touched me the most was Finn's struggle with grief. His father's experience as a firefighter on 9/11 lead to an ongoing struggle with alcohol and what Finn feels like was an over dedication to his job. After discovering some old letters his father received from the person who's grave he knocked over, he starts to understand his father in new ways. A heart-tugging glimpse into the grieving process of one tween boy who finds solace in the natural world. Highly recommended.
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