Book Talk

A Crooked Kind of Perfect

By Linda Urban

The cover of Scholastic’s A Crooked Kind of Perfect hooked me as one of the books to read as we waited out Hurricane Irma. A pair of socks with individual toes; I always thought they would be uncomfortable, no matter how festive they look! Zoe is part of a family of three. Her mom is a numbers person; her dad suffers from mental illness. Between the long hours that Zoe’s mom works and her father’s unorthodox behavior, Zoe’s experiences outside of school are very limited. But she does have a goal, learning to play the piano. The path to the goal is crooked indeed. Help and friendship come from places where they are least expected. Two themes from this book really stand out. First, Zoe learns to understand the value and joy of music as she grows as a musician. Next, there is no judgement in the portrayal of mental illness. Her dad is who he is, and his gifts are appreciated. There is no magic wand of mental health treatment even suggested in the story. The tone of acceptance is very refreshing. This book is great for ages 9-12, especially if they have an interest in music and baking.