Etan lives in an ethnically mixed community of refugees, survivors in San Francisco in 1989. Since his mom left for residential mental health treatment, he has lost his voice. In the course of delivering groceries, Etan hears and extraordinary voice coming from the house where the “creature” lives. As Etan has begun to experience his own share of teasing, he is open to Malia who has a skin condition (eczema) which kept her at home when the teasing became too much for her.

Told in verse, this novel flows. I wanted very much to read it in one sitting. Etan and Malia’s friendship, the handling of depression, the multigenerational relationships, family traditions with a touch of magic, the anticipation of the coming World Series, and the tremors gave this book multiple layers of interest. It’s a book I can’t wait to recommend. It’s a definite buy for my middle school library.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, what a phenomenal novel in verse! I loved ALL OF ME by Chris Baron, and had already seen lots of love for his second novel, but I was still blown away by the complexity of story told in lyrical free verse poetry, a format I have been loving recently!
In THE MAGICAL IMPERFECT, Etan is a boy whose words have left him, also leaving him isolated. He lives in a tight-knit community, so is surprised to discover a new friend in Malia, who is hidden away from the world because of a severe skin condition. The two find ways to help one another to be seen, heard, and accepted. I loved the multigenerational aspect of this book, as well as the immigration themes. The story takes place in 1989, against the backdrop of the redwoods outside San Francisco, and leading up to the devastating earthquakes that occurred that fall. I was riveted as I read about Etan and Malia, the touches of magic and mystery, and the many ways that we find healing from physical and emotional wounds. I can’t recommend this book enough, and can’t wait to get my own copy when it releases.

A boy with selective mutism befriends a girl with a serious unknown skin condition. The two explore friendship amidst his Jewish heritage, baseball, the magic of trees/nature, and earthquakes in San Francisco during the 80s.

I liked this story a lot. It is told entirely in verse, so it's a quick read, and Etan is a great narrator. Chris Baron included an author's note in the back discussing Malia's skin condition, growing up in San Francisco and coping with earthquakes, his own Jewish and Filipino heritage, and baseball.

ARC provided by NetGalley

Chris Baron's latest novel in verse, The Magical Imperfect, takes a look at the power of friendship and community. Set in the Bay area in the fall of 1989, we meet two young people unlikely to become friends. There's Etan, who's become selectively mute after his mother's sudden illness, and Malia, who's stopped going to school because of severe eczema. The two form a friendship in the woods behind Malia's home that leads to spiritual and emotional healing.

Baron's characters are always so likeable. Everyone in their town, from Etan's grandfather, to the other shop owners and passengers of the Calypso embody the true spirit of community. Having been around the same age of the main characters in 1989, I realized the big build up to the World Series. The very detailed way he explained the events that took place during game three made me feel as if I was literally seeing it. My heart stopped when Buddy shows up to Grandfather's shop and Etan makes the decision to go find Mrs. Hershkowitz.

My students will enjoy this historical (am I that old?) novel in verse. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to put on some 80s music and see if I can find my old baseball cards. :)

I received an electronic ARC from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group through NetGalley.
Novel told in verse.
Baron offers a powerful message about survival and community. Etan is a selective mute who struggles to find his voice again. Malia suffers from severe eczema and hides away in her home. They connect early in the story and readers see how their friendship grows and gives them both courage to take risks and be themselves. Their story is set against the summer and fall just before and during the San Francisco earthquake in October of 1989. Etan adores his grandfather and learns more about the struggle he and others faced as immigrants to the United States. He begins to make the connections between his family and the other community members who all came over on the same ship.
The message about community and supporting each other comes through clearly on several levels. The poem structures change to fit the emotions being shared. Etan is the sole narrator and he shares his thoughts, emotions and interactions with all of the other characters. Readers can see the scene surrounding him as he invites us in to the family.

The Magical Imperfect was a historical fiction story in verse of growth, understanding, acceptance, family, and friends. The characters (all of them) and the way they interacted with one another kept me captivated from start to finish. Each page was packed with imagery and emotion. I can’t wait to put in the hands of students.

Wow, I could not put this book down. Such a great story about friendship and finding your voice. Using the condensed medium of a novel in verse, Baron creates a full picture of both Etan and Malia. Etan is struggling with the hospitalization of his mom, and Malia is an outcast due to her severe skin disorder. As they slowly connect in the days leading up to a big earthquake, the reader watches as they begin to trust each other an themselves, learning about their immigrant past and their loving community. Such a well-written and engaging story that. I know my students will devour.

Picking up this book during Mental Health Awareness Month was a complete act of coincidence, but it tied together so well. Although this book is considered (<em>wince</em>) historical fiction, its focus on mental health is as relevant as ever. Especially, as the pandemic has affected so many people's mental health. Etan's mother was his go-to person to talk to about school, friends, his thoughts and feelings, and without her, his voice has all but disappeared.

Malia's severe case of eczema has forced her to be homeschooled as kids took bullying to the extreme. When Etan and Malia meet, they both see each other as outcasts and yet even with few words and shadowed glances, they became fast friends.

