Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

Bloomsbury USA, March 2011

288 pages

Book Source: Public Library

According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object-an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas-it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him.

The focus object is intended to help Payton deal with her father's newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. And it's working. With the help of her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton starts stalking-er, focusing on-Sean Griswold . . . all of him! He's cute, he shares her Seinfeld obsession (nobody else gets it!) and he may have a secret or two of his own.

In this sweet story of first love, Lindsey Leavitt seamlessly balances heartfelt family moments, spot-on sarcastic humor, and a budding young romance.

--Summary from Goodreads.com

Judging by the cover...: The cover is what I feel Payton's epiphany about Sean's head was like. Staring off into the abyss of boredom in the classroom, glancing at the board, and then all of a sudden WHAM there it is: Sean Griswold's Head.

Favorite Elements:

• We are Family - Payton's family has a wonderful dynamic. Sure her dad is sick, but everyone has pulled together to show how much they care. Well, everyone but Payton, but that's the kind of thing that family overlooks, right?
• Valley Forge - Having a bad day? Just imagine those poor soldiers marching through Valley Forge in the winter with no shoes. Up hill both ways. Sort of makes your life feel like a rock star's.
• Girl Power - Speaking of rock stars, Payton totally rocks her epic rebound. By the end, I wanted to stand up and cheer loudly (though the other customers in the restaurant did not agree).
• BFF - I seriously LOVED Jac. I almost wish the book had been about her and not Payton. But then we wouldn't have the opportunity to delve into Sean and his big headness.

Overall: B-

This book was sweet, cute, and filled with a whole lot of Sean, but there comes a point in every adult's life when they say to themselves, "Boy, teens sure do whine a lot." I reached a point in Payton's kvetching about her parents' lie when I just couldn't take it anymore. I felt like there were whole chapters of pushing her angsty agenda that just weren't necessary, and her "OMG my parents don't treat me like an adult so I'm going to be a total brat" attitude was too over the top for me. The ending almost makes up for all of the obnoxiousness in the middle. I guess.

Leavitt's writing, however, is completely and embarrassingly authentic. Though Payton's pout routine was enough to make my eyes roll, it did conjure up feelings of when I was a teen. I remember (shamefully) pulling that same act on my parents, thinking the things they did were the utmost in insane parenting. 

Recommendation: Sean Griswold is great for younger teens, mainly girls. They'll be able to sympathize with Payton's situation a bit more than boys or any adult ever would. As an adult, I can tell you that unless you want to scream at Payton for a few hours, this book just isn't for you.