Review: Cautionary tale infused into story of friendship...
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 28, 2013
I thought that Berenson did a marvelous job of writing Firebug. He wound an extremely dangerous behavior into a story that all children should read at some point.In the first chapter, we're tagging along with Curtis, one of the two main characters. It went from a sweet, nostalgic tale, to one of gut-wrenching pain and terror. The descriptions were so real, so graphic, that they brought tears to my eyes.Next, we move on to Bobby, the other main character. He's struggling, no friends, low self-esteem. Berenson does an excellent job of making him a sympathetic character. When I was reading the book, I could easily understand how he got into the situation that he found himself in. Trouble with a capital T.It was believable how the two boys ended up together.  And that is where the hard stuff started.The descriptions were graphic. At times, the details were painful to read. I had no idea what a burn victim went through during their recovery, especially a child victim.  And the author didn't shy away from the emotional toll.Berenson seamlessly infused a cautionary tale into an adolescent tale about finding friendship in an unexpected place, and in unlikely circumstances.Five stars YA/MG.*disclosure: I received my copy of FIREBUG from the author--for an honest review.