The Life and Times of Benny Alvarez by Peter Johnson

Everyone thinks Benny Alvarez is Mr. Negativity. According to Benny, he’s just realistic about seeing the “other side” of things — when it comes to just about everything. But maybe there’s another way to deal with the things Benny can’t control — like his ailing grandfather, his wild younger brother, and the know-it-all girls at school. In this poignant novel about acceptance, Benny Alvarez will have to decide… is the glass half empty or half full?