Author: Lindsey Leavitt
Published: March 1, 2011 by Bloomsbury
Pages: 288/Hardcover
Source: My personal library
Challenge: The Contemps
Summary: 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.
Review: This was such a good book! It was cute and sweet and heartfelt and just filled with overall good feelings. I thought (because of the summary) that this was going to be an instant-love-without-a-reason type book, but "love" didn't really come up that much as far as "I love him."
I never really understood why Payton was so mad with her parents. Obviously they kept her father's MS a secret from her, but you really can tell that they were trying to protect her. Other than that I didn't have any problems with Payton. I think she was a very three dimensional character and had something that everyone can relate to. She doesn't see herself as the prettiest/most popular/best person out there ans sher realizes and accepts her flaws. Plus I could definitely relate to her anal retentive ways of making lists and what not.
The relationships Payton were made were also great to read. I could see the bond between her and Sean as it was forming and loved watching her interact with Jac. I also found it easy to relate to the older brother and other family aspects of her life.
My only real problem with Sean Griswold's Head was that it seemed more involved in developing Payton's relationships with people instead of developing her family bonds and problems at home.
Sean Griswold's Head was super funny and will probably be easy for many people to relate to. The characters were fun to read and I wouldn't mind at all if one of them was my best friend.
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