Reviewed by Josh Tarrence, 13, Grade 8, Fairfield Middle School, Fairfield, IA

Puffin Books 1982 It all begins when a 13-year-old boy's parents decide to adopt a child. Steven, the 13-year-old, finds out that this child has a criminal record. Steven thinks he has to show Earl, the foster child, that he's tough too, so he spray paints the side of a railroad car. He doesn't know the transit police are watching him. Instead of going to a juvenile detention center, they serve time at the county nursing home. I think this book is not the type for an adventurous person. When you get to the middle of the book it gets pretty dull, because there's not a lot of action. Myers spends too much time describing the time at the nursing home, and how Steven gets close to his brother. The ending is not how you would think it would end, it suprises you. If you like to read about trouble makers' lives, then you might like this book. I would rate this a five on a scale from one to ten.

Language Arts Teacher: Virginia Broz, Fairfield, IA

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