Charming as a Verb

Charming as a Verb is a contemporary young adult novel written by Ben Philippe and published in 2020. It follows the story of Henri Haltiwanger, a charming and hardworking high school senior who allows his identity to be shaped by his family’s and society’s expectations. Charming as a Verb explores the value of discovering one’s authentic self, fighting against the projections of other people, and finding one’s own voice and dreams.

Ben Philippe is a Haitian-Canadian author and screenwriter.

This guide is based on the following edition: Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe, published by Balzer + Bray (2020).

Plot Summary

Henri Haltiwanger is a star student, dog walker, and devoted son. He is inherently kind, good-natured, and charming, but he uses several public-facing personas to fit in with the larger world around him. Living in Manhattan, Henri is a tough young man who finds that his friendly charm and personable smile are helpful in proactively dismantling prejudices.

Henri’s parents emigrated from Haiti, and Henri was born in the United States. As a child of immigrants, Henri feels pressure to succeed; his parents sacrificed their own dreams to make sure he would have more opportunity and stability.