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Jan 11, 2017SCL_Heather rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Teenage Calvin was born on the same day that Bill Watterson’s final Calvin and Hobbes comic strip appeared. Is it any surprise that his favourite stuffed toy as a child was a tiger named Hobbes and that he has a troubled relationship with his childhood friend and neighbour named Susie? Nearing the end of high school Calvin has a schizophrenic episode in which his imaginary tiger comes to life. Calvin sets out across frozen Lake Erie to track down Calvin and Hobbes creator Watterson determined that his illness will disappear if the artist draws one last strip about Calvin at 17, “healthy and well, with no Hobbes in it.” Susie accompanies Calvin on his journey but it’s unclear until the end of the book whether it’s the real Susie or just another figment of Calvin’s imagination. Even if you’ve never been a fan of Calvin and Hobbes cartoons, there is much to enjoy in this lovely young adult novel by Alberta writer Martine Leavitt. A tender look at self discovery and mental illness.