Kittenpie Reads KidLit

by Gary Paulsen

Gary Paulsen's Hatchet is a much-read, much-recommended Newbery honor book from 1988. It has sequels about Brian's further adventures, also much-read by many, many boys. So many readers have been fascinated with the survival adventures and the hardships that Brian goes through as he struggles his way out of the wilderness that Paulsen has had, over the years, stacks of letters asking him about various aspects of the book. Has he ever tried to start a fire the way Brian did? Do moose really attack people? Can a plane really crashland the way Brian's did and leave a survivor? Finally, he decided to write about some of his own experiences and how they came to form the ones Brian has in Hatchet.

This book is incredible, in that it is full of crazy experiences that are all drawn from Paulsen's real life. The man has seen a lot. A lot of death - by sharks, deer, or freezing alive. A lot of wilderness, where he hunted, camped, and learned some of the secrets of the forest and the animals, and how to use those to survive out there. A lot of brutal cold, on two Iditarod races. And a lot of hunting, which he talks about in great detail, talking about the differences between hunting with guns versus bows, and how he came to make his own bow and arrows as a young man. It's stuff from another time and place, except that some of it is not in fact that far removed by time or geography, but rather style of living.

The most interesting thing about it all, really, is maybe that Paulsen isn't being sensational about any of it. The deaths and hunting are not relished, he is factual, and shows plainly that he has enormous respect for the animals he hunts for food and for the forces of nature. His lifetime of experiences have been well-selected and boiled down to create Hatchet, and as he walks us through these times in his life and relates them back to the book, I found myself completely amazed at the varied, tough, and extremely full life he's led. Very much a worthwhile read for anyone who enjoyed Hatchet or more classic stories like those of Jack London.

Labels: 2001, action/adventure, good stuff, growing up, middle grades, non-fiction

by Jerry Spinelli

Like many high schools, things are pretty typical in Leo's high school. So when a strange hippie chick in a range of weird costumes shows up and starts singing to people in the cafeteria, cheering for the other team, and generally acting like all the unspoken norms and rules don't apply to her.

For a while, people aren't sure what to make of her. Eventually, they embrace her, and a wave of individualism sweeps through the school. Leo optimistically daydreams of a new dawn, until the tide begins to turn. When their sports team begins to win for the first time ever, people suddenly start to care that Stargirl, as she calls herself, cheers for the other players as much as she does for their own, and start to view her as a traitor. The shunning is complete and Leo, her boyfriend, gradually notices it and finds himself swayed, as well, beginning to be embarrassed by the very things that he once admired.

This book doesn't go for the happy ending, as a movie or an episode of Glee would, with everyone discovering her wonderful heart again at the end, though there is a glimmer of hope. Instead, it goes deeper, and Leo finds himself talking with a wise old friend of his about the nature of her and him and the stuff of stars and stargirls. There are lessons here, to be sure, but they are imparted with a sort of longing and a mystical feel that keeps them from being earnest or preachy. In the end, Leo looks back wistfully, and still full of more questions than answers.

Note: there is a followup as well, Love, Stargirl, that I will be adding to my to-read pile, as I am curious how a sequel to this would unfold.

Labels: 2000, friendship, good stuff, growing up, teen

by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Amal is a pretty average girl living in Australia, though she is pretty new at her snooty prep school, and it's a bit strange after being at a school that was rooted in the Muslim community for years. Despite wanting to blend in at McLean, she decides over the holidays to start wearing the hijab as a step farther into living her faith as a fuller part of her life. This is not met without resistance, let's just say...

Her parents, to begin with, are concerned about the opposition they fear she will encounter, and worry that it may hold her back because of how she will be perceived by others. Their worries aren't unfounded, and she does indeed encounter some nasty moments along the way. Her principal is not on board, to begin with, though her parents convince her to allow the addition to the school uniform.

Her own biggest worries come with her return to school and the dog-eat-dog social world of high school. For one thing, she is already a target of mean girl Tia and her friends. For another, she has a major crush on school cutie Adam. She has some rock-solid friends, but they do have some issues of their own that they are wrestling with, making Amal's struggles to fit in as an identifiably Muslim girl in a very white school only one of the issues that this book covers.

Amal is smart and sassy, and determined not to be defined or limited by people's perceptions. She sets out to inform the people who make clueless comments about the differences and similarities between Islam and other major religions, and to point out stereotypes and assumptions where they rear their ugly heads. She wins some people over this way - including Adam, who suddenly presents a new problem, when she realizes that what part of her wants, another part does not, for she is level-headed enough to remember that her religious beliefs about intimacy are more important to her than what her heart is telling her she wants with him.

