This story follows two boys, Will Manson and Ernie Boyd. It's told from the viewpoint of Ernie, an obese (overweight) high school student. Will has a severe case of acne and is really smart. They become friends when Will stands up for Ernie when Ernie is being bullied by some classmates. They discover they both like fishing. They also both come from single parent families. Ernie lives with his mom, and Will lives with his dad.
Early on in the story, Will's younger brother dies. That starts a downward spiral in Will's life. Ernie watches as events unfold for Will. Ernie is able to thwart Will's suicide attempt. However, Will becomes more and more mentally unstable because of the influences around him. Ernie has some tough decisions to make as he's trying to help Will through this time. It's a powerful story, and may be disturbing to some readers.
Genre: realistic fiction
Audience: 8th grade (maybe 7th)
Topics: death of a sibling, obesity (fat, overweight), fishing (trout and saltwater), single-parent family, child endangerment, being a loser, suicidal thoughts, small towns, mental health, parents who don't care, deer hunting, power of words, outcasts
Sensitive areas: language, dysfunctional family, increasing violent/vengeful thought patterns
Mrs. Beckwith's Rating: 4 of 5
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