Erin Wilson's Reviews > Talking to Alaska

This was a really sweet book for me. I wish more children's books were translated to reach a wider audience. I found this incredibly interesting that this novel was translated from Dutch.

I found this book to either be on the older side of middle grade or a very young YA. If you have readers from 11-13, this seems like a great book to fill the gap in the market for tween readers. Especially if you work in bookselling and regularly have to give recommendations to children/young adults.

While the writing and some of the issues the main characters talk about seemed quite juvenile to me, I have to remember that I'm many years out of school and this novel isn't targeted towards me specifically. However, what I am specifically impressed with is the more serious and real-life subject matter that this author discusses.

Invisible illness and anxiety is a topic that's very close to my heart and to see it represented in not only fiction but children's fiction was incredibly important to me. Whatever invisible illness may be afflicting a person, to read from a character going through this builds empathy and understanding with the reader. The author didn't talk down to children or write as if they wouldn't understand what the characters were going through.

Our characters definitely have a growth arc from the start of the book to where they end up. Both helped along by the love they have for Alaska. Firmly reinstating that animals are better than people and that we don't deserve them.

I'm sure it must be so heart-breaking to raise and have a puppy as part of your family to then have to watch them go to another family as an assistance dog. The bitter sweetness of missing a best friend while also being incredibly proud that they are helping someone in such an amazing way.
I really appreciated the representation of an assistance dog in both the hard and joyful ways. Normalising the presence of assistance animals as well, which is such a key part of awareness. Sven has a hard time accepting that he needs an assistance dog like Alaska, he struggles to come to terms with the reality of his illness and is, at first, quite resentful to Alaska. This portrayal was so realistic to me as it's so common to deal with these feelings upon receiving a diagnosis that changes your whole life.

Meanwhile, Parker, our other protagonist is dealing with the aftermath of an armed robbery that she witnessed. You can clearly tell that she is dealing with symptoms of PTSD and extreme anxiety, however, it doesn't feel as if the author just threw this aspect in to make it "edgy". You're not beaten over the head with constant reminders and told that this is PTSD. We're definitely shown and not told, which was an aspect of the writing that I really liked.

There definitely also seems to be themes of identity in this novel. Sven doesn't just want to be seen as the sick kid or the kid in the "epilepsy club" as he says. In the same vein, Parker is tired of being seen as the weird kid, and being bullied over something so unimportant. Yet she can't change people's image of her.

There's a very slow friendship build within this novel. Helped along mostly by the bond they both have for Alaska. Showing again the powerful love that animals bring into our lives.

Overall I will definitely go on to recommend this book to not just young readers. I think older readers would enjoy elements of this just as much