Review Detail

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review and I'm so glad I did because otherwise I might have known I needed to read it. With four kids who are already having to deal with bullies even in elementary school, this book really hit home. The story deals with 13-year-old Joshua who has been cruelly and relentlessly bullied for years, causing him to withdraw and accept his role as outcast while just trying to wait it out until he can escape from this school and peer group. You would think that a book written about such a painful subject would be sad and depressing - and I'll admit that it brought tears to my eyes a couple of times, but really, it's not a sad book at all! Joshua is beaten up but not beaten down and he still looks to the future with hope, knowing that this part of his story will end and he will be able to move on to better things.

I started the book while waiting for my kids at the bus stop this afternoon and by the time the bus arrived I already loved poor Joshua and desperately longed for a happy ending for him. I begrudged the time I had to spend on things like homework, dinner, and bedtime before I could get back to the story. When I was able to continue reading, I devoured the rest of the book and walked away thoroughly satisfied with the ending. So glad I read the book.