Ostrich Boys by Keith Gray

Ostrich Boys by Keith Gray

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a great story of loss, bullying, and ultimately the power of friendship. Three friends from England decide to "take" their dead friend's ashes from the family home and spread them in Ross, Scotland which Ross talked about constantly. Friends Blake, Sim and Kenny are best friends who feel that their friend Ross's funeral did not honor him as the great person he was in life. They go through adventures on trains, in taxis, on motorbikes, meeting girls, bungee jumping and confronting their own involvement in their departed friend's final days. Each of the three friends have to cajole, embarass and psyche each other throughout the book to do this one last act for their friend,Ross. The only problem I see is that this book is so English teens will not understand their grammar, slang, etc. and may not persevere which would be a shame because this is a rollicking good, funny, sad, and in the end, redemptive read.



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The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When Lennie's sister, Bailey, dies suddenly, Lennie tries to make sense of a world that that was once safe and secure,to a world where she, her Gram and Big exist but don't talk. Lennie has never been popular, just a band geek who plays 2nd chair clarinet but with the loss of Bailey, Lennie now surprsingly finds comfort in the arms of Bailey's boyfriend, Toby (they both connect in their loss) and in the new boy, Joe Fontaine, an awesome trumpet player who visits her house everyday, bringing comfort to Gram, Big and Lennie, dragging them back into life. How can these two guys help Lennie believe that life can go on without Bailey and that Bailey will still be everywhere, like the sky is everywhere?



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