I love a book that can show relationships that are tricky, sticky, difficult, fulfilling, loving, important, and terrifying all at the same time. And Chris Baron is an author who does it in so few words. Written in verse, <em>The Magical Imperfect</em> shares each characters' feelings so well. You can feel empathy for them as you read their stories. And it's not just Etan and Malia's feelings, but those of their family members, the neighbors, and friends. With far fewer words than a typical novel, it's amazing how much feeling each word needs to convey, but Chris does this expertly.

I wasn't expecting a touch of magic in this story, but I love how the magic stems from Etan's family's Jewish history and how he also combines it with the magic of Malia's own world to make something even more powerful. But in the end, it's not the magic that changes how Etan feels, it's how he grows in confidence through helping Malia and also through the support she gives him.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for sharing an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Chris Baron’s poetry is beautiful and his combination of history and pop culture is wonderful. I really enjoyed this story of friendship and understanding. Plus, the 80s references were pretty awesome.

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Etan lives north of San Francisco in 1989. His father and grandfather have a jewelery store, and his mother is currently in the hospital as the result of some mental health issues. To cope with this, Etan is not able to speak most of the time. This causes his friends with whom he plays baseball to distance themselves from him, and his family's social circle, with whom they frequently celebrate Shabbat, has dwindled. Upstairs neighbor Mrs. Hershkovitz (whose dog Etan walks) sometimes comes, but it is a lonely time for the family. The grandfather survived World War II by leaving Prague and making his way to Angel Island in 1940 via Greece, and the community has many members from all over the world, including the Philippines. Etan also runs errands for a local shopkeeper, and when he is out delivering something to the Agbayani family, he connects with their daughter. Malia has severe eczema, which is irritated by the sun, and is homeschooler because of this medical issue and also because other children frequently call her "the creature". Malia is a great singer, and when a talent show is scheduled to be held at the local community center, Etan encourages her to participate. His grandfather has recently shown him some family heirlooms, including earth from the Dead Sea collector by the grandfather's grandfather, which is thought to have strong healing properties. Because of the mother's illness, the father is having trouble going back to the synagogue, and has been intent on watching the World Series instead of participating in family religious ceremonies, which angers the grandfather. Even though the talent show is on the same day as a big game his father wants him to attend, Etan uses some of the mud to try to help Malia, and the two sneak out to the talent show. Of course, the timing is bad, because there is a massive earthquake. Will Malia and Etan be able to work through their various problems with the help of family and each other?
Strengths: While the community of Ship's Haven is fictional, I liked the small shops and feeling of community. The grandfather's story was interesting, and the inclusion of Jewish culture and Filipino food was both fun and informative. The short verse chapters are labeled with dates, so the story progresses quickly toward October 17, 1989 with a feeling of urgency. There's just enough baseball included, and it draws in several different threads of the plot in an interesting way. Malia's condition is one I have not seen portrayed much in middle grade fiction. Despite these several serious issues, the novel is hopeful in tone.
Weaknesses: There are a lot of topics covered, and the novel in verse format meant that I still had a lot of questions at the end of the book. In particular, I would have liked to know more about what was being done to help Etan process his mother's illness and deal with his selective mutism.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who are interested in 1980s history, children facing challenges, magical realism, or novels in verse.

A story about family traditions/rituals, earthquakes (real and emotional), friendships, and baseball.

http://fictionfood.com/entries/middle-grade-mg/bagel-with-lox-and-cream-cheese-chocolate-rugelach-from-the-magical-imperfect

Sweet novel in verse that middle grade readers will enjoy! Etan and Malia spark a true friendship by quickly recognizing that what makes them unique from others also makes them strong and amazing individuals. This strength and faith in one another spreads throughout their close-knit community. Started and finished in one day - engrossing story not to be missed!

This book was an amazing surprise and a 5 star read for me. I couldn’t put it down. I’ve read a lot of Novels in Verse recently and often find them written in normal sounding sentences but just laid out like a poem on the page with short lines. However, the language of this book was captivating and felt like poetry to me. I’m torn on if it is pure historical fiction because there are some potentially “magical” twists. This is a true own voices book with the author being Jewish like the main character Etan and his wife being Filipino with eczema like the other main character Malia. Etan’s mom had severe depression and went to a psychiatric hospital and Etan suffered from mutism as a result. It was such a layered story with relationships and dynamics and themes of immigration and underlying bias. All set against the backdrop of the 1989 Earthquake in the San Francisco area. There is a wonderful Author's note at the back describing the inspiration for the story and characters.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pros:
~the dragon mailbox
~Filipino characters in Historical fiction
~magic clay
~the '89 World Series
~misfits finding friendship

Cons:
~While initially excited to see this book had main characters who were dealing with different types of disability, I was disappointed with how they were presented. There is a common thread of "how do we fix them" from the community in regards to both Etan and Malia, and while this is a realistic depiction of how religious communities often react to illness, there's no real indication that we should question that singular, limited view.

