Jumped In

Gr 8 Up—Sam Gregory chooses to blend into the woodwork in his 10th-grade classes, following rules that slackers know, including: never be late and never look a teacher in the eye. Anonymity seems like the best option for this budding musician whose messed-up mother ditches him during a visit to Grandpa Bill and Grandma Ginny's. To add insult to injury, their parrot, Gilbert, continues to squawk out, "Good-bye, Sam! Good-bye Sam!" his mother's painful parting cry. At his new school, Ms. Cassidy pairs Sam with the scariest "cholo" in class for a poetry share, and he worries that Luis Cárdenas, with his huge jagged neck scar, has no other plans than to pound him into the ground. When Luis invites Sam home to work on the project, an unlikely and tenuous bond forms around the lyrical, yet powerful, words they contribute to the slam. On performance day, Luis fails to show and sends only a recording of his part, fueling a rumor he was suspended for being involved in a gang fight. Sam finds strength in the quality of their work to go it alone and ultimately learns the painful secret his friend has kept from him, and everyone. This boy-centric debut novel references songs and guitarists such as Kurt Cobain, and Luis's raps are rife with themes of anger and life's hardships. Adult characters are largely supportive and positive; raw language is integral to the work. A poignant and powerful novel of friendship and courage.—Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY