Good book for teens. :) ( )

Great boy story, feels very realistic, lots of layers. Great for talking about racism in many ways -- from segregation to bussing, to how even liberal white people overreact to fear. Love the relationship Armstrong builds with his cranky, elderly neighbor, and the vitality of his neighborhood. Features some precocious preadolescent romance that seems very realistic for 1970s and 1980s. ( )

1970's California. Armstrong's parents decide he should be bused to a "white" school where he can get a better education, and perhaps put some distance between him and his many sisters. Charlie's friends are going to different schools, and he is kind of adrift. The two basically spend much of the book competing against each other in many normal adolescent ways, which after a certain point, became irksome. Happily, they are supported by a strong group of well developed characters, particularly family. I liked the way the book developed and Frank's portrayal of the teens, which probably comes from teaching kids this age. The book is clearly autobiographical as Frank found himself in this situation when he was in middle school. ( )

OMG I loved reading this book about the development of friendship between Armstrong and Charlie during the 1970s when desegregation in schools occurred. Steven Frank's done it again and I look forward to reading more! ( )

I LOVED this book. I loved getting to know Armstrong and Charlie and everyone else in this remarkable book. It felt so perfectly, awkwardly 6th grade, while also opening my eyes to an unfamiliar yet critically important part of the American story. We already have it for my library, but I plan to recommend it as much as possible going forward.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review. I just wish I had read it as soon as it showed up on my NetGalley shelf. ( )