Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This text is frequently assigned for 5th grade readers who are often 10 and 11 years old. Parents should be aware that there is a suicidal attempt made by the main character in the book. He slits his wrist in despair and passes out. He happens to wake up and change his mind. Furthermore, a sub-plot involves the child in the story finding out that his mother is having an affair while still married to his father. His father does not know. Therefore, the boy struggles with having to keep this secret from his father. These issues involve violations of trust in marriage and child-parent relationships. There is never any resolution to this story line or questioning of the moral dilemna this boy is thrust into. The story issues may be more appropriate for older high school students, but the issues of depression among our students and infidelity of parents should have parents and teachers consider any literary value the text might have to be limited. Parents and teachers should strongly consider their trying to meet objectives with more appropriate alternatives for students.