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The Schwa Was Here (Antsy Bonano #1)

by Neal Shusterman (Goodreads Author)

3.92 of 5 stars 3.92 · rating details · 4,094 ratings · 569 reviews

Anthony, also known as "Antsy," is fascinated by "The Schwa Effect"--the fact that no one ever sees Calvin Schwa. Even when acting weird and dressed like a total freak, The Schwa is only barely noticed. The two boys form a partnership and get away with all kinds of mischief, from conducting experiments at school to confounding opponents on the basketball court. When The Sc...more

Hardcover, 228 pages

Published October 21st 2004 by Dutton Juvenile (first published 2004)

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May 11, 2012 Jami rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, middle-grades

Now Shusterman's Unwind was edgy and mind-boggling (and terrifying in its premise), but I can't say the writing itself was my favorite. In this book, however, I fell in love with the narrative voice. Shusterman showed great skill in creating a character whose first-person narration painted such a clear image of a smart-alecky, young teenage Italian kid, and I totally bought it.

Not every author has the ability to give his character an accent, slang, and some bad grammar in a believable way. It ju...more

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Dec 26, 2007 Patrick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: novelist-reviews

There's a story I tell in trainings about a high school where teachers were given a list of students and asked to put a gold star next to students they knew. At the end of the day, the result was a classic bell curve: a small group of over-achievers known by all, a larger group of average kids known by some, and a small group known by just about no teacher: that's Calvin Schwa. The Schwa is a human magic trick: he seems to vanish into thin air, that is until Antsy (Anthony, the book's M.C.) and...more

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May 01, 2008 Colleen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Schwa was here is a fiction book set in Brooklyn, New York, about a boy named Antsy Bonano, who makes friends with a boy named Calvin Schwa. "The Schwa" as they call him, has an ability to be semi-invisible, or he can passed unnoticed in crowds, he's is sometimes unable to be seen at all, and he seems to slip people's mind when they try to think of him. Throughout the book both Calvin and Antsy struggle with their invisibility: Antsy feels invisible because he is a middle child and the peace...more

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May 18, 2013 Cheryl in CC NV rated it 5 of 5 stars

Just about perfect, and I do recommend it to everyone who is looking for a fresh read. A little offbeat, it requires a reader to be patient with the mix of what seems like fantasy with what is not actually mundane.

Not a cliche in the book - nothing is predictable - but nothing is shocking or weird, either. Even when it was 'over' there was the acknowledgement that real life doesn't tie a bow on an adventure, so why should a story?

No character is stock - and yet they're all so authentically real...more

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Apr 30, 2010 babyhippoface rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, listened-via-audiobook

Entirely original concept, as far as I can tell. Anthony "Antsy" Bonano narrates the story of how he met and became friends with Calvin Schwa (called "The Schwa" by everyone). The Schwa is "observationally challenged": no one notices him. Ever. Even if he dresses in costume and wears a bright orange sombrero in the boys' bathroom at school, no one notices. And while that may have some advantages, the disadvantages decidedly outweight them. Calvin needs to be noticed. (And don't we all?) Before l...more

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Sep 10, 2008 Katrina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Middle Schoolers (Freshmen?)

Shelves: juvenille

Very interesting basis for a story. Eighth-grader "Antsy" Bonano recounts how his accidental relationship with three quirky characters winds up being mutually beneficial. The catalyst in this social collision is Calvin Schwa, a classmate who has an almost supernatural knack for going completely unnoticed. When Antsy decides to become an "agent" for the "nearly invisible" Schwa by entertaining wagers on what he can get away with by being able to fly almost entirely beneath the social radar, the b...more

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May 29, 2008 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone

Recommended to Alex by: my middle school librarian

The Schwa was Here was my first book by Neal Shusterman that I read. The librarian at my school recommended it to me, and although I don't usually read recommended books because my list is so long anyways, I was so entertained by the title of chapter one ("Manny Bullpucky Gets His Sorry Butt Hurled Off the Marine Park Bridge") that I stopped what I was doing to investigate further.

The title to chapter one is as dull as this book gets. The narration by Antsy has a lot of character and the whole c...more

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Jun 13, 2010 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-lit, favorites

The Schwa is definitely the most used and most forgottən vowel in the English language. Not too many sentənces can be created without using ə schwa.

