This is Young Adult novel that my son read as part of a school "Strive for 25" reading program. He selected it because it's just 69 pages -- such a deal when you're FORCED to read! I picked it up and I want to put it into the hands of absolutely everyone. You can read it in a very short time, it's sweet and hopeful and inspiring without be saccharine, some of the characters have a real edge to them and are hard to like. On the more technical side, the construction is really interesting, and in fact, it was the reasone that my son didn't like the book: each chapter is told from the point of view of an other character, but within that chapter, you meet other characters and you need to figure out where this incident falls chronologically. Like a really short Geroy Nashevo Bremya (Hero of Our Time -- it will always be its Russian title to me).

The author is best know, I think, for that wonderful book Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices.
Here are some of it's awards:: 1998 Best Books for adults
An engaging, entertaining novel, Starred Review, ALA Booklist
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 1997 ("A seamless tale")
"Innovative" Horn Book
and more and more.



I would like for this to be a neverending bookring. Please PM to join. And happy Chrismahanzaa!