Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero, Kelly J. Baptist
Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero, Kelly J. Baptist
List: $15.00 | Sale: $10.50
Club: $7.50

Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero

Author: Kelly J. Baptist

Narrator: Adam Lazarre-White

Unabridged: 4 hr 58 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/18/2020


Synopsis

A coming-of-age tale about a boy who discovers a love of poetry after finding his late father's journal. Adapted from a story that first appeared in Flying Lessons & Other Stories and perfect for fans of The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson.

Isaiah is now the big man of the house. But it's a lot harder than his dad made it look. His little sister, Charlie, asks too many questions, and Mama's gone totally silent.

Good thing Isaiah can count on his best friend, Sneaky, who always has a scheme for getting around the rules. Plus, his classmate Angel has a few good ideas of her own--once she stops hassling Isaiah.

And when things get really tough, there's Daddy's journal, filled with stories about the amazing Isaiah Dunn, a superhero who gets his powers from beans and rice. Isaiah wishes his dad's tales were real. He could use those powers right about now!

Kelly J. Baptist's debut novel explores the indomitable spirit of a ten-year-old boy and the superhero strength it takes to grow up.

"Isaiah's optimism, drive, and loyalty to friends and family make him a hero to cheer for." -Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

About The Author

Kelly J. Baptist won the Ezra Jack Keats/Kerlan Memorial Fellowship for her YA novel-in-progress, Young. While visiting the Kerlan Collection, Kelly had the privilege of studying the dialogue techniques of the great Walter Dean Myers. Fast-forward a few years, and Kelly was fortunate enough to meet Myers at a literary event in Florida. A native of southwest Michigan, Kelly enjoys life with her five children, who give her plenty of inspiration for writing. Though her busy family life often results in having to type with one hand, Kelly is committed to using the written word to inspire and transform lives. Find her online at kellyiswrite.com.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Bookishrealm on July 29, 2021

I didn't really read the summary of this book before I started this book and I'm really glad that I didn't. This was such a powerful book and is a must read for people who enjoy middle grade. Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero is a powerful novel about a young boy who becomes the "man of his house" after his fat......more

Goodreads review by CW ✨ on November 08, 2020

This book is so stunning - heartaching, so genuine, confronting, but ultimately hopeful. I loved this - loved even more that this is an adaptation from Baptist's contribution to the We Need Diverse Book's Flying Lessons anthology (one of my first anthologies ever!). - Follows Isaish, a Black boy who......more

Goodreads review by Beth Anne on July 15, 2024

Absolute middle grade perfection. I read this after my 4th grade daughter recommended it when her class read this and then did a whole poetry unit. It had a profound effect on her at 10, both as a reader and as a catalyst to writing her own poetry. I first read the short story that inspired this nove......more

Goodreads review by Carol (Reading Ladies) on October 21, 2020

(This review first appeared on my Reading Ladies blog) Are you someone’s Hero? Isaiah is the older brother and is grieving the loss of his father. Isaiah feels the burden of holding the family together. The most important people in his life include his four-year-old sister who never stops asking quest......more

Goodreads review by Joy on July 16, 2021

I’m glad I didn’t know Isaiah Dunn was only ten years old at the start of this book, or I might have not read it (trying to read books my 7th graders will really like), and I’m soooo glad I read this one. A bit sad from the beginning, I loved to see Isaiah’s attitude changing throughout the book. He......more


Quotes

A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year!

“An inventive and heartfelt debut novel.”  The New York Times

"An uplifting, affirming story for every collection.” Booklist, starred review

"Isaiah’s optimism, drive, and loyalty to friends and family make him a hero to cheer for and lend a feeling of hope to this exploration of difficult topics." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"In this moving tale of life, loss, and the love of words, Isaiah learns that perseverance and vulnerability are real superpowers and that family and community are the real wind beneath a superhero’s cape." —The Horn Book

An accessible story about a child facing loss and home instability. Isaiah is a likable character; readers will identify with his struggle to rise above his family’s housing issues to define himself.” School Library Journal

“Baptist presents the direness of abject poverty with exquisite empathy. She provides Isaiah with a supportive community that helps as his family’s situation fluctuates, giving readers who also experience housing insecurity hope but no promises.” Kirkus Reviews

A compassionate eye-opener for kids not yet ready for Abbott’s The Great Jeff.” The Bulletin


Awards

  • Illinois Reader's Choice - Bluestem Award