The schwa is a boy named Calvin Schwa whose last name was shortənəd from Schwartz when his grandfather came over frəm Eastern Europe. The Schwa is nearly invisible, he is one əf those people that you jəst don't notice ever.He could be standing right next to you and you wouldn't even notice him. He strəggles with "the Schwa effect" and the disappeara...more

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Nov 30, 2008 Meghan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My sis and I read this and its
AMAZING!!!
Never again will I know a book so cool... unless I read it again hehehehehehe. FabulOUS book FO SHO, recommended to anyone with the ability to read. Love Jessie and Meghan the cooliest and most thorough book reviewers ever!!!

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Feb 05, 2009 Whitney rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who likes a unique narrative voice, or just anyone in general.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 08, 2013 Martha Woodside rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Schwa Was Here, by Neal Shusterman, is the story that takes place in New York City of an invisible boy named Calvin "the Schwa" Schwa. He is described as having eyes that change color to match the color of the sky, clothes that blend into wherever he's standing, and if one looks at him long enough, he or she can see what's written on the wall behind him. Although Calvin is not entirely "invisle," he goes unnoticed or unseen to people around him, unless he points out that he is standing right...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Cleo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a great, funny, interesting book, about a boy named the Schwa. He's not exactly invisible, but he blends in, so people don't notice him even when he's standing right in front of them, unless he speaks. It's kind of weird because my dad and I just watched a Woody Allen film called Zelig about the same kind of thing. I loved this book for many reasons. First, the premise. An awesome premise. Second, the great writing style. A boy named Antsy Bonano narrates the whole strange story; and he...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Beverly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: 12-14 yr old

Recommended to Beverly by: Powell's City of Books Staff Picks

The Schwa Was Here is a feel good, laugh-out-loud funny, poignant story that every YA (and every adult) will love. We have all felt ignored and unappreciated at times. For Calvin Schwa these feelings are extreme. Calvin Schwa believes he is invisible. Even though he has a physical form and speaks up regularly, no one in his school notices him - ever. After several attempts, Calvin Schwa finally gets classmate Antsy Bonano to notice him and engage in a conversation with him. Antsy denies that Cal...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Alex Williams rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: realistic-fict

Great book. Funny, but at the same time is meaningful and sad at points. Neal Shusterman shows how life unrecognized can be hard, and sometimes unbearable. Shusterman is your above average realistic-fiction writer, and has produced a great book. In it, a kid named The Schwa has the curse of the Schwa family. The curse is that he is very rarely recognized, and people often see through him and do not acknowledge him.The main character, Antsy, tries to help the Schwa, but when he and the Schwa use...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: complications, my-favorites, puzzle, realistic-fiction, sad

I read this book for the first time in elementary school, and ironically enough, I forgot what it was about for the longest time. On occasion, I would remember a part of it that would drive me crazy because I couldn't remember what book it was from, or have a déjà vu moment of an event that happened. Either way, it always left me with a sort of brain itch that you can't reach; only solved by forgetting about it. After reading The Schwa Was Here again, I find that vaguely disturbing, but I'll try...more I read this book for the first time in elementary school, and ironically enough, I forgot what it was about for the longest time. On occasion, I would remember a part of it that would drive me crazy because I couldn't remember what book it was from, or have a déjà vu moment of an event that happened. Either way, it always left me with a sort of brain itch that you can't reach; only solved by forgetting about it. After reading The Schwa Was Here again, I find that vaguely disturbing, but I'll try not to forget what I'm talking about (read the book and you'll understand what I mean).
Calvin Schwa is "functionally invisible." Four out of five people don't notice the Schwa in your standard classroom. Teachers don't give him report cards and mark him absent because they forget he's there. Even when acting weird and dressed like a total freak, he's barely seen.
The Schwa can appear out of thin air.
Out of all of the rumors that fly around about the Schwa and his fantastical background, Anthony "Antsy" Bonano know the truth; he invented the name for the Schwa's condition. The Schwa Was Here takes the reader on Antsy's discovery of what actually is happening to the Schwa... and the bumps on the way.
I've heard Shusterman's writing is out there. As in there's a saying that says nothing is new under the sun, well, his writing somehow manages to be over the sun. Where the inspiration for The Schwa Was Here came from, I don't know, but it was genius. Antsy, the book's narrator, makes everything in the book seem real, and still adds random witticisms that gives the whole story a sense of humor. And as strange and outlandish the Schwa's plight is, it's still easy to see him as a real person, as most everyone can see where he comes from. The Schwa is the embodiment of all the nameless faces and faceless names that anyone has ever known, only they get a personality and a name more interesting and likeable than most of those people we eventually meet.
Nothing in The Schwa Was Here is to be expected, and the whole story left me strangely satisfied. I can honestly say that I did not put it down until I was finished. There are few books I bother to pick up again once I've read them, and since I've already done it once, I'm confident that I will eventually do so again.(less)

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May 11, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

I am definitely glad I chose to reread Neal Shusterman's The Schwa Was Here. I'm not exactly sure I loved it as much this second time, but, I am glad I reread it.

