A High Five for Glenn Burke

“I did it. I actually did it. Nobody knows what I really did, but I did it. I finally did it.”

Silas’s presentation about Glenn Burke is a way for him to begin his journey toward Self-Acceptance and Coming of Age. While he is not ready yet to talk about Burke’s identity as a gay man, talking about Burke at all is a big deal for him. The above quote uses repetition for emphasis—“I did it.”

“Mom’s big on self-care, and she’s always saying that when you take better care of yourself, you’re more productive, less stressed, and better at decision-making. But lately, she hasn’t exactly been taking her own advice.”

Despite Silas’s mother’s belief in the importance of self-care, she is extremely busy with work. She has forgotten to ask Silas about his presentation and is upset with herself for forgetting. The above quote also features the informal, conversational tone that permeates the book—“Mom’s big on self-care […]” An informal, conversational tone and first-person POV are common in middle-grade novels.

“Mom knows I can’t stand that he still calls me Swade, but she won’t say anything because she says it’s my place to tell him, not hers.”

Silas is unable to tell his father that he dislikes the nickname. His mom wants Silas to be the one to tell him, foreshadowing Silas’s later struggle with being authentic and telling the truth.