Lost in the Sun
By Lisa Graff
Philomel Books, 2015. 289 p. Fiction
Trent Zimmerman is in very difficult place emotionally. He is traumatized by his parent's divorce, but also by an accident that occurred in the recent past in which his friend died. His trauma makes him full of fear, which easily turns into an explosive rage when he is put into an uncomfortable situation. Luckily, he meets a girl, Fallon, whose buoyant personality and sunny outlook lets him temporarily escape from his fear and hate filled environment. Fallon is not without trauma in her own past, and when she witnesses one of Trent's violent explosions it triggers her own unpleasant memories and threatens their friendship. Trent knows he has to find a way to win back her trust, and that search leads him to a better emotional place of his own.
Not many books explore the sources of childhood violence. Graff does an excellent job of showing how a kid can be completely sympathetic, but still act like a total jerk sometimes. This is a great choice for kids who might be struggling with anger issues of their own, or who would like to better understand someone who is. This book is available from the library in print, audio CD, e-book and e-audiobook formats.
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