A Troublesome Boy

Gr 9 Up—It's 1959, and 14-year-old Teddy Clemson has been shipped to St. Ignatius Academy for Boys upon his mother's boyfriend's insistence. His former school has labeled him a "troublesome boy," and he could care less. However, St. Iggy's is not the type of boarding school most parents would select for their sons. The priests lock students in dark, dungeonlike time-out rooms and are physically abusive. While Teddy gets on with most of the other boys, he is closest with Tim Cooper, a smart-mouthed teen who has little regard for the authority of the priests. They bond with Rozey, the school's janitor/maintenance man, with whom they smoke in the basement and go on outings with during the weekend. Teddy is dealing with the apparent abandonment of both of his parents while Tom is dealing with the fact that no one has ever loved him or showed him affection. To complicate matters, Father Prince takes a sexual interest in Tom. As the school year progresses and the priest's nightly visits continue, Tom distances himself from the other boys and eventually commits suicide. Vasey tackles serious subject matter with strong language and concise, intense writing.—Adrienne L. Strock, Maricopa County Library District, AZ