This is a compelling coming-of-age story about David Lear, whose only anchor is his dysfunctional family is his sister, Elizabeth. His mother, Maggie Hope, is an alcoholic, his father lives across the country with his new family and his stepfather is a violent alcoholic. What is unique about David's story is that he is sent to a boarding school where fear soon transitions into a sense of belonging in a place where order and structure reign. He thrives in this atmosphere and comes to realize he has a place in this world. In a life previously filled with chaos, David works diligently to achieve his goals. ( )

This is a coming of age story - following the life of a young boy (10-13 in the book), David Lear, as he struggles to understand his family and how to make life work. His mother is an alcoholic. This is a major factor in his life, as he struggles to deal with the mood swings and unpredictable reactions from her. Her second husband also drinks and that leads to many a late night event. That finally ends and suddenly David is sent to a boarding school. We follow him as he navigates the murky waters of being really smart and good at obeying the rules, but struggling with the desire to be liked and make friends. How does one make a friend, actually?

The struggles of being a young boy at such a critical age, the issues of being the child of an alcoholic, and the desire to be loved by someone, anyone, is all captured here. ( )