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Grade 9 Up–A novel about the loss of a sibling should be painful and poignant, and this one is both, but it's also surprisingly funny. Brian, 16, is a smart but ordinary student coping with family tragedy–though readers don't get the details until almost the end of the book–and also adjusting to a new high school. His first-person, present-tense narrative lets readers peer into his often-random thoughts as he moves through his classes, makes new friends, and dates all the wrong girls. Meanwhile, his grief is something he pushes to the background. Brian's voice is clear and authentic; his thoughts come across as uncensored and raw, ranging from angrily self-destructive to sharply observant. His reflections on the opposite sex are both amusing and sad–for instance, he struggles to decide whether to break up with a girlfriend who annoys him, but who may offer him a chance to lose his virginity. Slowly, he reconnects with his parents, figures out a few things about himself, and comes to terms with his brother's death. Readers looking for action and adventure won't find it here, but this is a superb exploration of sudden loss, romantic disappointment, and general adolescent angst.–Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public LibraryCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.