Review: Good Youth Read
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 28, 2014
E.N. McNamara's "Off the Grid" is a solid mixture of a survival story and teen drama.When the Keller kids find themselves halfway between the home they knew and their new destined home alone, their mother missing and their options few they pull together to both make it to their destination and survive. The narrator Jamie is a colorful and opinionated kid, who oftentimes takes on a leadership role with her siblings.What I most appreciated about this book, having worked with homeless and at-risk teenagers for years, was that the author portrayed the kids in this book as resourceful and clever. Having worked with kids who built shelters in the woods, found ways to make money for hotel rooms, banded together for protection, I found the author's portrayal of their decisions and actions to be in keeping with what I have witnessed.Overall a good and quick read. This book is perfect for those who enjoyed Gary Paulsen's "Hatchet."