Sean Griswold's Head

By Lindsey Leavitt

You can look at something every day and never really see it. Payton Gritas looks at the back of Sean Griswold's head in most of her classes and has for as long as she can remember. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas; it's an alphabetical order thing), but aside form loaning Sean countless number-two pencils, she's never really noticed him.

Then Payton's guidance counselor tells her she needs a focus object--something to concentrate her emotions on while she deals with her dad's multiple scleorsis. The object is supposed to be inanimate, but Payton chooses Sean Griswold's head. It's much cuter than the atom models or anything else she stares at! As Payton starts stalking--er, focusing on--Sean's big blond head, her research quickly grows into something a little less scientific and a lot more crush-like. And once she really gets inside his head, Payton also lets Sean into her guarded heart. But obsessing over Sean won't fix Payton's fear of her dad's illness. For that, she'll have to focus on herself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Mar 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781599905686

Lindsey Leavitt

Lindsey Leavitt is a former elementary school teacher and present-day writer/mom/party animal (not to be confused with her spirit animal, which is a lion). She lives with her family in the Utah mountains. She is the author of the Commander in Cheese series, The Pages Between Us series (co-written with Robin Mellom), Sean Griswold’s Head, Going Vintage, The Chapel Wars, and the Princess for Hire series.

Book preview

book.

ONE

Nothing creates a buzz like an Executive Deluxe day planner. Not that I have much experience with buzzes, especially of the chemical variety, but my brother did double-dose me on NyQuil once when I was eleven. That thirty or so minutes of faint inebriation had nothing on this feeling. Pure, organized bliss.

I hug the planner to my chest and slowly brush the leather. It’ll cost me a third of my Christmas money, but this baby has monthly and weekly calendars, financial graphs, to-do checklists … and did I mention the sweet, sweet leather?

I can’t believe you are spending that much money on an organizer, Payton. My best friend, Jac, leans against the store counter. We’re at the mall, taking advantage of post-Christmas sales, and I’m itching to prep my organizer for the new year. You can get an electronic one for like fifty bucks more. And what do you really need to plan, anyway? You’re a freshman, not a CEO.

I smile serenely at my cute, ignorant friend. I can’t use my new highlighting system on a computer screen. And there’s something about crossing off a task with a nice ballpoint, you know?

No. I really don’t. But I love you all the same.

Of course she doesn’t get it. Jac just spent eighty dollars on these ridiculously impractical red boots that will match two outfits, tops. Now, my well thought-out purchase? I’ll use it every day.

So you probably aren’t interested in my highlighting system for our English readings. It’s genius, really. Yellow for literary devices, pink for plot points, orange for conflict—

Why orange?

Because I look like crap in that color. I’d fight anyone who made me wear it.

Jac nods. Clothing—now that’s something she understands. "Why not save the school stuff until we’re actually back in school."

Midterms are only a few weeks away.

So let’s enjoy our freedom while we have it. Jac fingers a green wallet. I’m actually surprised your parents didn’t get you a planner for Christmas. They’re usually, like, the best present-givers. Unlike my parents. This is the third Christmas in a row that my dad gave me diamond earrings.

Diamonds. Whoa. Daddy McThrifty strikes again.

Hey, I was going to regift them to you for your birthday, but—

Okay. Yes. That does suck. In a non-sucking way.

You know what I mean. Jac checks the price tag on the wallet and sticks it back on the shelf. Your parents know you as, like, an actual person. It’s almost weird how functional you all are.

True. But my dad got me a book on rocks. I haven’t collected rocks since I was ten. TEN. If he had it his way, I would still be four. I bet he slipped antigrowth hormones into my eggnog last week.

Jac giggles. You hate eggnog. Her phone buzzes with a text. She checks it and points toward the counter. We better hurry, schnookums. My sister’s waiting and I want to walk by Cinnabon again and see if Hot Freckle Boy checks me out.

I hand the cashier my money with a post-holiday coupon and tuck my new planner into my messenger bag. Once we’re by the food court, Jac achieves her desired catcall. And yes, I’m positive it’s directed at her. I might get an occasional look from guys, but Jac … Jac gets the whistles.

Fifteen minutes later, she leans out the window of her sister’s Jeep. "Call me tonight! I need you to tell me what happens in A Tale of Two Cities before break ends."

You could read it, you know. Or buy the CliffsNotes.

Forget Cliff. Payton Notes are much better.

I laugh. I bet you wouldn’t say that if Cliff was cute.

He’d have to be way cute to pull off a name like Cliff.

I hug her good-bye and race into the house, excited to show off my toy to Mom and Dad. They’re always teasing me about my organizational skills, but I know they love my neurotic tendencies. They never have to worry if I’ll get my homework done.

Dad! I call. I’ve taken anal retentive to a whole new level! Mom? I bounce through the hallway, photos of the family from now back to my great-grandfather’s infancy watching me as I go. No one. I peek into the garage. My brother Trent borrowed Mom’s minivan because he claims it delivers the ladies. Dad’s Acura waits alone in the darkness.

Huh. They were home when I left. Maybe they went on one of their ever-increasing walks along the Schuylkill River. They’ve been kind of weird lately, out together day and night. Gazing at each other like they do in a bad soap opera during a long good-bye.

