October 25, 2010
Forced to move from Nova Scotia to British Columbia and still recovering from mono, 16-year-old Royce Peterson is down in the dumps. In hopes of saving enough money to drive back to Nova Scotia, he takes on the thankless job of caring for his cranky, 95-year-old grandfather, Arthur, who has suffered a stroke ("Mom says he's just understandably self-involved, being so old and all. I don't know anyone else that old, so I don't know whether old age always goes hand in hand with rampaging egotism"). Caring for verbally abusive and depressed Arthur is a huge burden, until Royce regains some of his strength and catches glimpses of his grandfather's younger self—celebrated cellist, owner of a 1956 T-bird, ladies' man, and citizen of the world. Harvey's writing is energetic, and Royce's snarky narration is sure to keep readers' attention. While the story is somewhat lacking in depth, Harvey (The Lit Report) avoids sentimentality and sheds light on the value of the past, family dynamics, and a person's ability to adapt to less than ideal circumstances. Ages 12–up.
January 1, 2011
Gr 8 Up-Royce, 16, hardly knows his 95-year-old grandfather, a world-renowned cellist and general grump. But when his mother offers him $15 an hour to be Arthur's caregiver-way more than he'd make flipping burgers-he jumps at the opportunity. Royce gets a kick out of Arthur's eccentricities, which include wearing Pumas to a special event and listening to the Pussycat Dolls. The two begin to bond in a way neither expected, but after several strokes, Arthur's health deteriorates rapidly and he asks Royce to help him die. Unfortunately, while Royce's voice is strong, it is not enough to carry the predictable plot or endear readers to him. It is surprisingly brash in contrast to the subject matter. A romantic subplot remains underdeveloped and the minor characters are two-dimensional. Louis Sachar's hilarious and moving The Cardturner (Delacorte, 2010) is a much stronger choice.-Jennifer Barnes, Gleason Public Library, Carlisle, MA
Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
December 1, 2010
Grades 9-12 To oversee the care of her elderly father, Royces mother has relocated the family from Nova Scotia to British Columbia. Royces grandfather, a retired world-class cellist, is beyond cranky. When Royce takes up the job of providing daily company for him, Arthur is verbally abusiveand, shockingly, an admirer of the pop group the Pussycat Dolls and skater shoes. He is also the owner of a classic Thunderbird, which he allows Royce to drive on the few occasions Arthur is willing to leave his house. Harveys characters are multidimensional, genuine, flawed, and funny. What could have been a maudlin story about the decline and death of a beloved grandparent is instead a credible and insightful tale of a cynical teen, a crusty old man, and minor characters who add texture, snorts of laughter, and even sympathy to the story. Ethical dilemmas arent in short supply, but they arise realistically and without pat solutions. For readers both with and without vile-tempered-yet-engaging granddads of their own.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)