My reaction the first time I read this one--back in 2005--was that THIS WAS THE BEST, BEST, BEST book ever...at least of 2004. I was wowed by the characters of Schwa and Antsy. And smirked at the developing relationship between Old Man Crawley and Antsy. I thought it had heart and humor and a great narrative voice. And I still do, for...more I am definitely glad I chose to reread Neal Shusterman's The Schwa Was Here. I'm not exactly sure I loved it as much this second time, but, I am glad I reread it.

My reaction the first time I read this one--back in 2005--was that THIS WAS THE BEST, BEST, BEST book ever...at least of 2004. I was wowed by the characters of Schwa and Antsy. And smirked at the developing relationship between Old Man Crawley and Antsy. I thought it had heart and humor and a great narrative voice. And I still do, for the most part. I definitely think that Antsy is a GREAT narrator. The narrative voice in this one is so strong. Antsy can be very very funny in his observations--particularly in his observations about life, like how he compares life to a bad haircut, or change in life to a bad haircut. But he can also be authentic in some very tense, uncomfortable situations. In particular the tension-filled dynamics of his family. Never do readers get the idea that Antsy's life is one big joke after another. Readers see a blending of humor and pain. Which I think is authentic.

So the premise of this one is simple, Calvin Schwa is a middle schooler who, for the most part, remains invisible to teachers and students alike. They just don't see him. It's like he's not even there. Antsy does notice him, though even Antsy sometimes slips, and begins to make the Schwa a project of his. He decides to experiment to see the properties of the Schwa effect. The first few experiments are funny. Over-the-top ridiculous. But the experiments don't last forever, and the joke doesn't stay funny for long. Schwa may have enjoyed a couple of weeks of particular attention (not being taken seriously, mind you, not being seen for who he is, really is, but being the focus of a joke, a bet, a fad), but soon Antsy is his only friend. Almost. (A girl does enter into this.) How long can the Schwa go on being unseen and unheard? When will enough be enough? Can he turn his tragic non-life around?

I suppose the only thing that has changed in my rereading is that it doesn't strike me as truly being the best, best, best, best, best book ever. I still love it, I still really love it. I still seeing it as being a strong novel with a lot of heart and soul to it--a blending of emotions that make up life as we know it. I still love Antsy. I still love seeing a novel that addresses the invisibility of some kids. I still love seeing all the family drama. (less)

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Feb 04, 2012 Karen Ball rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I met Neal Shusterman at the Westport Library's Rabbit Hill Literature festival dinner in October, and he was hilarious! We might be able to get him to come for a visit next spring -- hope so, because he's a phenomenal speaker and has a great sense of humor. That's evident in The Schwa Was Here. Anthony "Antsy" Bonano tells how he discovered Calvin Schwa, a fellow student no one else noticed, because he has an almost supernatural ability to go unnoticed. Antsy and his buddies run some scientific...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Brooke Broadhead rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The schwa is the most common and most unappreciated vowel in the English language. Funny, Calvin Schwa is just about the same, so completely common that no one notices him, so unmemorable that you can't even recall meeting him, if he doesn't speak he just blends into the background. A boy who's "observationally challenged" and "socially invisible" seeks to get himself noticed before he fades from existence entirely.