Sometimes, I get a little worried that something is seriously up.

I mean, they’re always pretty lovesick around each other, but what if it’s more? A good soap opera would throw in a murder cover-up or an unplanned love child. Which would be gross, because that means my parents are still capable of … doing the act that produces babies.

I hear murmuring coming from the bathroom, then laughter. My paranoia melts. They’re laughing. Just like always. In fact, Mom’s probably shaving Dad’s head, a biweekly event almost as entertaining as color coordination. I jiggle the doorknob, and since it’s unlocked, throw the door open. Hey, baldy! I sing. Then stare.

My dad is bent over the toilet seat, pants pulled down just enough that I see the top of his left butt cheek. Mom is standing behind him with a hypodermic needle in her right hand, poised to make a poke. They both startle when I barge in. Mom jerks so the needle grazes Dad’s skin. His pants slide lower and I almost see Way Too Much. I slam the door shut.

Not paranoid. Something was up. But I thought something was more along the lines of my parents sharing a cute midlife crisis. Not shooting each other up with drugs.

Payton! Mom yanks the door back open. Honey! Wait!

I’m still standing at the door, my mouth hanging lower than my father’s pants. He’s behind her in a second, fumbling with his zipper. Sunshine. Let’s go to the living room. We need to talk.

There is talking, but none by me.

The good news: My parents aren’t drug addicts.

The awful, horrible, what-the-freak-just-happened-to-my-life news: The needle was filled with medicine. Medicine for my father’s multiple sclerosis, aka MS. A disease that, up until about ten minutes ago, I was completely unaware he had.

We’re sorry we didn’t tell you— Mom starts.

And we were going to! Dad says, flopping down next to me on the leather couch. Mom stands behind him, arms folded. We were just—

—waiting for the right time. There’s still so little we know about it. We wanted to get a clearer idea of where this was going. And now to find out like this—

—we wish you hadn’t— Dad says.

—but since you did—

—we’ll just have to make the best—

—of an unfortunate situation, Mom finishes.

Unfortunate situation? Are they kidding me? It’s a crippling disease. Isn’t it? I’ve always lumped it in there with cerebral palsy and Parkinson’s and … a bunch of other diseases I really don’t know anything about.

Seriously. Unfortunate situation. Highlight that line yellow for use of a literary device: Crude Understatement.

Well, I’ll just spill it. Dad sighs when I give no sign of responding, other than finally closing my mouth to relieve my aching jaw. The numbness in my left hand started last spring when your mom and I went to Cancun. It went away when we came home so … I didn’t do anything. Dad picks at a loose string on his T-shirt. "I forgot about it. Tried to forget about it. But then, during the summer, my hand started tingling again. For weeks. And I kept it to myself, just like I’ve kept the fact that I’ve felt … off … tired for years.

I finally told your mom and got tested and they found these sheath lesions—they’re kind of like tumors—on my spine. The doctor sat us down and told us about MS.

Tingling. Numbness. Tumors.

Mom eases down next to me and smoothes my hair. I flinch.

I know it all sounds scary, but there’re different kinds of MS. Right now, your father will have a relapse, then go into remission, then relapse again. So far they’ve been spread out—it’s still a manageable case. But some people—Mom glances at Dad—decline faster. Continually. It can get better, or it could get worse. Nothing is predictable. So this medicine helps. Well, he just started, so we hope … we hope it’ll help.

Summertime. Like six months ago. That’s how long they’ve known. They knew. And I had no clue. No clue. How … how could they?

"Mi sol, there is no way to tell you how sorry we are, she adds. We feel horrible. I guess there never really is a right time to hear this. We told your brothers, and then we were going to tell you too. We just hadn’t decided … when."

They told my brothers? There’s a steady pounding in my ears, and my stomach—no, my guts—feel like I’ve swallowed a kitten and the little fur ball is trying to claw his way out. This is such crap. Parents don’t keep things like this … how could they have … and my brothers knew! This somehow makes it even worse. Once again, I feel like I’m just this stupid little girl. They all shared in this knowledge, walking around knowing while I just continued on with my regular life. Everything they’ve said is tainted now. Every day was a lie.

I’m going to explode in a minute. Explode from the pain.

Dad paces. I know how much you worry about things. Remember the time I sprained my ankle in pickup basketball and you called every orthopedic surgeon in the city? I didn’t want you worrying about me until we had a more concrete plan. Dad stops pacing and kneels down in front of me. Sunshine, I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am. I’ll fill you in from here on out. Every detail. Things are going to be fine. I promise. All right?

My mom shifts on the couch. Is there anything you want to say?

I leave without answering and lock myself in the bathroom. Dad’s medicine is still balanced on the sink. I knock it over. I promise. Yellow highlighter again—irony. How could they promise me the truth when my whole family has lied to me for the last six months? Six months I spent believing everything was as perfectly aligned as my highlighting system, not blackened with an unknown illness.

I lean over the toilet bowl and throw up.

Fine.

Fine was my color-coded life before. Things will never be fine again.

