Self. Destructed

Gr 7 Up—Michael is a high school junior who likes to run and dreams of one day becoming a pediatrician. When Ashley, a beautiful girl from an affluent family, falls for Michael, he can hardly believe his luck. Life is grand until the couple have an argument that leads to their breakup. Unable to move on from the relationship, Michael becomes dangerously drawn to his father's gun case. He takes a gun to school with an intention that is not fully clear until the end of the book, but the weapon is never fired. Michael ends up in prison and eventually on parole. Can he change his life around, or is he on a path to his own self-destruction? Much of the story takes place within the landscape of Michael's mind. The supporting characters play only a small role in Michael's recovery, but readers become well-acquainted with the teen's internal healing process. The absence of detail about Michael's appearance makes him a kind of "everyman," but some readers may miss those specifics. Ultimately, the book's appealing design will help it find readership, and Michael's likability will have teens pulling for the troubled young man.—Alison O'Reilly Poage, formerly at Cutchogue New Suffolk Free Library, NY