I love this book! In life there are times when everyone feels alone, like ther...more

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Nov 23, 2011 Saskia Marijke Niehorster-Cook rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Berend brought this book home. He did a book report for school and Malcolm began reading it too. I picked it up and kept on reading. It is pretty funny. It is about a boy that is hard to see because he blends so well. He is almost invisible. In a way, it is also a mystery because his mom disappeared sometime when he was five and the boy, "Schwa" thinks the universe swallowed her because she was not outstanding, and he fears he will eventually suffer the same destiny. To this, add his new found f...more Berend brought this book home. He did a book report for school and Malcolm began reading it too. I picked it up and kept on reading. It is pretty funny. It is about a boy that is hard to see because he blends so well. He is almost invisible. In a way, it is also a mystery because his mom disappeared sometime when he was five and the boy, "Schwa" thinks the universe swallowed her because she was not outstanding, and he fears he will eventually suffer the same destiny. To this, add his new found friend who is trying his best to remember Schwa and help him out. In one of their misadventures, they land in an elderly man's home with a lot of influence and they must walk his dogs each day for several months as penance. The old man has a niece that is blind, though she sees better in many ways than normal seeing people. The dogs are afghans named after all the sins and all the virtues. It is very funny indeed. It is a comedy of errors and misunderstandings and finding friendship and fighting for it. It has a lot of wonderful moments of Laugh out loud punch lines. Very ingenious.

At one point the boy, Anthony or Antsy, is talking to his dad about inviting his friend the Schwa for dinner. His dad asks him 'What is wrong with him". Antsy is not the favorite child in that family and the question has the implication that all his friends must have something wrong with them to be friends of Antsy, but when Antsy asks his dad why he asks that, his dad cleverly says "Something in the tone of your voice implied it". This is later on used again by Antsy to his advantage when the old man asks him to go out on dates with his granddaughter and he will pay him to do so.Very clever dialogues. I just kept on laughing.

Here is a cheeky part: Mom: Why are you so well dressed up? Antsy: A funeral Mom: Who died? Antsy: Your sense of humor!

Mrs.Greenblatt was not blind, but she was extremely nearsighted. I figured she never had laser surgery on her eyes because it would have been physically impossible the Hubble telescope in her cornea, which is what she needed.(less)

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Nov 01, 2011 Steven Kent rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: light-reading, young-adult-kids

I really like Neal Shusterman's work. I prefer the audio versions of his work because I like his reading as well as his writing. He's a good reader. He doesn't have all the voices of a Jonathan Davis or a Frank Muller, but he is an enthusiastic reader who knows his characters. He really bring them to life.

In The Schwa Was Here, there are a trio of very vivid characters to bring to life--Anthony "Antsy" Bonano--the protagonist/narrator, Calvin Schwa--the eponymous "Schwa," and Mr. Crawley, a weal...more

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Nov 01, 2011 Steven Kent rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: light-reading, young-adult-kids

I really like Neal Shusterman's work. I prefer the audio versions because I like his reading as well as his writing. He's a good reader. He doesn't have all the voices of a Jonathan Davis or Frank Muller, but he is an enthusiastic reader and he knows his characters enabling him to bring them to life.

In The Schwa Was Here, there are a trio of very vivid characters to bring to life--Anthony "Antsy" Bonano--the protagonist/narrator, Calvin Schwa--the eponymous "Schwa," and Mr. Crawley, a wealthy sh...more

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Oct 11, 2011 Ceming Ruan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dear Reader:

The Schwa is Here is a fiction book, by Neal Shusterman. It is about a boy named Calvin Schwa. What they call him is "The Schwa" as they handout with his friends, they discover Schwa has an ability to be semi-invisible, or he can passed without being noticed in crowds, he's is sometimes unable to be seen at all, and he seems to slip people's mind when they try to think of him. While he is in school, a teacher asked a question and he call out so loud but nobody can noticed him that h...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Lexi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Who or what is the Schwa? Where did “it” come from? Why is it the way it is? Turns out the Schwa A.K.A Calvin is just a normal kid for the most part; that is, if you noticed him enough to get to know him. That’s exactly how Antsy found out about him. Antsy was the first out of his friends, Howie and Ira, to notice the Schwa was tagging along with them one day out of nowhere. Antsy started to wonder… has he always been sneaking around and following us? How come no one has noticed him? Why is he...more

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Nov 28, 2010 Rachael Newell rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Schwa Was Here: Book Review
Rachael Newell

Sometimes the things that make an impact on your life the most you don’t notice at first. In this book, Anthony Banano definitely learns that. While trying to blow up his dad’s model with his friends, he finally met the invisible, Calvin Shwa. Testing the Schwa’s invisibility winds them in a whole lot of trouble, and in plenty of community dept. Anthony gains friends looses friends, but as a person learns how important his family and friends are too...more The Schwa Was Here: Book Review
Rachael Newell

