The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman

I loved The Schwa Was Here because it had such an interesting, meaningful story. It is told in the first person by an eighth grader in Brooklyn who meets someone named Calvin Schwa, and it turns out “The Schwa” sits next to him in class but he never noticed him. The Schwa is so unnoticeable that he seems to be invisible, but not really. Just like the “uh” sound symbolized by Ə, he seems to almost always be there but nobody realizes it.
There is a deeper story that develops gradually that looks at the relationships between the different characters and their families. I think many people can identify with the story, because it’s easy to feel “invisible” or unnoticed. This book takes that to an extreme, but maybe that’s what readers need to get the point. It’s funny and enjoyable to read, and the deeper message that gets you thinking is very subtle.

Review by David Dunkerton