A Different Kind of Beauty. Sylvia McNicoll. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2004. 208 pp., pbk. & cl., $11.95 (pbk.), $22.95 (cl.). ISBN 1-55005-060-5 (pbk.), ISBN 1-55005-059-1. Subject Headings: Guide Dogs-Juvenile literature. Human-Animal relationships-Juvenile literature. Grades 7-9 / Ages 13-15. Review by Gail Hamilton. *** /4

excerpt:

On our way to the stairs, I noticed the crowd kind of parting around this tall guy in the distance. Something about him looked familiar. He wore sunglasses- even though it wasn’t that bright in the mall- and dark clothes. “Oh, the guy from the park!” I said out loud.

“Kyle Nicholson? The blind dude with the attitude? Haven’t you seen him at school?” Alicia asked.

In this sequel to Bringing Up Beauty, 15-year-old Elizabeth, embarking on her first year of high school, is raising another puppy for the Canine Vision program. She is determined, this time, not to get too attached to the dog, but Beauty seems to be the only positive thing in her life right now. Her ex-boyfriend, Scott, is sending her mixed messages about his feelings for her, and her pregnant sister has moved back home to escape an abusive, alcoholic partner. Meanwhile, Kyle, a boy at Elizabeth’s school, is learning to cope with his recent blindness, a result of diabetes. He is struggling to be independent, engaging in some risky behaviours to prove that he is in control and that he is still “one of the guys.” One night, after a bout of drinking at a party, Kyle collapses from insulin shock on the sidewalk where Elizabeth and Beauty find him. While Elizabeth runs for help, Beauty stays with Kyle. The teens’ paths cross several times in the story, but neither teen is particularly impressed with the other. At home, Elizabeth’s parents deal with the impending birth of their new grandchild. Though at first they are upset about the older daughter’s pregnancy, they express their feelings honestly and gradually come to terms with it. Contrarily, Kyle’s parents seem self-absorbed and are not as empathetic to Kyle’s adjustment to his blindness as they could be, nor do they act very concerned when Kyle ends up in the hospital. As the story comes to a close, Elizabeth gives Beauty to the training center, and, as luck would have it, when she attends Beauty’s graduation, she learns that Beauty has been assigned to Kyle.

     McNicoll tells the story in two voices, Elizabeth’s and Kyle’s, via alternating chapters. Much of the action takes place in typical teen settings - at home, at school and at the mall, or en route to these places. This is fast-paced, light reading with simple vocabulary in a conversational style, perfect for reluctant readers. Though McNicoll does a good job of describing Elizabeth’s world, she is somewhat less successful at portraying Kyle’s difficulty in accepting and dealing with his blindness. His parents’ attitudes seem quite unrealistic. Despite this minor flaw, teenage girls, in particular, will enjoy this book.

Recommended.

Gail Hamilton is a teacher-librarian at Bird’s Hill School in East St. Paul, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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