LitPick Review
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Omar Odd: outcast, new kid, Internet star, crew member, retail worker, unemployed TV star, friendzoner, truth teller. And this is just the beginning of Omar’s story. The Oddball Chronicles by Michael “Cerealsenei” Williams is about junior Omar Odd, who is new to Ridgewood High School and who takes great pains to remain anonymous and unseen by both his teachers and his peers. Unfortunately, his plans don’t quite work out the way he envisioned; however, unexpected plans are exactly what Omar really needed. Discovering himself through trial and error in school, in the work force, in his family, and in his love life — Omar brings honesty and humor to the growing pains of being a teenager.
Omar’s story is told through “episodes,” much like chapters, but they follow a format more similar to a television show. This format is easy to follow and creates a smooth story that is able to jump forward through time without needing to account for the lost days. Instead, we come across the most important moments in Omar’s current journey and how they connect to each other.
Opinion:
As a student working to receive certification to teach high school English, I was instantly drawn into this story. The whole time I was reading, I was thinking of all the students who would connect so easily with Omar’s character and recognize the realism of his story. I really enjoyed the “truth” of Omar’s inner thoughts — the way he looks at the situations he finds himself in and analyzes them are very realistic. Williams doesn’t hold back on language or details, for this is the way in which 17-year-olds view their surroundings. I also really enjoyed the formatting of this story into episodes rather than chapters. It flowed like a teen drama television show in which each individual episode centers on its own story line, yet certain small details trail throughout. Thus, if you missed the previous episode, you would be missing something BUT nothing that would cause you to misunderstand the overall message or lesson in that episode.
I think teens and those in their early twenties, of both genders, would really enjoy reading this. Also, as mentioned earlier, I could see The Oddball Chronicles (either in part or as a whole) being used as a short story or choice reading for high schoolers in an English class.