In the end, the book sets out to expose and correct a lot of ignorant beliefs and assumptions, and does a fine job of it. The characters are likeable, and have the reader with them the whole way. And best of all, the author manages to make several good points, and make them strongly, without sacrificing any of the fun in this moving book about growing up Muslim in Australia to her message.

Labels: 2005, family, friendship, girly, good stuff, growing up, issues, set abroad, teen

by Melvin Burgess
***(This book has been published under both titles.)

Melvin Burgess is the kind of writer who manages to take on anything and make it compelling reading - really, the reason that I wanted to read this book. He can the write the impossible so that it's believable, the creepy so that it's chilling yet not unthinkable, and in this case, the big issue in a way that neither sensationalizes nor minimizes.

This book is about junk - as in heroin - and a pair of kids who fall into using it. Well, one of them falls in, following the other, who rather jumps headlong into it as an adventure. Which is kind of how their relationship is, really - she leading blithely, he following, even though he is the one with the true problems at home. It's her thirst for something new that leads them to run away, to move out with some users, and to start themselves.

Once they start using, Burgess presents a pretty balanced picture about what the appeal is, the hold the cravings have over them, the unappealing things they do to keep that next score in sight, and the lies they tell themselves to make it seem okay. In the end, they do strive to clean up and return to a different life, and we see glimpses of where their stories will lead, some endings happier than others.

Over it all, though, is Burgess' writing, less showy here than in some of his books, but solid, unflinching, and a real enough voice to speak directly to teens and the questions they might have about this drug and the life that too often goes with it.

Labels: 1996, good stuff, growing up, issues, teen

by Avi
Harper Trophy
978 0 380 72769 8

This is one of those classics I've always thought I should read, and a favourite of many. It finally jumped off a shelf at me, and I took it home (no really, it did, when I pulled down something else for a patron!).

It's not the first of the series, as I had figured it would be, but a followup to Ragweed. Thankfully, it is not necessary to have read the first book to enjoy this one, and I really didn't feel that I was missing much background starting here.

Poppy is a small mouse who lives in a field under the sadistic control of an owl who restricts their movements and eats them for any infraction. Not that he wouldn't eat them anyhow, but he enjoys their terror and gives them the illusion of safety and choice to play with them. Terrible stuff, but handled deftly, this.

After the owl eats Poppy's boyfriend and denied her family permission to move to a larger home with more food, Poppy takes matters into her own hands, and sets out to find out more about this new home. The owl, Mr. Ocax, is both panicked and enraged by her defiance, and tries to stop her, but she allies herself with a grouchy porcupine who helps her avoid him as she finds out what has Mr. Ocax so scared and returns to her family home. By the time she gets there, she has made fast friend of Ereth the porcupine, and Mr. Ocax has died, never to harrass the mice again, who can now move as they please. The scene is set for the next book of the five-book series.

These are fantastic animal tales in the vein of Redwall or the Rats of Nimh, with the small overthrowing the mighty, and the valiant taking the day. It's got some scary bits, of course, but on the whole is written to be pretty accessible even to grade two or three kids, if they are not the easily frightened type, like my girl is.

Labels: action/adventure, animal story, golden oldies, good stuff, middle grades

by Natalie Babbitt

This is one of those classics that I had never quite gotten around to reading but always wanted to... until I saw it sitting out one day a couple of months ago, and grabbed it. Glad that I did, too!

Set in a world that is perched on the border between olden days (maybe even medieval) and fantasy, this tale begins with a Prime Minister who is creating a dictionary for the king, and providing relateable examples for each entry. When he gets to "delicious," however, a dispute erupts in the castle and sows discontent. The king sends the Prime Minister's boy, Gaylen, out to poll the countryside on the topic, ignoring the likelihood of spreading even more dissent, and off the boy went on this errand. This may have been enough to cause problems, but the king's jealous, ambitious brother-in-law set out as well, spreading lies in a bid to create havoc that would let him lead a coup.

Aside from all of this, there are old, near-forgotten tales of creatures believed to be the stuff of fairy tales that are discovered to be real, though few would credit it, and their stories are interwoven and used by both the brother-in-law and, as he learns more, Gaylen in his effort to stop Hemlock.

The whole is a wonderful fantasy, and a book that would make a terrific read-aloud, being a great story and gentle enough for younger kids. I'd recommend it for reading to grades 1-4 or for dreamier older kids to read on their own.

Labels: golden oldies, good stuff, middle grades

by Y. S. Lee

This spy mystery is set in Victorian London, and features the kind of anachronistic spunky young girl that makes the Enola Holmes mysteries so fun and engaging. In this case, though, she's not just going it alone, but is found and trained up by an agency that uses the invisibility of young women to gain entry into areas not open to police or male spies.

Her adventures are fast-paced, action-packed, and complex enough to keep teen readers guessing until the last. Along the way, she must deal with shadowy government types, suitors, society folk, and baddies alike, each with their own set of perils. She proves herself quite able, though, and by book -----2, is a trusted member of the mysterious Agency. Now to go and find book 2...

Book 1 is newly available in trade paperback.

Labels: 2010, action/adventure, good stuff, historical fiction, Publisher Reviews, suspense, teen

by Jake Wizner

Shakespeare Shapiro. Yep, that's his real name. (Hey, his brother is named Gandhi - but somehow, his brother is popular and everything works out for him anyhow.) He's thinking not much is going his way, and tends to see himself as the victim - or at least, that's the way he writes it in his writing projects, which always take the funny slant and lump in a dose of crude teen guy humour. He writes a lot - not only because he goes to a school with a special writing programme and he's hoping to get picked as one of the finalists in the memoir contest, but also because it is one of the few things he seems to do well.

He grows up - a little - over the year, and there are some lessons about choices and what's important, as well as a bit of loser-makes-good teen movie optimism, but mostly, this novel is a really funny and very guy-oriented read. If you know a fan of Don Calame's Swim The Fly, this is a good followup in the same sort of vein, with just the same good balance of solid message and rude, crude humour. Yes, I snorted as I read it - always a good indicator.

Labels: 2007, good stuff, growing up, humour, teen

Tall Tales & Mostly True Stories About Growing Up Scieszka

by Jon Scieszka

Jon Scieszka, as you likely know, is one of the funnier authors around, and is also a huge proponent of finding the right books for boys to read. His own books have massive boy appeal, and he highlight a lot of others, as well as giving advice, on his website, Guys Read.

Like Gary Paulsen, whose hilarious How Angel Peterson Got His Name had me literally guffawing (and I don't do that often), Scieszka has been moved to write about what it was like growing up a rowdy boy among other rowdy boys. Thank goodness, because this book is funny - and explains a lot about how he became such a funny guy, himself.

The family stories and photos are, as those commercials like to put it, "priceless," being funny, revealing, and wonderful snapshots of the era he grew up in. The stories are full of humour, horseplay, and sometimes pain, with physical comedy looming large. It's not all slapstick, though, because these stories of his boyhood are also full of heart, reflecting the full range of chaos and love that coexist in a big family.

Labels: 2008, family, good stuff, growing up, humour, middle grades, non-fiction, siblings

by Philip Reeve

To start, let me say that the post-apocalyptic setting is not one I am drawn to, and in fact it was the cover of this book and the description of it that drew me in - until I started reading, and found myself curious and, soon enough, invested in Fever's story.

Fever has always been told that she was found as a baby, and brought to live with the Order of Engineers, where she has been raised as one of them: logical, analytical, and dismissive of emotion. She ventures out into the world to assist an archeologist, who begins to turn her world upside down when he brings her to places that she remembers, in vivid detail, despite having lived her entire life with the Engineers. When she is spotted, with her mismatched eyes, by paranoid Londoners who believe her to be a remnant of the species who has lorded over them not long ago, she becomes hunted. Soon, her past, the city's past, and the strange memories become hopelessly intertwined, and she learns the truth about her birth, just as new forces invade the city. At the centre of the desires and fears of many and opposing forces, Fever managed to emerge safe, but thoroughly transformed.

Reeve is a skillful author who draws readers in quickly, building characters and setting up a scenario right away. The larger world around them comes out along the way, and was so fully imagined and so filled with clever details that I found myself becoming more and more curious about it. I am now on the lookout for more by him!

Labels: 2009, family, good stuff, middle grades, sci fi

by James Leck

Recommended by the Exelsior File, this sounded like fun, though I had seen a slightly less enthusiastic review elsewhere (the location has escaped me in the meantime).

This slim book has three separate cases in it, so it works even for someone who finds it hard to stick it out through a whole story, as they can be enjoyed one at a time. it's appealing, too, for its simple, graphic cover, which I love, and smacks of the era emulated (spoofed?) in the writing style.

