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Mike Castan
Holiday House
Ages 12 +
Javier's life is going nowhere fast. He hates
seventh grade, his pop is locked up, and his mom can't even afford to
buy him shoes. At least she's sober . . . for now.
Javier and his friends are in a gang, but he doesn't even
know why he joined the Playaz in the first place, since hanging with
them is like asking for trouble from the cops. When he is assigned to
work with the special education class, Javier thinks that the one thing
he had going for him in middle school-his social life-is over. Little by
little, though, Javier realizes that he actually enjoys reading to
Dontae, a severely disabled boy his age. When everything else around him
is falling apart, working with Dontae becomes the one thing worth
fighting for.
MY REVIEW:
This is a really good story, straight forward and hard-hitting. Fighting for Dontae does not soften the harsh realities of living in a lower income gang-infested neighborhoods. It's all here: the drugs, the violence, the absent fathers, the frequent hopelessness. Javier has one thing that sets him apart: empathy. He discovers that there is more to life than wearing the latest shoes or looking cool to his friends through volunteering with the special ed students at his school. Castan's unembellished story is a fast read but is one that leaves a long-lasting impression.
CONTENT RATING:
Profanity: High
Violence: High
Sexuality: Low
Substance Abuse: High
I am mentoring a young boy living in a similar situation, so I'm thrilled to be able to recommend this book to him. Thanks for featuring.
ReplyDeletesounds like on to read and I will. thanks for telling us about it.
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