Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It by Sundee T. Frazier

Brendan is a real kid with a passion for science and also a willingness to push his parents' rules. Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It - Frazier, Sundee T. and a great selection of similar New, Used and Collectible Books available now at great prices. 'Frazier delivers her messages without using an overly heavy hand. : Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It (9780440422068) by Frazier, Sundee T. A good, accessible selection to inspire discussion of racism and prejudice.' - Kirkus Reviews 'Brendan is an appealing character with a sense of honor. 'Frazier writes affectingly about what being biracial means in twenty-first century America.' - School Library Journal Pretty soon, Brendan sets out to uncover the reason behind Ed’s absence but soon discovers that family secrets can’t be explained by science.Ī winner of the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award, this is a novel about a boy learning about race relations and what it means to be a family.Īn NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young PeopleĪ Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year While they share a passion for geology, they do not share the color of their skin Brendan’s skin is brown, not pink like Ed DeBose’s. Up until now, he has never even met his grandfather-the grandfather his mother won’t even speak of.Ī chance encounter brings Brendan and his grandfather together where Brendan initiates a relationship with estranged grandfather, Ed DeBose. Ten-year-old Brendan Buckley is a self-declared scientist: asking questions and looking for answers, but most of all struggling against the overprotective behavior of his parents. (Fiction.Winner of the Coretta Scott King / John Steptoe New Talent Award, this acclaimed, multicultural book about a biracial boy with a passion for science will resonate with children everywhere who can’t-or won’t-be defined by categories. A good, accessible selection to inspire discussion of racism and prejudice. Brendan is an appealing character with a sense of honor, and if the ending is a bit pat, Brendan's curiosity and intelligence compensate. No stranger to racism, Brendan attempts to answer the question of why anyone would feel this way, as he simultaneously tries to find a way to bring his family together. When they find out, his parents reveal that it is Ed's bigotry concerning mixed-race couplesâ€”Brendan's mother is white and his father is blackâ€”that has resulted in his absence.

Initially unsure, Brendan decides to get to know his grandfather in secret. They've never met before, and all Brendan knows is that his mother won't talk about why.

Then he runs into his maternal grandfather, Ed, at a rock-and-mineral show. Ten-year-old Brendan Buckley, future scientist, expects to have a busy summer, between practicing Tai Kwon Do, spending time with his parents and paternal grandmother and writing in the notebook he fills with all of his questions and their answers.

Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It by Sundee T. Frazier