TWO

I’m sitting in a vinyl chair outside the school guidance counselor’s office, tapping my foot in rhythm to the smooth hits station blaring from the secretary’s computer. The note that got me out of Spanish didn’t say why I’m meeting the counselor for the first time, but I already know what this is about. It’s been two weeks since I’ve said one word to my parents. Two weeks since I found out about my dad. So my mom, no doubt, called the school, asked what resources they had for parents who screwed up and need another adult to come in and fix it, and arranged this little meeting. A meeting I wasn’t going to let happen.

Ms. Callahan rushes into her office, coffee mug in hand. Payton! I’m so glad you’re here! Won’t you follow me?

I stop tapping my foot and plant it firmly on the Berber carpet. No. I won’t.

Ms. Callahan, who is already halfway through her door, does a double take. You won’t?

I’d rather not. Uh … Fifth Amendment. I have no clue if the Fifth Amendment can really save me from unwanted guidance, but she sits down next to me, so it must apply. God bless you, Founding Fathers.

"Well, I suppose we can schedule another meeting later. But there will be a later. I’ve spoken with your mother about your father—"

I glance up at the secretary to see if she’s listening. She’s typing and grooving away to Lionel Richie.

—and so I want us to set up some friendly chats. Since today wasn’t planned, I’ll give you this and we can meet up to talk about it tomorrow.

She digs through a monogrammed canvas tote and finally comes up with an orange-striped notebook. I snort. Orange is my highlighter color for conflict. Of course.

It’ll help you open up a little. Until you’re ready to talk. It’s a Focus Journal.

I stare at her blankly. Focus. I don’t need this. I can focus. I’m the Queen of Focus. Well, former queen. Princess maybe. Duchess. Oh, who am I kidding? These last two weeks I’ve been so lost, I couldn’t cook in the Royal Focus Kitchen.

What am I supposed to do with it?

You write your Focus Exercises in it. So you pick something to focus on. It can be anything. A memory, a place, even something as basic as a pencil sharpener. You don’t have to tell me what it is—we’ll just call it your Focus Object. Once you’ve detailed your reactions and emotions on something you’re not emotionally invested in, you should be ready to start addressing deeper issues.

I run my fingers along the spiral binding. Right. Like describing the door in my Spanish class has anything to do with the fact that my dad’s hand gets so messed up he can’t even turn a doorknob.

The next day, Miss Marietta wheels a TV across our biology classroom and I plunk my head down on my desk. I didn’t mind TV time in elementary school. I looked forward to it. Really, I could watch a Stop, Drop, and Roll rap video a million times over. But a documentary on cell division in freshman biology? Not so much.

But it does give me an entire period to work on my Focus Exercises, which I’m supposed to present to Ms. Callahan next period. I’ve decided to meet with her, partially because I’m curious, and partially because I’m scared that if I don’t, she’ll write something horrible on my flawless permanent record, which would keep me from getting into a good college, which would limit my job options to trimming mustaches at Supercuts and my dating options to the creepy guy who sweeps up the hair. Even the Fifth Amendment couldn’t save me then.

I turn to the first sheet of paper in my new notebook and count down ten lines—there are twenty-nine on standard notebook paper, so ten lines is a third of the way down. You know, give or take.

PAYTON’S FOCUS JOURNAL

On the next page I write …

Payton’s Focus Exercise

January 17

Topic:

I pause. Topic. Suck. This woman gives me a notebook; why couldn’t she have given me a topic? Really, how is one object going to fix my family and life and mental condition anyway?

The voice of the video narrator drones on about the miracle of cell division. I doodle an amoeba in the corner of the page. Miss Marietta has her head down on her desk. Ah, maybe I could write about her.

Topic: Miss Marietta

Miss Marietta is new and trying to save the world one organism at a time. But once a month, she puts on some random video and takes a nap in the corner. We call these days Hangover Thursdays because the first Wednesday of every month is Ladies’ Night at the local clubs. It is here that Miss Marietta trades in her world of microscopes and lab reports for a night of dancing and drinking. I know this because Jac’s sister sees her out all the time, and apparently Miss Marietta is a closeted wild child. I told my parents about it back when we were speaking, and they were beyond scandalized. Who cares what she does in her personal life, so long as she keeps sticking in the videos?

Nope. Won’t work. That’s all I know about Miss Marietta, all I want to know, right there.

I tap my pencil. Topic. I could write about all the MS clues I didn’t pick up on over the last six and a half months. Dad’s lunch breaks that turned into nap time. The doctor visits I thought were dental conferences. How Dad was always sick on Sundays because of the medication’s side effects. How he asked me to help him with the can opener, probably because his hand was numb. How my parents were gone all the time. How I knew something was up but had no clue it was this. How I charged him one time when we were practicing for my school basketball tryouts and he stayed down longer than normal and that probably made his MS worse.

No. I’ve already chosen not to go THERE. I went there when I walked into that bathroom, and now the incident is safely filed in the Do Not Process cabinet of my brain. The file’s contents might mention how stupid I feel that I didn’t know, how mad I am at my parents … at everyone, not to mention scared and lonely and just … yeah. Focus Journal or not, I’m not going THERE again. Drawer locked.

The only way I can really approach this is to pretend it’s a school assignment. So, we just talked about the writing process in English. Before you write, you prewrite. Brainstorm.

I rip out a sheet of notebook paper and draw a word web.

