Hello lovelies and happy Wednesday! I have my review for Paul, Big, and Small by David Glen Robb for you today.
Published: October 1, 2019
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Genre(s): Young Adult, Contemporary
Format: Hardcover 336 pages
AMAZON – BARNES AND NOBLE – BOOK DEPOSITORY – INDIEBOUND – KOBO
Paul Adams has always been short, but he’s an excellent rock climber. And his small size means he can hide from the bullies that prowl the halls of his high school.
Top on his list of “People to Avoid” are Conor, from his Language Arts class, Hunter, who hangs around the climbing gym, and Lily Small, who happens to be the tallest girl in school. But he might be able to be friends with a new kid from Hawaii who insists that everyone call him “Big.” He’s got a way of bringing everyone into his circle and finding the beauty in even the worst of situations.
When the three of them—Paul, Big, and Small—are assigned to the same group project, they form an unlikely friendship. And Paul realizes that maybe Lily isn’t so bad after all. He might even actually like her. And maybe even more than like her.
Paul and Lily team up for a rock-climbing competition, but when Lily is diagnosed with leukemia, Paul ends up with Conor on his team. And when Paul learns that Conor is dealing with bullies of his own—as well as some deep emotional pain—he realizes that the bullying in his school has got to stop.Paul, Big, and Small is about the turbulent, emotional lives of young adults who are struggling with life’s challenges openly and sometimes in secret.
Heartfelt, Gripping and Beautifully Touching
A breathtaking and engaging read from start to finish, Paul, Big, and Small by David Glen Robb is a beautifully touching story about acceptance, compassion, friendship, and hope. It’s heartfelt, relatable, and gripping and I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would. I smiled, I laughed, I cried, and felt so many wonderful emotions.
High school is not easy… even more when you’re a little different and unique. But, having friends who understand just what you’re feeling and going through definitely makes a difference. Paul Adams is an amazing rock-climber, but has been bullied for being short. Lily Small is the tallest girl in high school. And Big, the new kid from Hawaii, has a big heart and always finds the beauty in every situation. After being assigned to the same group project, Paul, Lily and Big realize that they have plenty in common, become really good friends, and ultimately learn important life lessons from each other.
I adore this book and enjoyed so many things about it. While the story is sad at times, there’s so much realness, honesty, and love in the narrative that I could not stop reading. David Glen Robb’s writing is sincere, riveting, and just so beautiful. I think he does a fantastic job capturing how it feels to experience and struggle with life’s many challenges as a teenager or young adult. From feeling alone and different, being bullied, dealing with insecurities and mental health issues, going through something devastating or life-changing, and everything else in between, I think readers can find a connection with parts of this story and/or the characters. And that’s what I truly love about this book. I was able to relate and see my younger self in the story in some way and also in some of the characters which made this novel more interesting and enjoyable. I also really like the rock climbing parts and thought that was really exciting. I like the conflict, the drama, and most importantly, the many thought-provoking and important themes about friendships and just life in general.
The characters are believable, realistic and charming. Paul, Big, and Lily are wonderful characters. Getting to know them was fun and a piece of my heart will always belong to them. I really like Paul and Lily and enjoyed many of their sweet and endearing moments together. Big is definitely my favorite and I will protect him with my heart and soul. I love that he always tries to see the goodness and beauty in everything. Big brought so much warmth and joy to the story and I love him for that. The friendship that develops between these three amazing characters is so precious.
David Glen Robb has created a wonderfully realistic and intriguing story that is incredibly meaningful, compelling and moving. Paul, Big, and Small made me feel so many emotions and I loved it all. Some parts are heart-wrenching and sad, but there are also so many happy moments that made me smile. The characters are relatable, loveable, and seem so real that you can’t help but care and root for them. I really enjoyed reading this novel and loved that I walked away with so much more than I expected. This is definitely a must read for anyone and I honestly can’t recommend it enough.
I received a physical ARC copy of this book from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Author bio and photo taken from Goodreads
David Glen Robb lives in the Rocky Mountain West with his wife, two sons, and two dogs and is an avid rock climber who also coaches youth rock climbing teams. He taught high school English, art, and creative writing for eleven years before deciding to pursue writing full time.
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Thanks for stopping by sweeties. Hope you get the chance to know Paul, Big and Small.
Until next time, have a great day and happy reading!!
Katy Upperman is a wife, mama, author, reader, baker, and wanderer. She writes novels for teens and teens at heart. She’s a Washington State University alum (go Cougs!), a country music fanatic, and a makeup stockpiler. She loves the ocean, pedicures, sunshine, Instagram, Dirty Dancing and The Princess Bride, Jelly Bellies, true crime documentaries, and Friday Night Lights.
Sincerely Karen Jo 