There isn't much subtlety to the messaging here. The plot is a bit convoluted, but the intent is pretty straight forward. I have some complaints about the timeline but it's a solid listen. The ending cuts off a bit too sharply, though.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Great middle grade book. Liked the characters and narrators!

I loved that this book has an audio version. I think that the audio will make the story more accessible which is critical in today's age. This one was such an interesting premise and I loved the cultural aspects that were laced throughout the novel. I enjoyed how the story wrapped up and would recommend it to others.

Benjamin Waterfalls likes to steal things and sell them to make money. After getting caught one too many times, the judge wants to send Benny to juvenile detention, but his mom offers an alternative solution: send him to his dad to a “boot camp” on the Ojibwe reservation where they used to live. Benny does <i>not</i> want to live with his father, whom he hasn’t seen for years, but he does not have a choice. The boot camp is nothing like he expected; his rehabilitation is led by a girl about his age who always wears a mask. Will Benny find the answers he needs to turn his life around?

I think middle grade readers will really enjoy this story of embracing our inner superhero. Each character in the book is lovable in their own unique way. The story had some funny parts and some difficult issues among the character growth. Christopher Salazar did a phenomenal job channeling Benny’s sarcasm. I would recommend this book to older elementary students, especially those who need to work on forgiveness.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.

I liked the audio narration of The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls, but overall I had a lot of problems with the book.

In the story, Benjamin Waterfalls is a 12-year-old Native American boy whose parents divorced due to his dad's dependency on alcohol. Benjamin steals and commits other petty crimes, mostly theft because his mother doesn't always have enough money to pay the rent or for other necessities. After ending up in court one too many times, he is sent to live with his father who lives only two hours away, yet has failed to see his son in 7 years. His father is supposed to straighten Ben out, apparently using lots of folkly stereotypical Native American tropes straight out of Northern Exposure. Despite the fact that this angry young boy has been acting out due to the pain of abandonment at the hands of his father who hasn't visited him in 7 years, they use humiliation as a "tool" to teach the boy wisdom and impulse control. And I'm not talking about how everything grown-ups do makes 12-year-olds embarrassed, I'm talking about setting him up to be laughed at by a room full of people. Twelve-year-olds are way too self-conscious and sensitive for that, and this book made my heart hurt for that child and the unnecessary cruelty towards him. He was also expected to be mindful and considerate of both the father and the father's girlfriend's pain and hardships, while Ben's pain wasn't ever really acknowledged. When his dad finally does have a heart-to-heart with him, it's about what dad went through and where he is now, and why he failed to visit Ben for seven years is not addressed. I could say more, but I will stop myself. I may be overly sensitive because I have an 11-year-old son and the thought of anyone treating him or one of his peers like this just has me seeing red. I think this was an attempt to write an edgy book about the Native American community, but in my opinion, it failed.

Benjamin Waterfalls does not have a chip on his shoulder, he has a boulder. After his father leaves him and his mother, Benjamin turns to stealing as a way to fill an emptiness in his life. After getting caught again and ending up in juvenile court, his mother and the judge come up with a plan for Benjamin to mend his ways. In giving him the opportunity to know his father and the Ojibwe people who are his family.

The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls is narrated by Christopher Salazar, who turns up the snark a little too much in his reading of the novel. Benjamin Waterfalls is an annoying kid with a sense of entitlement, but the narrator is a grown man. The narration is too over the top and does not seem genuine as it is being read.

I find it hard to believe that the mother would not have prepared her child for what he might face with his father, especially the living situation. I understand the tough love portion of the book, but sending your child to live with the father he has not seen should have been prefaced with a little instruction. The overall snarky and entitled dialogue is something that is all too common among the target audience, so it may be relatable. The book does have a good lesson, but the story wraps up too quickly to be genuine. Overall, I am not sure I would recommend this as a printed book, but I definitely would not suggest the audio.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Audio Copy of The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls by NetGalley and the publisher, Dreamscape Media. The decision to listen to and review this book was entirely my own.

When Benny gets busted AGAIN for stealing, the judge gives him a rather strange sentence: he has to go stay on an Ojibwe reservation with his father, a recovering alcoholic whom Benny says is dead to him. It is there that Benny meets a strange girl who wears a superhero mask, and through her learns about himself, his roots, second chances, and the power of love and forgiveness. The story was amazing, and the characters were well developed. There was obviously a lot of Ojibwe ceremonies, traditions, and language represented, but at the same time, the book has a universal theme of growth that all young readers can identify with. I teach Children’s Literature at a university with a focus on Native American literature, and will definitely incorporate this book in future classes!

I really enjoyed this audiobook galley! I loved the heartfelt story of redemption. The cast of quirky characters made Benjamin's journey unique and enjoyable. A great read for young teen/tween readers.