‘Brave’ by Svetlana Chmakova

Jensen navigates each day of middle-school by imagining it’s a video game.

First obstacle is a math teacher who will give extra homework to EVERYONE if the hapless person he calls upon (often Jensen) fails to correctly answer a math problem.

This, in turn, draws unwanted attention and resentment from some of the other students, who blame Jensen for the extra math homework and take it out on him.

Even if Jensen manages to evade these bullies, danger continues to lurk — in the form of a snarky hallway diva who is ready with a cruel put-down.

But Jensen fixes hope on his reward for completing each level of the game — that is, getting through another day of middle-school: at the end of school, Jensen gets to hang out with Art Club: where he “can just sit, draw, and no one ever bothers me.”

Some of the people in Art Club say belittling things to Jensen ... but they’re his friends, so it’s OK, right? And when someone set up a group-chat list to sign-up for volunteer projects, somehow Jensen is excluded from the list.

When student journalists Jenny and Akilah give him a questionnaire about bullying, Jensen has to take an honest look at himself and confront some of the ways he is treated.

There was just so much about this story I liked ... so many wonderful touches. It’s entertaining and heartfelt and wonderful.

But most significant for me, speaking as a survivor of childhood peer abuse, this story imparts valuable wisdom: about understanding how REAL friends will treat you, learning to recognize bullying, and speaking up for yourself.

Social fluency doesn’t come naturally to everybody, but this book helps illuminate it. I strongly recommend it as a book that enlightens, as well as entertains.