So, it's rare that I grab a book by a male author. It's not on purpose - honest! It just so happens that I tend to be drawn more to subjects written about by female authors. However, I just happened to pick up a book by the author Chris Crutcher (check him out at http://www.chriscrutcher.com/) and was hooked instantly. The book was titled Period.8 and it has an opening scene that is a what I consider a little bit of a "sidebar" to grab the reader and suck him/her in for the remainder of the book. I couldn't put it down for a minute and even though I pretty much figured out the general overview of it about 2/3 of the way through, I had to read to find out if I was RIGHT (which I only sort of was). Crutcher does his research. He totally "gets" the teenage kid. He was a teacher at an alternative school and a family therapist for 25 years. His characters are dead on for at least one kid we've all met, and the characters in this book are no different. Paulie - the main character - is such a 'good' kid and respected by his peers. His home life is kind of a drag but he manages to do well in school, excel at a sport he loves and maintain an after school job. But this is not just your run of the mill "boy has crappy home life and overcomes it" book. In fact, it's not really about his life at all but more so about those around him and how things aren't always what they seem. This book is fantastic for both boys and girls alike. Already handed it off to a student who has almost finished it! I may even consider reading another one by Crutcher!
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