Sometimes the things that make an impact on your life the most you don’t notice at first. In this book, Anthony Banano definitely learns that. While trying to blow up his dad’s model with his friends, he finally met the invisible, Calvin Shwa. Testing the Schwa’s invisibility winds them in a whole lot of trouble, and in plenty of community dept. Anthony gains friends looses friends, but as a person learns how important his family and friends are too him. The Shwa and him get close, and learn that bad things can lead to good things; which sometimes lead to another bad thing, and on goes the cycle. But bringing Lexi into both of their lives changed everything, and more. In the end Anthony Banano learns that there is a significant difference between being seen, and being felt.
The characters in this book were inspiring, but plenty of times I couldn’t agree with them. The way they took on their problems most of the time just created more, or they just set them aside and took their time before they dealt with them. That just messes things up between people and their relationships, and you can definitely see that in this book. I liked the way the author described the characters all throughout the book. He made the picture clear and helped me see the people better and appreciate their story. Every character was detailed and dynamic; the images to me were clear and defined. I could see every thing about them and the type of person they were. The personalities of the characters around our age were pretty original and very easy to relate too; which makes it a fun book to read but takes away some of the grasp this book can hold on certain people. The Schwa’s character was very interesting though. He has a different way of handling and seeing things. I like the way he is because he’s really nice and open to everyone he meets. I also like how towards the end he really makes an effort to be noticed and loved by everyone. What bugs me though is that he kind of hops people. He gets way close to a certain person, then when that person gets boring just moves on to another person; in my opinion anyway. Other than that he’s pretty much my favorite character in this book.
After reading this book I definitely will recommend it to plenty of people. I think It really depends on who the type of person it is as to who will actually read it. It’s pretty common interests I think because it’s very contemporary and it relates to almost everyone; around my age. That’s the age group I would most recommend it too. Younger kids wouldn’t really like it because there’s not a lot of things they would understand or get a lot. Plus it doesn’t have a whole lot in there that connects to them and the way they are as younger people. Older people wouldn’t really enjoy it either because again it relates a lot to teenagers. It’s pretty fast moving I guess you could say and it just doesn’t really mean a lot to the older people. Maybe young adults, or teachers that teach teenagers because they want to relate to them I guess. But the people I would mostly recommend it to would be my friends, and people my age and around.
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Nov 19, 2010 Brittany Estrada rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Schwa Was Here

Antsy is a regular teenage boy. He likes to blow thinks up and all that stuff. While he is busy blowing up a mannequin, he feels like someone is watching him. There is no one there. He begins to get a little creeped out but pushes it a side. When they try to find the head to the mannequin, it is floating in mid-air. As the look more closely they see a person. The Schwa. Calvin Schwa is the “invisible man.” To prove his invisibility Antsy and his brothers dress him up in a sombr...more
The Schwa Was Here

Antsy is a regular teenage boy. He likes to blow thinks up and all that stuff. While he is busy blowing up a mannequin, he feels like someone is watching him. There is no one there. He begins to get a little creeped out but pushes it a side. When they try to find the head to the mannequin, it is floating in mid-air. As the look more closely they see a person. The Schwa. Calvin Schwa is the “invisible man.” To prove his invisibility Antsy and his brothers dress him up in a sombrero and put him in the girls bathroom, put him through airport security with a metal pole in his pocket, etc. Why didn’t people notice him before? This is what they are trying to figure out. As they try more tests to analyze there question, they run into an old man by breaking into his house. The old man makes them walk his dogs for as long as he wants instead of telling the cops. Antsy and Schwa come every day and walk the dogs. Soon comes that his granddaughter comes and tells Antsy he has to go on a date with her. They both fall for her. It is now a battle to see who gets her. Troubles begin and you better read to find out what happens next.

I thought that this book was good. The content was descriptive and I felt like I was in the book at parts and having a good time. At the beginning it takes a minute or two to catch on to what is happening. Isn’t that the case with any book? It had a good way of explaining how things happened. I like how it starts kind of like a journal entry. At first Antsy is still discovering if the Schwa is a good friend or not. Late in the book they are better friends but will the girl tell them apart? I like how it shows different levels of their relationship like in real life. I wouldn’t read the last bit because I thought it didn’t have a good ending. It was a happy ending but I, personally, didn’t like it.