The book is written in classic hard-boiled detective lingo, with small, smart substitutions made to bring it into the world of kids. A couple of examples from the opening pages of the first case, as Jack is setting the scene:

... I was inside, tucked into the rear booth of The Diner, where not even the rays of the sun could touch me, nursing a root beer float and trying to ignore my throbbing left eye as it swelled shut. ... That's when Sandra Kutcher walked into my life.
...
Sandra was the type of girl who made boys do stupid things, even boys who needed to take a long hiatus from finding things out.

The cases, too, are tailored to be those you expect a kid to get into, not the murders of adult mysteries. jack certainly does get himself into some scary situations along the way as he tangles with some town toughs, but nothing a grade 3 or 4 and higher couldn't handle. in fact, that element of danger is part of what makes the genre, so this simply wouldn't work without it - and it has massive boy appeal, too.

In short, I found this a great fun read with a sly sense of humour, so the fact that yes, it's not the first children's book to hop on the tails of classic noir and may not be wholly original doesn't take much away from my enjoying it.

Labels: 2010, action/adventure, good stuff, humour, middle grades, suspense

by Patricia McCormick

A book about a girl tricked into leaving her parents and sold into human slavery in the sex trade is, as you might imagine, not a topic for the young or faint of heart. This definitely belongs in the teen range with its content, though I do think an older child, say a grade 6 with some sophisticated reading habits, could handle it, because while Lakshmi is in a horrific situation, the writing of it is handled gently.

The story is told slowly, so that the circumstances that led to her mother allowing her to leave the home become clear, and the mother is not painted as someone who has easily abandoned her child to the mercy of others. The manipulations used by the various traders along the way are revealed, so the reader can see how people are tricked by them. Lakshmi's introduction into the sex trade, even, is handled carefully, never using shock value or graphic description, but couching it more in the language of the child the Lakshmi is, since she is telling her own story here.

This is a worthwhile read for an older child or a teen who can handle it, who is interested in what is happening in the wider world, because this is very real, but of course, it is a topic that makes this book one to recommend carefully to the right child. for all that I picked it up worried that I would be horrified, I was pleased to find that McCormick has managed admirably the tricky balance of cushioning the brutality and horror without downplaying the truth of what happens to girls in this situation.

Labels: 2006, good stuff, growing up, issues, middle grades, set abroad, teen

An Enola Holmes Mystery

by Nancy Springer

This is the fifth installment of the terrific Enola Holmes series of mysteries, which I have been enjoying enormously.

Enola is the younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, who is on the run and living on her own in Victorian London, depending on her wits, facility for disguise, and her intimate knowledge of society.

When her landlady, who she has grown close to, is kidnapped, she leaps into action, trying to discover who has kidnapped her, and why. Once she discovers the root of the long-ago misunderstanding that led to this, she takes on the baddies to rescue her landlady, and ensure her future safety.

None of this is cut-and-dried, however, for she also risks exposing herself, and her brother is tangled up in the case, being a famous detective and all. She manages to escape her brothers again, but by the end, finds she will have to change her living situation to stay one step ahead of them. (This is, for the record, not a terrible spoiler about the mystery itself!)

One additional twist is added in this story - Springer has included a figure from history, blending truth and imagination in equal measure to create a likeable character. She notes at the end how much is real and how much invented, but it's a fun bit of speculation to engage in for the sake of the plot!

These books are terrific fun and a great read for someone who likes a spunky female heroine.

Labels: 2009, action/adventure, family, good stuff, growing up, historical fiction, suspense

Maybelle in the Soup
Maybelle Goes to Tea

by Katie Speck

Maybelle is a cockroach. She lives in the apartment of a couple who like everything Just So - no dust, no mess, and no bugs. There are rules that help keep a cockroach alive in this kind of situation, and she knows them, but, well, she really, really wants to taste food that isn't a leftover crumb, you see, and that ambition tempts her into some dangerous situations, along with her friend, the flea who occasionally hops onto the cat for his own snacks.


Whenever Maybelle's wishes overtake her good sense, the two find themselves off on an adventures of some sort, precipitated by an urgent need to flee (heh, heh) when they are noticed by a human and must hide in a hurry and find safe shelter while the humans try to make sure there can be no bugs left in their apartment.

These predicaments are fast-paced, funny, and easy to read, making these books a great pick for an early chapter reader.

