I Will Save You by Matt de la Pena

I Will Save You by Matt de la Pena
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Matt de la Pena and was honored to see him speak at the Ocean City (NJ) Library this August where I purchased this book. I have read MOST of his books & love him and his books, his writing, and hearing him speak; I am in awe. I Will Save You was a tough book; it begins with Kidd seeing his best friend, Devon kissing Kidd's love interest, Olivia and losing it---pushing Devon down a cliff and maybe killing him? Kidd has had an awful life; a father who beat Kidd and his mother, but there have been happy moments, too. Kidd's mother sits him down at age 10 and tells him about his father's mental illness and reveals he will probably suffer from this disorder too. Kidd has so much trauma he deals with (he wants to be normal and happy); he is at Horizon's Group Home after he loses both parents. He has a best friend, Devon, who is evil- he constantly talks down to Kidd; berates him about everything (girls, boys, his parents) but he is also his one and only friend. then Kidd runs away before he is finished his therapy to a campground where he gets a sanitation job with Mr. Red, who is really kind to Kidd. My heart broke for Kidd; I wish I had known sooner about his severe health problems---this will be a book I will happily go back and read again---now knowing the whole back story. Tragic, yet hopeful, and highly recommended.

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