~Jewish "magic" delivers a miraculous cure-all that leads to my biggest issue with this book. Crossing the line of the magic cure trope, Etan helps Malia use ancient clay to heal her eczema symptoms so that she can perform at a talent show. When it works to reduce the swelling, redness, and scaly appearance of her skin, Etan observes: "...Malia's face [is] so different, like she's suddenly more herself.".

Yes, the pain Malia was experiencing from her skin condition was clearly preventing her from performing, but the transformation of her skin and assumption that looking "normal" makes her look more like herself makes me cringe for anyone who might read this and believe their own visible or invisible disability makes them even a tiny bit less than who they "should" be or how they "should" look.

Overall:
This nostalgic, character-driven story is an exploration of the isolation created by culture, disability, grief, and religion. Vulnerability, faith, and a life-altering shake-up expose the true strength of those who might otherwise be overlooked or left behind.

While cautious to recommend this book for its disability representation, I do love seeing a Historical that explores how immigrants of different origins were treated, and feel that it could lead to a lot of discussion about mental health, disability, religion, immigration, and, of course, baseball.

The Magical Imperfect is a heart-warming blend of realistic “magic” and lessons on friendship and acceptance plus tough issues like mental illness and medical conditions that manifest in physical imperfections. All this and in the novel-in-verse format that has become so popular with my middle grade readers! Main character Etan has gone mute since his mother entered a hospital to learn how to cope with her worsening mental illness. His father and grandfather are both supportive in their own way, but he is still suffering. A delivery made to the home of a former classmate gives way to a friendship that brings healing not only to Etan, but to Malia, who endures such debilitating eczema that her eyes swell nearly shut and her skin is raw enough to bleed. If that wasn’t enough, author Chris Baron incorporates a variety of ethnic groups all living together in a town built on immigrants from all over the world. Readers will learn much about the culture of many outside their usual sphere of influence. And if all that isn’t enough, there is baseball and earthquakes to shake things up a bit! Great for libraries of grades 4-8, whether those be at home, school, or in town. No profanity, violence (except what is found in nature), or sexual content.

This is a book that sticks with you after you finish reading it. I felt right at home among the Redwoods of California in 1989. The multi-generational characters work their way into your heart, and the complex challenges they face keep you turning the page.

This book takes the much needed perspective of a girl with a skin condition whom other children tease. Malia is being homeschooled due to the other kids calling her "the creature." Etan is struggling to find his voice after his mom leaves. When he is making a delivery to her home, he hears her beautiful voice singing, and so begins an unlikely friendship. The 1989 San Francisco earthquake happens during this book in a town of refugees who came to America via Angel Island, this story weaves in tales of Jewish folklore, multi-generation families, baseball, school, refugees, and more,

The Magical Imperfect is a perfectly magical book about Etan, a boy with selective mutism, and Malia, a girl with severe eczema, the friendship that grows between them, and their efforts to solve their problems with Etan's grandfather's Jewish clay with mystical properties. Set against the backdrop of the 1989 World Series and San Francisco earthquake, and told in verse, this is a wonderful story about community, friendship, and family.

Very emotional and beautiful novel in verse that captures the both the feelings of losing your voice and finding it. The fast paced nature of the poetry leans toward the feelings it features. Etan and Malia are unforgettable characters that go through an emotional journey toward healing. I really enjoyed the historical setting where the reader saw a major earthquake on the horizon. Truly a work of art for young readers.

The 1989 San Francisco earthquake is the backdrop of this tale told in verse about two middle schoolers who, through their friendship, find the strength to face the world. Through Chris Baron’s rich description, we feel the frequent tremors that are ALMOST everyday occurrences, but are still very disturbing, as well as the feverish excitement in their small, close knit town about both of the local baseball teams making the World Series. We also get to know Etan and Malia. Etan’s mother has left for treatment at a residential mental health facility and as a result Etan hasn’t spoken to anyone other than his grandfather for months. Malia suffers from a severe case of eczema, and is home schooled after gaining the nickname of “The Creature” from her classmates. We also learn about Etan’s grandfather who sailed on the Calypso from Prague to the U.S. via Angel Island, the Ellis Island of the west coast, along with many other long time residents of their small town. We watch as Grandfather opens the only thing he was able to bring from Prague; a mysterious wooden box full of secrets and magic about his Jewish heritage. It’s the box that contains where Etan finds some magic that can give Etan and Malia the courage to face their fears.

This is such a heartfelt story about friendship, family and community. I loved Etan’s relationship with not only his grandfather, but also with so many people in the community. His kindness and willingness to support his grandfather, walk a elderly woman’s dog or deliver fruit and vegetables to a housebound girl warmed my heart. I loved the community gatherings, whether it was supporting the kids at a talent show, or bringing a picnic to the town square to cheer on their teams in the World Series. I loved how all of Etan’s grandfather’s elderly friends, the people who had arrived on the Calypso so many years ago, came to weekly dinners at Etan’s apartment to celebrate the Jewish sabbath. It was a community I would have loved to be a part of, even with the earthquakes!

This is a story to read aloud or to offer to kids in grades 4-8. It’s available June 15th. Many thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for sharing the ebook copy.