Paperboy by Vince Vawter

Which is more important – what you say or how you say it? Author Vince Vawter addresses this question in his 2014 Newbery Honor book Paperboy. Set in Memphis, 1959, this story offers a unique perspective on segregation and the disability experience from the viewpoint of a very original hero.

          Born with a speech impediment, Victor loves words but has difficulty expressing his thoughts and can’t even say his own name. With the encouragement of his beloved housekeeper Mam, he takes on his best friend Art’s paper route for a summer while Art goes on vacation. At first daunted by the prospect of having to talk with customers, he begins to take an interest in the lives of those he services, especially pretty Mrs. Worthington, whose drinking habits hint at private unhappiness, and Mr. Spiro, who collects books and talks to kids as if they are adults. As the summer progresses, however, Vince realizes that even Mr. Spiro can’t answer all of his questions, especially those raised by a surprising discovery about his birth records and the strange behavior of the neighborhood junkman, Ara T. When a series of thefts exposes Ara T’s suspicious behavior and puts Mam in danger, Victor has to use all of his courage and resources to save them both.

          Vawter’s junior-fiction novel offers an insightful perspective on a lesser-publicized disability, particularly as the circumstances of the story are partly autobiographical. In his ending notes, the author briefly describes his lifelong experience with stuttering and offers resources for those wishing to learn more about speech impediments. The inclusion of many of his personal observations and struggles makes Paperboy a heartfelt account of coping with and thriving despite adversity.