Labels: 2007, 2008, action/adventure, animal story, early chapters, friendship, good stuff, humour

by Chris Riddell

Ottoline lives in an apartment on her own, except for her very odd little companion, Mr. Munroe, who is of unknown species, found in a bog in Norway. She has a cute, spunky little haircut, absent parents off hunting things down for collections, and several collections of her own, as well as several agencies who take care of everything in her apartment that might need taking care of, including the making of beds and plumping of pillows, the cleaning, the cooking of meals, and the shining of door handles.

She also has several costumes and a diploma from an academy of subterfuge, as well as a healthy curiosity that she isn't afraid to pursue. Which, of course, is how she gets herself and Mr. Munroe involved with the yellow cat.

You see, she had been noticing that several lapdogs were disappearing, and then an advertisement appeared offering help in finding lost lapdogs - isn't that odd? Ottoline thought so, too. And of course, she and Mr. Munroe sort things out with a little extra-special assistance from some of those many agencies and their specialties.

This book is an unusual little mystery, with a touch of the eccentric upbringing of Eloise thrown in for good measure. What pushed it past somewhat amusing and into the thoroughly charming, though, is the mix of story told in text and the many drawings that accompany it, making it one part graphic novel to two parts early chapter book.

It really is a fun, quirky little number for the child who likes something a little different.

Labels: 2007, early chapters, good stuff, graphic novel, suspense

Dodsworth in New York
Dodsworth in Paris

by Tim Egan

This pair of cute, quirky books about Dodsworth and his friend's duck and their travels is a great addition to the Beginning to Read level of short, simpler books.

Start with New York - order matters here, as they set out on their adventures and we see that the duck is along for the trip because a) he stows away in Dodsworth's luggage and b) Dodsworth feels responsible for getting his friend's duck back home safely to him. Which means that his time in New York is mostly spent chasing the crazy fowl around the city and seeing sites incidentally along the way.


Which is also sort of how he gets to Paris - he and the duck were about to get on a train back home (having let his friend know they were okay), when he spots the duck boarding a boat, follows him, and finds the boat pulling away, Paris-bound.

In Paris, though, he and the duck make their peace, and manage to have a good trip together, even though the duck can't seem to help but get into trouble. By the end, all is right again, and they board a hot air balloon - which seems to be headed for England. I smell another installment!

These are great fun, a little offbeat, and especially suited for a kid who is curious about the world or likes a little adventure. They're going on the reading pile here, without question.

Labels: 2007, 2008, action/adventure, early chapters, friendship, good stuff, set abroad

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little
Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank You Notes
Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Practicing the Piano

by Peggy Gifford

A coworker recently introduced me to Moxy Maxwell, who falls into that class of precocious young girl for roughly grade 2-3 readers that have been so popular, spawning Junie B., Clementine, and Judy Moody, and following in the august footsteps of Ramona Quimby. Thankfully, she reminds me more of Clementine, with her big ideas, than of Junie B., who can be a little obnoxious for my tastes.


The hook in each of these novels is that Moxy has a deadline for some task she really does not want to complete - laid out in the very descriptive titles. Instead of getting to it, Moxy procrastinates. She thinks up "easier, faster" ways of doing it, involving many other things that backfire. Or she has some other brilliant plan that is way to fantastic to put off in favour of what she ought to be doing.

It is perhaps not truly helping her that she has a small friend who is willing to do her bidding, no matter how ludicrous, as well as a younger sister who has been known to get involved. Her older brother is wise enough to stay out of the action, though he doesn't seem able to resist hanging around to see what will happen - and records everything in photographs sprinkled throughout the books.


Moxy's long-suffering mother really makes these books for me, with her dry, seeming-calm inquiries about what exactly has happened to create the mayhem that she has just discovered. For example:

"Was there a fire in your room?" her mother asked.
"A fire in my room?"
Was a fire in her room a good thing? Was a fire better than not reading Stuart Little?
"Not that I know of," said Moxy.
...
"Are you aware that you are swinging in a hammock and eating peaches and petting Rosie?" her mother said.

Because yes, Moxy was doing all those things after having destroyed her mother's garden and having not read Stuart Little, in fact.

This is the way things seem to happen around Moxy. for some reason, her big ideas go awry in a pretty spectacular fashion. And yes, it's a wild ride, but awfully funny.

A couple of things that makes these books a little difference is the narrator, who is outside of the action, and the photographs of the action, which add a fun comic twist. (I can't help but think how much fun they must have had staging those!)