Now I just need inspiration. I survey the classroom, noticing first the pink suede jacket Sarah Sheckler is sporting that literally puts the as(s) in nasty. I sigh and write school uniforms in the web, drawing a separate line to add my belief that uniforms would create social balance in this district and save poor Sarah from herself. Except I already expressed this revolutionary idea in my student council speech, and I lost. So writing about it again might make me bitter. Well, more bitter than I am now.

I consider actual objects, writing them down as I see them. The dry-erase board, the TV, a model of an atom, the lab jars in the back filled with who knows what. Oh! I could go abstract and write about the hallways and make it some metaphor for the path of life. But then Ms. Callahan might read too much into it and think I’m suicidal on top of being in denial. Or whatever clinical term I’ve been labeled with.

What I need is something that has concrete details like an inanimate object but changes somehow. Like a living, breathing person.

Brynn McCabe, who sits across from me, chomps on a piece of gum. I add Brynn and gum to my list. Brynn’s like Violet on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, always chewing or talking or talk-chewing. And she spits while she does it. I’d have to wear rainwear all the time if she were my Focus Object. No dice.

Jac catches my eye and holds something up. It’s a nearly dead-on mask of Miss Marietta’s face. I giggle. She probably spent the whole video designing it, and somehow she knew it was just what I needed after my Ms. Callahan chat. I spell JAC out in bubble letters and fill it in with flowers. If I were to graph our friendship out, Jac and I might not make sense. We have different interests, fit into different cliques, but the length of our friendship makes most of that unimportant. You go through enough with a person over a long enough period of time and they just become a part of who you are. I guess I could write about all that but … someone like Jac deserves a novel. A series.

The video ends and Miss Marietta flicks on the lights, releasing a small moan from the class as everyone wakes up from their video-induced hibernation.

Class is over. Great. I have no Focus Object and thus no complete assignment. Before the Big MS Lie, I

Reviews for Sean Griswold's Head

[mirandalg14 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good read to show how one teen deals with a family issue and how she comes to terms with it.

[mvthebookbabe · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.*ACTUAL RATING 3.5 STARS*I knew exactly what to expect when I started this: I was expecting cute, romantic fluff that's basically there as a filler. What I got was so much more. There was romance, and yes it was adorable. But there was also self-discovery and pain, as well as just general life.I liked Payton, she was a good main character. I feel like I can relate to her; even if I don't know what it's like to have a sick parent. She handled it okay, though, I think. She was really funny and sarcastic, and I liked that she had actual feelings, as opposed to some flat character from other books that I could mention.I liked that she found a focus object through such a ridiculous thing-- it was great. Now I will take a moment to say something about her focus object, Sean Griswold's head. SEAN. He was such a sweetheart-- just one of those boys that you want to hug the life out of, you know? (Well, I want him to live but you get the picture, right?) He was the perfect guy to kind of balance Payton out.Their romance was adorable. So unsure and cute and I never wanted the adorbs to end! My only real issue with this book was that it follows the formula for a romantic comedy down to the T. You know what I mean. But I did like that every character had a purpose, and a unique personality.All in all, Sean Griswold's Head is the perfect beach read-- except it doesn't involve any beach. Otherwise, it meets all the other requirements-- sweet and cute, with a dash of romance.

[tahleen · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a fast, fun read with some serious stuff too. We've got a cute budding romance, a teen dealing with her father getting a serious and possibly debilitating disease (MS), all with humor. I don't think I liked this one as much as Leavitt's most recent book, Going Vintage, but it was still a nice way to end my 2013 reading.

[thehidingspot · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

SEAN GRISWOLD'S HEAD is my first Lindsey Leavitt novel, but it won't be my last.This book is cute and funny. I'd heard lots of great things about it before deciding to pick it up, but was worried it'd be more middle grade than YA. Instead, I'd say it's more upper MG - it's definitely MG appropriate - and YA-friendly. When Payton chooses her classmate's head as a focus object, she isn't taking the assignment very seriously, but her journal entries about it are hilarious. It doesn't take Payton long to realize that there's more to Sean Griswold than a big head... and that that big head is actually kind of cute.Eventually, Payton's father's MS becomes more apparent and she realizes she needs to face her fears and feelings about the situation... because sarcasm and anger isn't going to make it go away. Her focus object actually ends up being more help than she'd imagined - considering she basically chose Sean's head to be rebellious - and Payton realizes that it isn't always about fixing a situation, but rather how you react and respond to the problem.Annnnnd this cover is adorable. I don't think it appeals to guys in any way, but it fits the book perfectly!If you're looking for a relatively quick read that has humor and shares a worthwhile message, pick up this latest offering from Leavitt.

