Wrestling with the aftermath of tragedy

The issue of bullying and the tragedy of school shootings that involve lonely and marginalized young people have been the stuff of far too many news reports in recent years.

It is also the stuff in which Vancouver author Susin Nielsen has rooted her latest YA novel, but rather than mining the more sensational aspects of this subject matter, she has chosen to use it as a springboard into the psyches of characters who, once you’ve met them in the pages of The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen, will stay with you long after you’ve closed the book.

Aimed at ages 11 to 14, I think it deserves a far wider readership. Parents of teenagers, for example, should read this book — and brace themselves for a few tears. Admittedly, they’d come at it from a different vantagepoint than the readers for whom the book is intended. For those readers, the main character — 13-year-old Henry Larsen — is simply trying to make his way through the school day with a minimum of fuss, just as they are. And like them, he’s got baggage which sometimes gets in the way.

Little does anyone know, however, just how heavy that baggage is for Henry. His family has gone through major upheaval, and Henry is trying hard to keep it all together. His mother remains in Ontario, with her parents, trying to cope in her own way while Henry and his dad return to British Columbia and settle into an apartment with neighbours who, it turns out, have encountered obstacles of their own. And Henry’s older brother, Jesse, is in a shoebox under dad’s bed.

At his new school, Henry tries to keep a low profile but very quickly learns that geek attracts geek, and bullies always find their targets. Still, Henry’s innate wit and wisdom keep him moving forward, and even manage to find him several remarkable friends — some of whom share his passion for the Global Wrestling Federation and “Saturday Night Smash-Up” on TV. Now if only he could control his own thoughts, and nightmares, and sense of guilt.

Nielsen, who was a writer for the television series Degrassi Junior High, is remarkable at creating characters that step off her pages fully formed. Even while dealing with heartbreaking issues and frightening concerns, she manages to keep hope alive — and instils in her characters a survival instinct and a sense of humour that keeps them afloat.

It’s no surprise that this remarkable book has been shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award. I fervently hope it wins.

Age 11 and up

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen By Susin Nielsen Tundra Books, 243 pages, $19.99