I would rate this book about an 8. I liked it and couldn’t put it down at most parts. It was a good book but I wouldn’t recommend it to kids under 10. Just because they probably wouldn’t get it. It has a lot of good humor and is easy to get it if you understand the joke. I would recommend it to adults because they would get the humor. I would also recommend it to teens around the age of 11 to 17. They will get the humor of the book and the lesson. It is not about what other people think or how they see you. It is about what you think of yourself and how you present that to the world. I would love to read this book again. It is not one of the books that made me want to tread it 50 times in a week but maybe once in a while. It was a good book and I would recommend it to someone who wants a book to read.(less)

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Nov 11, 2010 Sean Mitcham rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In the book The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman Antsy is a regular teenage boy who enjoys blowing things up and hanging out with his friends. One day he feels that he is being watched, and turns around to find a kid named Calvin Schwa standing behind him. He becomes friends with the Schwa and learns that the Schwa is “functionally invisible.” People just don’t notice him even if he is right there in the room next to them.
Calvin (The Schwa) and Antsy have many adventures together testing the sc...more In the book The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman Antsy is a regular teenage boy who enjoys blowing things up and hanging out with his friends. One day he feels that he is being watched, and turns around to find a kid named Calvin Schwa standing behind him. He becomes friends with the Schwa and learns that the Schwa is “functionally invisible.” People just don’t notice him even if he is right there in the room next to them.
Calvin (The Schwa) and Antsy have many adventures together testing the schwa effect.
The Schwa Was Here was a well written book that was fun too read. The overall structure of this book was very good, and the pages seem to turn themselves as you read. The book was organized well, you never get entirely lost of confused anywhere, and the plot is clear and driving. The details blend in well with the story, and never stop the plot from moving forward. The ideas in this book may be a little young for some adults though. They may find the book childish or written in a way that does not appeal to them. The side characters may seem to have underdeveloped personalities that make them seen unrealistic of too odd to have a part in the story. The characters that are in the plot have well developed personalities, which adds to the contrast between them and the underdeveloped side characters. The idea behind the story may seem dull or childish to them, and that may distract them from the plot or the book in general. The message that the story sends out may also cause dislike among older readers. One of the other problems that this story has is that there is a lack of a continuing antagonist. The antagonist of the story keeps changing, and towards the end there is a lack of an antagonist entirely. People are not really working against anything. They are mostly working against themselves instead of having and opponent to work against. This takes some of the fun out of reading this book. Kids and young adults however can overlook some of these, which makes this a more enjoyable read for them. The childish writing and underdeveloped characters will not annoy them half as much as it will annoy the adults. They will just enjoy the fun and excitement in the book and not notice the problems. They were probably Shusterman’s target audience.
I would recommend this book to children and young adults, because the theme is for younger people. I would also recommend it to this age group because of the minor mistakes that this age group will care less about. The theme is too young and undeveloped for adults who may find that it lowers the enjoyment value of the book, or they may find it just plain annoying. If I had to rate this book on a scale from one to ten I would give it a seven, because the book was good, but the mistakes were too noticeable
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Aug 22, 2010 Jsinclair rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: yalit-books

LOVE THIS BOOK! This book is great on many levels. The author creatively writes a story based on a character who seems to always get ignored or just pop up out of nowhere (similarly, to the schwa sound in the English language). Shusterman uses description so artistically that I could hear Antsy's mom's Brooklyn accent everytime she talked as well as see exactly where the boys were playing in Queens. So many times I found myself laughing out loud as well as staying up just a little bit longer to...more

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Apr 18, 2010 Mason Frey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Schwa Was Here
By: Neal Shusterman
This book takes place in Brooklyn, New York, present time. The main characters are Old Man Crawley, a lonely mysterious man who owns a restaurant in a four story building and lives above it, Lexie, Crawley's blind granddaughter, Calvin Schwa a.k.a The Schwa, an invisible-ish boy, and Antsy, a caring boy trying to help the Schwa.
In this book Antsy meets the Schwa at the river one day and they become friends. The strange thing is that Antsy had never noticed...more

