Lost in The Sun, by Lisa Graff
Ooo, goody! I love new-book-release Tuesday. Today we celebrate the release of an awesome new book by Lisa Graff, Lost In The Sun. Get ready to be jealous fellow middle-grade authors. The book follows the tragic and confusing journey of Trent during his first year of middle school. Poor Trent can’t even think about all the social landmines of his new school, however, because he’s still grappling with a horrible accident that happened in fifth grade. During a normal game of after school hockey, Trent slaps a puck into a kid who later dies. Trent is haunted by the accident and struggles to cope with the warring emotions battling inside him. Graff (Absolutely Almost and Umbrella Summer, Tangle of Knots) is becoming masterful at getting inside the ooey-gooey center of our emotions. She builds so much tension and drama through Trent’s struggle to control his anger. She also uses each supporting character—his brothers, father and mother shine as much more than just filler characters. Trent’s relationship with each is tested, twisted. Graff leads us along a path of loss, regret and hope. Trent has to figure out how to heal and move on without self-destructing. See, now that I’m breaking it down like this I’m going to have to go back and read it again. So, so good.
i am sherri winston 