[lauramoore_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Payton Gritas is an average high school student, she plays basketball, has a lot of friends, and a loving family, but when she finds out by "accident" that her father has MS and the rest of the family has known for months without telling her, her world starts to spiral out of control. Payton is the youngest of the family, and her parents and two older brothers didn't know how to tell her, without it seriously effecting Payton. She feels betrayed though and left out that nobody told her. She meets with her high school guidance counsler and she advises her to find a focus object to focus his attention on, and who/what does she pick? Sean Griswolds Head. She's known Sean for years, or rather been in his class for years, but soon she starts to develop feelings for Sean and when Sean founds out about her notebook with notes pertaining to his head being her focus object will their relationship suffer or will Sean be able to see past it??? I found this book to be really unique and I absolutly ADORED Sean!! I loved his character and if I was in high school (and he was real) i'd probably have a crush on him too!! Payton however drove me nuts with her fighting with her parents, If i found out my father had a terminal illness regardless of if they took a while to tell me, I wouldn't ignore him. I felt like that should have been an immediate wake-up call that life is short and unexpected twists and turns happen everyday. I felt like she should have been cherishing her father, and whole family for that matter, not holding a pointless grudge. Other then Paytons animosity towards her parents, I adored this story, it was exactally what I was in the mood for when I picked up this book, and as far as YA contemporarys go this one was really good.

[trippingbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Oh my goodness, so so so cute! Payton is an instantly likeable, smart, humorous young girl who you can't help but like even when she does things that are selfish or dumb because you always understand that she herself isn't selfish or dumb all the time necessarily, but that this is just her reacting to some difficult news that she doesn't know how to process. I laughed out loud a few times during this book because her voice was so honest and funny. And Sean...oh Sean. He was adorable, sweet, funny, compassionate. He was the perfect foil for Payton's avoider, judgmental, anal traits. He was--and I mean this in the best, most flattering, awesome way possible--such a nice guy. I loved him, and it was easy to see why Payton fell for more than just his head. Their relationship and how it progressed from friends to more was sweet and real and fun. In fact, authenticity in general was a huge bonus in this book. The characters were real, their reactions to their emotions and environment were real (for good or ill). I loved it. (Side bonus: I can't even say how refreshing it was to read about a young girl who was sporty without being a runner. Nothing against running, but it's one of those minor-ish overused tropes in contemporary YA, for me. Thumbs up for basketball and biking!) I also loved Payton's friend Jac, too. Quirky, funny, confident, flirty--I probably would have been just as mortified as Payton with her meddling, but she was an undeniably good friend. Even Payton's parents were awesome, although not without their own issues. The one thing that I appreciated very much was the seamless way the romance was integrated with the larger emotional issue that Payton was dealing with: her father's MS diagnosis. The way Payton dealt with not only the news itself but with being kept out of the loop for 6 months by the rest of her family seemed very real and honest, even when her reactions weren't good ones. But it was all woven together nicely. There was no strict focus on the disease itself, no real factual dumps, but the information was given as it related to the characters in the story, and it wasn't sugar-coated. Some of the situations with Payton's father and family and some of the relapses he has with his MS were raw and heartbreaking. Payton's reactions to all of it were brutally believable. I polished this book off in one sitting, it was so friggin adorable. The end might have happened a touch too fast, and some of the dialogue might have had a whisper of preachiness, but overall those things are insignificant to the rest of this story, and they matter little when the story is so enjoyable.

[elissajanine · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great voice, interesting characters, and a nice contrast between serious and light-hearted. I loved the focus exercises!

[jamesterck · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

1) Characters: For the most part, I really enjoyed the characters. Payton was very witty and entertaining and her interactions with her best friend, Jac, were often amusing. My favorite part was reading Payton's "focus object assignments" regarding Sean Griswold's head. At the beginning she knew nothing about him, despite having went to school with him since they were very young, so those entries in her notebook were literally about what his head looked like (since that's all she really ever saw). Then, as she became more involved in her assignment, she began wanting to know more about the boy that has always sat in front of her, other than the color of his hair and that he smells nice, and so her notebook entries change but are still equally interesting. I did get annoyed with Payton on occasion, for how she acted towards her family. I understand why she was upset (you'll just have to read it to find out why!) and that she was having trouble coping with seeing her father's health deteriorate, but it irked me how she treated both of her parents. He was the one that was actually living with the disease and he was having to deal with constant hostility from her. Her friend Jac was also annoying at times due to her extreme personality. She liked to force Payton into doing things she didn't necessarily want to do, and usually just ended up doing whatever she wanted to do, despite anyone else's thoughts. My favorite character by far was Sean. He was so laid back and down-to-earth, very easy to connect with. He ended up being very sensible as well and the voice of reason for Payton at times. I think he balanced her out really well and that's why they were perfect for each other.2) The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: First, The Good - I loved the way the book was set-up, with Payton's notebook entries popping up every so often. I think this gave us an even better look into what she was thinking and feeling and it was easy to see how she was changing as a person. The characters were well developed and, for the most part, easy to connect with. I also like how it brought attention to multiple sclerosis, which is a very serious, debilitating disease. It may even serve to help teens who have a parent that is sick to cope with their emotions. The Bad/The Ugly - As I said before, the characters did have some annoying moments, although it didn't detract from the story for me. I didn't really enjoy the ending as much as I was hoping to. On one hand, the amount of change you see in Payton throughout the book is amazing, and in that respect the ending works. However, as far as the relationship between Sean and Payton, the ending didn't really enthuse me. I know not all books can be tied up all nicely at the end with a neat little bow, but I just expected a little more from this one.3) Relationship Sizzle Or Fizzle: I loved the interactions between Sean and Payton and thought they were really perfect for each other, so I'm going to say sizzle! They just seemed to "get" each other right away and had a lot in common. I think it's awesome that out of something tragic like her father's disease, she was able to find love, and through that was able to heal herself. 4) Uniqueness Of Plot: The plot was definitely refreshing, it was nice to read something that didn't give me a serious case of deja vu. The use of the journal entries and the unique way she ended up falling in love was all very different and I enjoyed reading about it!5) Final Thoughts: Overall, this was a fantastic read. There was a lot of depth to the story, with Payton having to deal with many different issues and it was exciting to see how she was able to grow and heal throughout the book. While I did have a few issues with the characters and the ending, I'm glad I had the chance to read this book and would recommend that everyone check it out!

