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Matchstick by Andrew Cocco Review by Roseanna White
Aimed at the preteen/young adult audience, Matchstick is a story that leads the reader through one of the classic awkward stages of growing up. The usual eleven-year-old woes made worse by moving to a new area, sixth-grader Larry Taylor does not have an easy start to the school year. By the end of his first day, his red hair and tall height has earned him the name "Matchstick," and he has managed to alienate the popular boys in the small school. Determined to fit in, or at least hold his own, Larry determines to be nice to all, helpful, whatever it takes to be accepted. More often than not, his efforts reward him with pranks and taunts. When the annual Christmas program approaches, Larry’s music teacher and principal experience a problem of their own–every year, a soloist has performed a Christmas carol that spoke of the true reason for the season, and a group of lawyers has decided that the religious tone is not one to be tolerated. The administration fought this battle once before and got its way, but that’s no guarantee that it can work out this time. Never before has Larry faced problems like the ones he comes against that winter. Trying to deal with a new social status, parents turned bitter in the face of it, ostracism at school, the fear of failure, and the added responsibility of trying not to let down his music teacher, he has to find a strength beyond his own. As he struggles through it, the reader does as well. It is hard to look at Larry and not see a reflection of oneself at a similar age, even if one has never been in a precisely analogous situation. Cocco captures the thoughts and wishful thinking of the kid perfectly, using a strong narrative to portray striking characters as diverse as they are real. Never preachy or overbearing, he nevertheless manages to insert the importance of keeping one’s eyes on Christ as the goal, whether it be in something as seemingly trivial as a song, or as overarching as a legal battle. The issues Cocco brings up should resonate close to home with any Christian dealing with the public school system and hence its legalities. Through his characters he questions the rights and restrictions the legal code as placed on state and religion, handling the argument simply and well. For a short, quick read, Matchstick is very involving in its utter reality. Though a few typos snuck in, the mistakes don’t really detract from the story, and the writing style is clear and concise. This book is definitely audience-appropriate, enjoyable for an adult and encouraging for a child or preteen, who is inevitably dealing with the some of the same issues as Larry. It’s a solid and light read that will echo within you after you turn the last page. |
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