Description
Dale Donavan has heard the same lecture over and over again: Art will get you nowhere in life. A kid with a creative streak, Dale wants nothing more than to doodle, play video games, and create comics forever-maybe even as a full-time job one day. But between his grandfather pushing him to focus on his studies and a school with zero interest in funding arts programs, Dale feels like his future has already been decided for him.
That is, until he comes up with the perfect plan: What if he starts an after-school art club, gathers a team of creative students like himself, and proves all the naysayers-his stubborn vice principal in particular-wrong?
This might just work, but if the club isn't financially successful by the end of the semester, the school with shut them down. This may be Dale's only chance to show the adults in his life that a career as an artist is not just a dream but a possibility!
Review
Although this book is quite American in terms of the content, the themes are certainly universal. I loved Dale's conviction that art is worthwhile and has an important place in society.
The school's tough vice-principal believes that a good career can only be achieved through doing well in the science and math subjects - but Dale believes otherwise.
With the encouragement of his grandpa, he decides to start an art club and hopefully one day work in the graphic arts field. But the school had a failed art club years before, and Dale finds it hard to get staff or other students on board. The principal gives him some encouragement and it finally takes off.
But Vice-Principal Ruffins sets them some challenges that the team will find hard to achieve - especially the demand that they make a profit of $1000 from their art to prove that it could be a viable career path and keep the club alive.
But Dale and his friends in art club will not be dissuaded. Surely their determination will see them succeed?
This is a terrific novel full of positivity, encouragement, and achieving your dreams, and it shows what a group working together can achieve.
Best suited to lower secondary and upper primary readers.
Reviewed by Rob