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Feb 26, 2010 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Shusterman humorously hooks his readers from the first paragraph. "Because who but a moron would go up to search for Old Man Crawley, who had fingernail like Ginsu knives that could dice, slice, and julienne you, then serve you up in like fourteen thousand plastic dog bowls." (p.1) The story begins with 3 friends who are trying to literally destroy Manny Bullpucky (a plastic "dummy" that is supposedly indestructible). Very appealing to YA's. That's when they first met, Calvin Schwa, who mysterio...more Shusterman humorously hooks his readers from the first paragraph. "Because who but a moron would go up to search for Old Man Crawley, who had fingernail like Ginsu knives that could dice, slice, and julienne you, then serve you up in like fourteen thousand plastic dog bowls." (p.1) The story begins with 3 friends who are trying to literally destroy Manny Bullpucky (a plastic "dummy" that is supposedly indestructible). Very appealing to YA's. That's when they first met, Calvin Schwa, who mysteriously seems to blend in with his environment, almost like camoflauge. His name resulted from a bizarre situation when his great-grandpa came over from the "old country" and had a heart attack before he could get his entire name out (Schwartz) and dies on Ellis Island. Then, there is rumors of his mother's mysterious disappearance from the grocery store when Calvin was 5 years old. She literally left him strapped in the shopping cart and disappeared. People can't really see him until he announces that he's there, his father forgets about him all the time, and teachers keep marking him absent. "The thing is, I can't get past the feeling that there's something unnatural about the Schwa. I don't do well with unnatural things. Take spiders, for instance. I mean, sorry, I don't care what anyone says - there can't be anything natural about spinning a web out of your butt." (p.20) There is a definite mystery about him that captivates readers. He's not exactly invisible, but "invisible-ish." After several experiments and dares, one finally leads to Old Man Crawley's place when Schwa is dared to get one of his dog bowls out of the apartment without being seen. He ends up getting caught and Crawley punishes Antsy and Schwa by sentencing them to weeks of walking his 14 dogs (named after the 7 deadly sins and 7 virtues). Eventually, this job changes for Antsy when he pays Antsy to hang out with his grand daughter who is blind, but very confident and assertive. The boys both like over her which causes chaos in their friendship and Antsy learns that "sometimes the little things are the biggest things of all." (p.109). All the characters end up needing each other (and saving each other) in some way throughout the story. Old Man Crawley, though forever grouchy, really does like Antsy and his family and ends up making his dad a partner in his new restaurant. At the end of the story, we find out that Schwa's mother really didn't just disappear, rather she left his father. She has sent letters and made phone calls for years, all of which his father hid from him. Schwa is angry and "doesn't know which is worse - what his mother did, or what his father had done. She left, yes, but he made her disappear." (p.207) Schwa ends up literally disappearing the next day when he goes to FL to find his mother. He ends up traveling the world with her leaving his mark - the upside down e. This is a cute story with a happy ending - it's a story of discovery, the ups and downs of family and friendship, roots, self identity, and LIFE!(less)

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Aug 20, 2009 Brandi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lpl-blog, teen

Have you ever met someone who you forget about completely the next day? You couldn't pick him out of a line-up or anything. It's like he was just wiped out of your mind.

Enter Calvin "The Schwa" Schwa. The Schwa is what his three friends call "observationally challenged". Finally the four boys, led by Antsy Bonano, test the Schwa Effect by dressing him up in funny clothes and see if anyone notices him. Few do, not always including Antsy. Antsy and the Schwa decided to use this more as a gift than...more

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About Neal Shusterman

Award-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movi...more Award-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movie script.

In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.

As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.

Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.

Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”

Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.

Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.

Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."

And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.

Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!(less)

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Quotes from The Schwa Was Here

“What, are you totally psycho?" I shouted.
"Maybe I am!" he screamed back at me. "Maybe that's just what I am. Maybe I'm that quiet guy who suddenly goes nuts and then you find half the neighborhood in his freezer."
I gotta admit, that one stumped me for a second - but only for a second. "Which half?" I asked.
"Huh?"
"Which half of the neighborhood? Could you make it the people on the other side of Avenue T, because I never really liked them anyway.” — 23 people liked it

“Life is like a bad haircut. At first it looks awful, then you kind of get used to it, and before you know it, it it grows out and you gotta get another haircut that maybe won't be so bad, unless of course you keep going to SuperClips, where the hairstylists are so terrible they oughta be using safety scissors, and when they're done you look like your head got caught in a ceiling fan. So life goes on, good haircut, bad haircut, until finally you go bald, and it don't matter no more.
I told this wisdom to my mother, and she said I oughta put it in a book, then burn it. Some people just can't appreciate the profound.” — 20 people liked it

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