[molliekay · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was sweet, cute, and filled with a whole lot of Sean, but there comes a point in every adult's life when they say to themselves, "Boy, teens sure do whine a lot." I reached a point in Payton's kvetching about her parents' lie when I just couldn't take it anymore. I felt like there were whole chapters of pushing her angsty agenda that just weren't necessary, and her "OMG my parents don't treat me like an adult so I'm going to be a total brat" attitude was too over the top for me. The ending almost makes up for all of the obnoxiousness in the middle. I guess.Leavitt's writing, however, is completely and embarrassingly authentic. Though Payton's pout routine was enough to make my eyes roll, it did conjure up feelings of when I was a teen. I remember (shamefully) pulling that same act on my parents, thinking the things they did were the utmost in insane parenting. Sean Griswold is great for younger teens, mainly girls. They'll be able to sympathize with Payton's situation a bit more than boys or any adult ever would. As an adult, I can tell you that unless you want to scream at Payton for a few hours, this book just isn't for you.

[allureofbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A lot of things about this book really surprised me. I expected to enjoy reading it, but I didn't think I'd feel so connected to the story! It definitely exceeded my expectations.Payton is a fantastic MC, she has a lot of personality and a lot of snark. I loved her, in fact, I wish this had been created as a series so we could have more of her! The story between her and her dad felt so real and so emotional - the writing really draws you in and the plot was dead on. I think her reaction was completely realistic. She acted out, her life fell apart, and she didn't know what to do with her emotions. The fact that I could completely see myself reacting in the same ways she did made me feel so much more emotionally connected to what she was going through.This is kind of a side note, but I think another reason I liked Payton so much was her OCDish tendencies. The way she loved organizers so much and had to have things just so reminded me of my mama. I started picturing my mom as a teenager and standing in a store rhapsodizing over buying a planner and I cracked up. So, I loved Payton from the very first scene from that alone.As for Sean Griswold...I wasn't sure about him in the beginning. But as we got to know him better, that changed quickly. What a sweetheart he was! The way he was so open to Payton and not scared away by the fact she was dealing with things was so refreshing in a teenage boy, and the way Lindsey Leavitt constructed his entire personality made it believable instead of just *snort*. yeah. that's realistic.I 100% recommend reading this book if you're a fan of contemporary young adult. The story and the characters are both written so well and it is really easy to become emotionally involved in Payton's story. I don't know if I've stressed this enough, but the book was also hilarious. I am really looking forward to more of Lindsey's books to see if all her characters have such fun personalities!

[bookswarm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have another novel to add to my 2011 Favorites list: SEAN GRISWOLD'S HEAD. Lindsey Leavitt has a pitch-perfect teen voice in this funny, dramatic, sad, and completely awesome novel.Uber-organized Payton Gritas's world falls apart the day she finds out her father has multiple sclerosis -- and that her entire family's known about it for the past six months but didn't tell her. To deal with it, she turns inward, unwilling to speak to anyone in her family about it and dealing with her anger in the only way she knows how. Her grades drop. The fabulous Executive Organizer (genuine leather!) sits unused. Her room goes from "anal-retentive neat freak" to "atomic bomb dropped here".Her parents are desperate. If she isn't going to talk to them, she needs to talk to someone and that someone is the school guidance counselor, who suggests that she choose a focus object on which she can concentrate on and write about. The theory is that she'll eventually be able to work her way up to talking about her father's illness (as well as why her family didn't tell her about it right away, though that part's secondary). After brainstorming using a web, she chooses Sean Griswold's head, which has been in front of her (yay for alphabetical seating) for the past seven years. She just never noticed it.I love-love-love how, as Payton gets to know Sean and his life, she slowly develops feelings for him as well as respect and admiration for the person he is. It's so different than many YA books, where the characters fall instantly in love and are bonded for life.Payton is a wonderful character, deeply caring (despite her reaction to her father's illness) and supportive. You can feel the love in the family, the emotional toll the MS as well as Payton's response takes on them and how, even with no words between them, they love one another.Payton's best friend, Jac (or Jaclyn, depending on the day), is a great foil for Payton. She's chipper, cheerful, determined to be her own person, and fun to be around. Payton, in turn, provides Jac with the love and stability she needs, since she's not getting it at home.All in all, a fantastic story that, despite dealing with a very difficult topic, is fast-paced and fun. I highly recommend this book! 5.0/5.0 stars.

