Reviewed By K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
Scarecrow-Morphed is a deeply emotional work of high school drama penned by author Harold J. Fischel. Set in the modern world where bullying over physical appearance is more rife than ever, we initially follow some very high flying, successful teens in their usual scandals. One such teen is Bret, son to a movie star, who finds himself bored with the good looking girls who throw themselves at him because of his money and connections. One such girl is the conniving Holly, whom Bret spurns. But when he, on a dare to teach Holly a lesson, takes the ‘scarecrow’ Melony to the prom instead, an unexpected connection forms between the two.
Author Harold J. Fischel has developed a kind of modern-day high school fairy tale with some great morals and a strong message that a truly intimate connection comes from within, not the physical outer self. Bret begins as a typical lad in high school, chasing some girls whilst spurning others and not really having much of a sense of the real world due to his upbringing. Fischel’s narrative slowly brings us round to Bret’s kinder side, and through the women in his life, we see him develop and change his own thought processes when he is brought into their emotional journey. Melony and her would-be role model Hailey are well written to deliver heartfelt messages of support and sisterhood. Overall, Scarecrow-Morphed is both a rags to riches and an ugly duckling tale with good moral sensibilities and modernization for today’s young adult audiences.