Description
Jason's mom says he is a problem, and puts him in a group home. Now Jason has to live with boys and grown-ups he doesn't know.
Jason thinks, Now I'm in a house that isn't my house. I watch their hands and feet. When hands and feet move fast, you're going to get hit.
There's a big bubble of mad inside Jason. It makes him yell and throw things. Jason wants to be good and move home again, but the mad bubble just won't go away.
Author Bio
Beth Goobie grew up in Rockwood, ON, where the appearance of a normal childhood hid the secret of an abusive family. Overcoming her traumatic childhood, Beth went to university out West, became a youth residential treatment worker, and also studied creative writing at the U. of Alberta. She went on to become an award-winning author of 23 novels and books of poetry, mainly YA, including Flux and the CLA award-winning Before Wings. Beth makes her home in Saskatoon.
Review text
"Told in first person present tense using a hi-low format, Jason's account is both illuminating and moving. . . this title is recommended for Jason's honest portrayal of a child learning to cope with a difficult life."
Recommended.
— CM Magazine
"Jason's Whyis an exceptionally brave little novel that packs a big punch. Goobie has painted a remarkable picture of nine-year-old Jason, a child who deeply struggles with his anger issues, but who is also not to blame for being angry. . . Jason's Why is a valuable classroom resource that would be an excellent starting point for discussion about issues like bullying, mental health, tolerance and empathy. "
Recommended
— Canadian Children Booknews
"A profoundly moving and beautifully written first-person account of the feelings and experiences of this at-risk boy, Jason's Why is a thought-provoking book for readers from Grade 4."
— fernfolio.edublogs.org
"A great gift for a youth residential treatment centre, a classroom library, or anyone with a social conscience, Jason's Why by Beth Goobie illustrates for Grades 4 to 8 a story not often seen in children's fiction. Nine-year-old Jason has an abusive family and behavioral problems - a combination of challenges that lands him in a group home where he begins to envision positive change. I love Jason's Why for the windows and mirrors it provides to readers - for the safe context it offers regarding a worthy exploration of difficulties familiar to many Canadian kids."
— The Ottawa Citizen
Biographical note