This trio shows signs of expanding, and I will be picking up the next one, because these are a good laugh. In fact, I think I'm going to start reading one to my own little girl soon.

Labels: early chapters, girly, good stuff, growing up, humour

by Meg Rosoff

Pell is intended to marry a boy with whom she has a great friendshp, but no love. In fact, though she is of age and from a terribly poor family, and despite the fact that marrying him would represent an improvement in her life, she has no wish to marry at all, and decides to run away and see if she can't find a way to ply the farrier's trade that she has learned growing up or make money from her gift for working with horses. As she leaves, her brother, a mute half-brother, presents himself and asks in his way to go with her.

The two set out on the road, with little to no resources outside of a horse, a woollen shawl, and a few pennies. They live in rough times in a rural area, so while they receive a few small kindnesses, most people view them as suspicious or as potential victims, so they must be careful.

She does meet someone promising at one point, hangs her hopes on him, only to be disappointed when he leaves the city without paying her his due. Meanwhile, her brother follows him, so by the time she returns from a small errand, she has lost brother, horse, and hopes of money.

How she fares on her own, searching for both the man who has wronged her and her lost brother, makes for a tale with many twists and turns, heart-catching moments, disappointments, and small victories. Perhaps Pell's most amazing gift is her tenacity, and she proves herself made of the very iron she knows how to mold as she faces one trial and another.

The book is, of course, lovely, as Rosoff is a terrific writer, and the end is, not to give much away, one that left me satisfied without being so miraculously happy as to ring false.

Labels: 2009, action/adventure, family, good stuff, growing up, historical fiction, middle grades, Publisher Reviews

by Christine Brodien-Jones

As this novel starts, it is not clear how much the world is like ours and how much is set in another, very different reality. I'm not much a reader of fantasies or dystopian literature, and liked how this left some of that misty at first, and slowly revealed how much the world had changed in this story. There is an interesting blend of old stories, of folklore nearly lost, and a darkness to the main character's world that add to the moodiness.

You see, he is told that he is allergic to sunlight, and kept hidden away indoors, so that he only roams at all in the dark of night. he receives injections regularly from a doctor, and has a guardian who looks after him, for his parents are working nearly always, and he seldom sees them at all.

As we start to learn about silver owls that had once been revered but were now considered enemies to be destroyed, he also meets a strange girl who appears to live just as far outside of the bounds of normalcy as he does, and they form an instant bond. He is attracted to her fearless fierceness, and they start to explore and question, making some horrifying discoveries about the world and the plans that are soon to be completed. They decide that they are the only ones who understand what is coming, and that they must act, even if their mission is nearly hopeless, and based on half-remembered mythology. They set out on a quest, as it were, fending off dangers human and not on the way, and find surprising resolution and renewal.

This book is very much in the tradition of quest tales, but is told beautifully, with a dreamy quality that mutes the more horrifying parts just enough, and keeps the sense of mystery nicely. There is some lovely bits of poetry tucked in, and a warming feeling of love for this boy, even among terrible, dark times, that makes this especially lovely.

Even though I am not generally a fan of this genre, I really loved this book.

Labels: friendship, good stuff, growing up, middle grades, Publisher Reviews, sci fi

by Ned Vizzini

Craig is suffering from clinical depression, and feeling the tiredness, the inability to eat, the insomnia, and the disheartened emotional state that go with it. Like being a teenager isn't sucky enough, especially when your best (and maybe only) friend is with the girl you're in love with and you have to watch them together all the time.

Then one night, it just all seems too much, and he seriously contemplates suicide. The suicide hotline tells him to go to the nearest emergency room, where he then goes to an adult psychiatric wing and stays for several days. While there he talks to other patients and to doctors, and learns some things about himself, his medications, his friends and that girl, and other people's problems. He starts to feel connected again, more like himself, and feel like here are some changes he has to make to keep the positive momentum going. By the time he gets out, he's ready to try the world again, ending on a positive, or at least cautiously optimistic, note.

At the end of the book it notes that Vizzini spent five days in a psychiatric hospital as a young man, and started writing this book one week later. That did not come as a complete surprise, as everything about life on a psych ward rang true in this book - something I know from visiting a close relative there on more than one occasion.

It all adds up to a really great teen novel - one with parts about finding yourself, about growing up, about stuff that teen boys think about, and that throws in a real experience, though hopefully one not too many teens will have to live themselves.

Labels: 2006, family, friendship, good stuff, growing up, issues, teen