Out of the Blue
Grade 5–9—Stuart Ballentyne, 15, keeps everyone around him at a distance. His mother is in the Air Force, which keeps him moving around a lot. He doesn't have time to make friends or lasting connections with people outside of his family. Things are changing in the Ballentyne household, however. Stuart's older brother has gone off to college, and his father is in Nevada taking care of his ailing grandmother and taking a break from Stuart's mom. Since she is busy with her new duties, Stuart finds himself more alone than ever. Billy, an eight-year-old neighbor, does his best to befriend the newcomer. Although Stuart doesn't like the boy tagging along, he can't help but let Billy become part of his new life. As he gets to know the child and his mysterious older stepbrother, Stuart feels that something bad is going on across the street, but he doesn't act on his suspicions. When he finally realizes he should speak up, tragedy strikes. The story offers both a realistic interpretation of teenage life on an Air Force base and the teen's feeling of powerlessness upon witnessing child abuse—both physical and verbal—in action.—Ryan Donovan, New York Public LibraryEND