Book:  Sean Griswold’s Head
Author:  Lindsey Leavitt
Release date:  March 1, 2011
Publisher:  Bloomsbury
Pages:  288
Source:  Publisher

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.

I am going to review this book but I’ll start off with a disclaimer:  I will not do it justice.  Sean Griswold’s Head is one of the cutest books I have ever read but it was so much more than that.  I didn’t think Lindsey Leavitt could weave it all together and not have too much going on but she definitely did.  The book was perfect!

Payton Gritas is having a hard time handling her father’s multiple sclerosis.  In fact, she’s not handling it at all.  That’s how she ends up in the guidance counselor’s office with a new assignment:  find a focus object.  Payton has the perfect idea, something that is right in front of her face for multiple class periods:  Sean Griswold’s huge head.  It’s probably not what the counselor had in mind but now Payton is focused.  But when will Payton finally realize that maybe there is another reason she chose Sean Griswold’s head?

First off, this book was hilarious.  I was expecting something a little deeper but that’s not really what I got.  Sure there were some deep moments but not enough to take away from the lightheartedness of the book.  Payton and Sean’s growing romance was so funny and so TRUE.  Lindsey Leavitt nailed this one.  I don’t think I have ever read a YA romance that so accurately displays a real teen romance.

But, like I said, there were deeper parts to this story.  Payton’s dad’s MS was something that came out of nowhere and she had no clue how to deal.  She was angry and afraid.  All her emotions were portrayed exactly as how I would expect someone to react.  Lindsey Leavitt did a great job incorporating the illness into the story and really making it mean something. 

Overall, Sean Griswold’s Head is a book for all ages.  I absolutely adored this one and Lindsey Leavitt has just earned herself a spot on my all-time favorites shelf!

First line:  Nothing creates a buzz like an Executive Deluxe day planner.

Rating:  A++

Cover:  A++