[noahsmae · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was an enjoyable to read. It felt very young to me. But, then again, the characters were freshman in high school. This is a story about a teenage girl using avoidant strategies to deal with her father's illness. In the process she discovers both a new relationship with a boy and learns that while avoiding things is less painful than dealing with them -- you ultimately can not outrun the inevitable.Payton's relationship with Sean was very sweet and developed nicely. Jac, Payton's best friend, I found to be very annoying. She was trying to be helpful but felt like she crossed the line several times.Would definitely recommend to younger teens.

[resugo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Way. Cute. Book. Really, I mean it.Payton is a fun character and it was a joy to be inside her head for (almost) 300 pages. Her emotions and reactions to life's disappointments were real and deep. I never actually cried (though I might've been close), but I definitely laughed out loud. At different parts, obviously. And Sean is so cute! Personality mostly, though he does have a nice head (even if it is blonde). And he's so sweet! The way he tells Payton he likes her...priceless. And I appreciate that he's just a normal high school kid, not the Hottest Guy Ever. I'm half in love with him myself. Payton's friend, Jac, was a great best friend and really tried to help Payton. Though she kind of irritated me. I'm more like Payton myself and hate to make a scene, so when Jac makes a scene, I got upset right along with Payton. I have to agree with Jac though, Payton's family is super cool. Especially her dad. Obviously its the characters in this book that stick out the most to me. Because they are just so great. Original and real. Loved them. I really enjoyed reading this book. So cute. So now I've added Princess for Higher to my TBR list on goodreads. This is the kind of author I want to read again.

[eomalley_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My Fast and Furious Take: Just as the book description states, Sean Griswold’s Head is a wonderful blend of humor, romance, and family issues. Payton was an engaging heroine struggling with her father’s diagnosis while Sean was a sweet, socially conscious romantic interest. Together they ignited gentle sparks that satisfied the romantic in me, while the family moments caught at my gut. A beautifully balanced and heartfelt young adult contemporary.Digging Into the Details: I don’t know why, but I was a little uncomfortable starting Sean Griswold’s Head due to the multiple sclerosis story line and kept putting it off. I just wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into – if it would be a downer or too emotional – but I really wanted to find out more about Payton and what made Sean’s head the perfect focal point. So I finally took the plunge and found a story that did have a few quick emotional jabs, but also had a lot of heart and humor to balance them out.I loved the way author Lindsey Leavitt approached such a serious subject matter, starting with the way Payton discovered her dad had multiple sclerosis and her reaction to the discovery. Payton’s emotions were all over the place, with plenty of fear, anger and resentment mixed together. It didn’t seem at all far-fetched that these emotions would be at the forefront, especially with the way Payton uncovered her father’s medical condition (let’s just say her family wasn’t as forthcoming with the information as they should have been). Leavitt deftly educates the reader right along with Payton, as she learns what MS is and how it affects those who suffer from it. This was where most of the emotional jabs hit, as Payton sees the effects of the disease on her father and tries to deny or ignore what is happening to him. Her school guidance counselor, an enthusiastic but somewhat clueless woman, attempts to help Payton cope with what is happening to her family by proposing Payton focus on something that she is NOT emotionally attached to (research it, dissect it, etc.) before bringing her emotions into the equation. Wouldn’t you know it, Payton finds the perfect focus object right in front of her in class – Sean Griswold’s head.I think Payton’s exhaustive research into Sean’s head was my favorite part of the story. With subject matter outlines, pie charts, flow charts, lists and every other organizational tool she could gather, Payton went in-depth with her study and had me laughing at her thoroughness and observations. No stone went unturned as she studied Sean’s head and gradually found herself more and more curious about Sean as an actual person. I loved the way author Lindsey Leavitt gradually worked Sean into the story, and the way the relationship between him and Payton naturally evolved. While it was not the central point of the story, the sweet romance between Sean and Payton nicely balanced the more serious family issues that were explored as everyone in Payton’s family tried to cope with her dad’s MS.The relationship between Payton and her parents was very nicely handled and felt realistic. As the story opened, there was a quick glimpse of happy, unaware Payton that showed how she was before the serious stuff kicked in, but once the MS was revealed she became a more hostile, resentful teen. This sounds pretty bad, but Leavitt made it work and Payton remained a completely relatable character. It always felt like her emotions were driven by the circumstances and while I wished she would just sit down and talk with her parents, I understood why she didn’t. It was clear that Payton and her dad were extremely close so having something like MS enter the equation really shook her world. While the whole focus object thing seemed an odd choice for bringing someone around to working through their emotions, it worked – especially because what she chose to focus on ended up giving her an even better way to relate to her problems.Sean turned out to be an incredibly decent teen, who knew what he wanted to do with his life and found ways to help others along the way to his goal. He was such an adorable character, with his whole “boy-next-door” vibe and caring demeanor. Gentle sparks were evident from the first moment Sean spoke with Payton, which made me anxious to see these two get together. I loved that he was in to cycling (so different from most YA heroes) and the reasons behind his involvement in the sport. I really enjoyed the way cycling was woven into the story, with Sean using it to raise money for worthy causes while honing his biking skills and Payton finding it to be a healthy outlet for her frustrations and fears. Sean and cycling turned out to be the perfect focal points for Payton as she struggled with the changes in her life.There was a bit more gravity and weight in this first YA novel from Lindsey Leavitt than in her second one Going Vintage. While I thoroughly enjoyed that story and its teen lead Mallory, Sean Griswold’s Head provided a more substantial and conflicted protagonist in Payton and delved a little deeper into family relationships and serious issues. In movie terms, I would say Going Vintage is a popcorn chick-flick while Sean Griswold’s Head feels like an indie character piece. There are plenty of laughs to be had in both books, but more serious undertones add depth in Sean Griswold’s Head. I also enjoyed the familial relationships just a touch more in this story than in Going Vintage, mainly because Payton’s parents felt more realistic than Mallory’s (too bad she didn’t have a sister like Mallory’s though!).Lindsey Leavitt’s first young adult contemporary romance Sean Griswold’s Head is a perfect blend of humor and heart. The sweet romance between engaging protagonist Payton and caring boy-next-door Sean provided gentle sparks, while the family moments between Payton and her parents – especially her dad – added emotional depth. I think Sean Griswold’s Head will be the perfect re-read for those times I’m in the mood for a light and entertaining story that has a bit of substance to it.

