Parents' Guide to

Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero

By Barbara Saunders, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Boy adjusts to father's death in bittersweet tale.

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This is a poignant, beautiful story of a family facing crisis with the help of a supportive community. Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero is Kelly J. Baptist's debut novel, based on a character she created for an award-winning short story. Baptist is very skillful in presenting topics the way a 10-year-old would perceive them. Specifically, Isaiah's mother falls into complicated grief and develops a drinking problem. And Isaiah's responses as he cares for his younger sister, discovers empty liquor bottles, and fields collections calls accurately reflect the confusion a child that age would experience in that situation. The way the boy connects to his late father through their common love of writing is both inventive and believable.

Book Details

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