[danijohns_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sean Griswold’s Head is a cute, quick read that is extremely enjoyable. I sat down and read this in one sitting and had a huge smile on my face the whole time. I loved the characters in this book. Payton, the main character, had such a distinct voice that I loved. Payton was a hysterical, I loved how she narrated the book, I was constantly in giggles. In the beginning of the book, Payton starts out as a control freak, everything must be in order. Through out the book though, Payton grows and changes because of what happens to her family. Yet, Payton’s voice still stays the same, but she has a matured and it comes across by her actions and words. One of the things that I loved about this book was the whole premise. I loved that to deal with her father’s MS, Payton’s told to get a focus object, and that the object is the back of Sean Griswold’s head. I love how Payton’s feelings slowly begin to form and grow. I loved Sean and Payton’s relationship. It didn’t exactly go perfectly, which I loved. It was filled with things that got in the way and made for heart-wretchy moments. And Sean was such a cutey. I really liked him. He is a genuinely nice a guy who cares about Payton. I really liked how Lindsey Leavitt dealt with the issue of Payton’s father’s illness. Multiple sclerosis is not a disease commonly featured in literature and I really liked that it. I loved how once Payton came to terms with her father being sick that she began to learn more about MS and even took to joining a bike race to raise money to help find MS. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It had that special something that just touches your emotions. This book is a fun, enjoyable, quick read that will put a smile on your face. I highly recommend it to everyone. It’s a great contemporary novel.

[krissy724 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As soon as I read the synopsis for this novel, I knew I was going to love it! It seemed like such an adorable and fun read and I could not wait to start it. I finished it within a day and I’m now telling everyone I know that they need to read it!Payton had me cracking up. I loved her and her KWL charts, her outlines dedicated to Sean’s head, and her color-coded highlighting system for her new planner (which BTW, I too, have a color-coded highlighting system for my planner!). Then there’s Sean Griswold, who I’m not going to lie, I was falling in love with him along with Payton. He’s smart, funny, caring, and really, really sweet. He doesn’t judge people based on how they look or act and his best friend since childhood is a vampire (yeah, I know, huh?). I only wish we could have learned more about Sean’s home life.Within the first chapter, Payton learns that her father has MS and her entire family has been keeping this secret from her for months. She is only 15, and unable to deal with it. She stops talking to her parents, starts to act out a little, and is basically in denial about the whole situation. Payton was going through a lot and I think Leavitt did a wonderful job capturing Payton’s pain and vulnerability, while at the same time keeping the writing light and funny.I loved Sean and Payton! I enjoyed watching their friendship grow into a mutual attraction. Their relationship seemed so real, especially compared to many other teenage relationships portrayed in novels these days.Sean Griswold’s Head is a wonderful, funny, sweet novel and I think everyone should give it a shot. You will not be disappointed!

[nbmars · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas finds out her father has multiple sclerosis six months after the rest of the family already knows. She is hurt and angry and stops speaking to the rest of her family, especially shunning her dad with whom she was close: "The truth, I know, is that it’s not my dad I’m really mad at. I’m mad at his disease. And it’s not anger. It’s fear.”Her parents contact the guidance counselor at school, who insists Payton find something other than her family on which to focus; keep a journal; and write about it. Payton decides to focus on the guy who sits in front of her, Sean Griswold, because she always has to look past his head anyway to see the board. Pretty soon, egged on by her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton is focusing on more than his head, and discovers she likes what she finds out. But first, Payton has to overcome her fear of losing those she loves, a fear which inevitably extends to her new relationship with Sean. She tries to push him away as she is pushing her dad away. In one of the most humorous passages, Sean’s friend Grady, upset thinking that he had caused the problems between Payton and Sean, cries after being confronted by Payton, and then says: "I can’t believe I cried. You must be channeling excessive estrogen with all that relationship crap.”Sean has a lot to offer Payton; not only does he suggest ways to cope with her father’s disease, but gives her good advice as well: "…if you love something, you hold on to it.”Evaluation: This is a sweet, poignant book with lots of humor and heart in spite of its heavy subject matter. It has great lessons for teens (e.g., everything isn’t always about you) and is appropriate for tweens as well.