VOYA

Ian McDermot, a punk skater, does not fit in at the sports-driven Morrison High School. Ian has a rough home life with a druggie mother, a father who walked out ten years ago, and Sammy, his ten-year-old brother whom Ian is forced to raise. After Ian's tardy arrival at school, the principal informs Ian that he is "cleaning up" the school and thinks that Ian should transfer to a technical school where he makes a better fit. Ian becomes enraged, loses all control, and punches one of his teachers. Immediately Ian knows that he is in trouble and gone too. He has just sent himself to jail and Sammy into foster care. Ian decides to take Sammy and run away. Without money and a place to go, they decide to find their father. Their luck runs out with each day that they spend in the wild, away from home on the street. This well-written, fast-paced novel offers a believable narrator for whom readers will root. Ian is basically good but born into a bad situation, causing him to have some major anger-management issues. He does not trust adults, and although some of the adults in Ian's life are corrupt, others genuinely care for Ian but cannot help him the way Ian wants them to. Even though Ian has made several bad decisions, in the end he acknowledges his mistakes and turns himself in. The book would work well for reluctant readers and is a great choice for realistic fiction fans. With a hopeful ending and well-written characters, it is a recommended purchase for libraries serving middle and high school students.

Harmon, Michael SKATE, KNOPF, 2006 242p
Library ed. ISBN 0-375-97516-0 $17.95
Trade ed. ISBN 0-375-87516-6 $15.95 R Gr. 7-10

Ian has too many piercings and too many opinions to fit in at his jock-infested high school, and although he's brainy enough, his test scores reflect his demanding home life (he's constantly on edge from having to care for himself and his little brother while his mother disappears for weeks at a time, only to return with a new drug dealer in tow) more than his potential. When his principal threatens that if he doesn't opt for an alternative school things won't go well for him, Ian finally snaps, decking a teacher, snatching his brother out of school, and taking off from Spokane to Walla Walla to find his father, whom he has never met. The trip is hard, but the end is harder -- the address where he finds his father belongs to the state penitentiary. In an additional twist, Ian learns that his father is the warden rather than an inmate, and Dad might not want his damaged old kids in his bright and shiny new life. Ian's forthright confrontations with school authority figures will win him major props from page one, and readers will continue to cheer for this outsider who finds life's deck stacked against him. He is as honest with himself as he is with the teachers; he knows all along that he is making one bad decision after another, but he feels as though he has to pass through the unlivable to get to anything like a reasonable life for him and his brother. After establishing a few unrepentant villains, Harmon complicates his good adults nicely, revealing how divided loyalties and their good intentions can both help and hurt children on the margins. This one's a must-read for fans of Chris Crutcher. KC

Kirkus Reviews
This remarkable first novel features a rebellious, smart outcast who's battling life as he struggles to take care of his little brother. Their crack-addicted mom has essentially abandoned Ian and Sam. Ian manages to protect Sam, but can't protect himself from an unscrupulous high-school principal who's determined to get Ian out of the school. When Ian loses his temper and decks his coach, he decides to take Sam and flee across the state in an effort to find their long-absent father. Harmon has crafted a tale of compelling suspense-part adolescent psychology and part survival tale-painting sharply clear portraits of his characters, particularly Ian. The result is a sense of strong realism and sympathy for the characters, even when they screw up. Were it shorter it would be perfect for reluctant readers, but surely will appeal to a wide audience. A marvelous debut. (Fiction. YA)

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SKATE by Michael Harmon
Category:  Contemporary
Age Recommendation:  Grades 6+
Release Date:  10/10/06
Publisher:  Knopf
Reviewed by:  Mechele R. Dillard
Rating:  5 Stars

Fifteen-year-old Ian McDermott already has a tough life: He’s never really known his father, his mother is a drug addict and  spends most of her time on the streets, and he is left caring for his younger brother, Sammy. What he needs from “the  system” is some help; what he gets is placed on a list of kids who the principal wants out of his school as soon as possible. And, when he takes a swing at Coach Florence and breaks his jaw, he knows that the principal is going to get his wish. But, Ian cannot go to juvie--who will take care of Sammy? Their mom is out of the question, and if Sammy goes into foster care,  Ian knows they will be apart at least three years, until Ian turns eighteen. There is only one option: They have to find their dad.

The last address Ian has for Samuel McDermott is in Walla Walla--quite a walk from Spokane. But they have no choice, so they hit the road before the cops can arrest Ian for assault. Through the cold, the rain, and many nights of hunger, the brothers trudge forward, dodging the authorities, determined to find their father. But, when they finally arrive, will the address prove to be their saving grace, or will their dreams be shattered in this impractical—maybe impossible--quest?

Michael Harmon’s first novel hits the mark with its realistic portrayal of teen rage, drug culture, and the bond that exists between brothers. He manages to have his characters speak in voices that are both hilarious and heartbreaking, never taking the reader so far down that hope is lost, but also never reaching for solutions which render the story unbelievable: “Samuel McDermott or not, I was Ian McDermott, and the way I saw life was the way I’d live life” (p. 167).

jogil, October 12, 2006
This is an amazing book! I had to argue with my 14 yr old son to put the book down to do his homework! I loved reading it too. The story if fast paced and stays in your mind long after the last page. I can't wait to read more from this author!

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YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE
Sunday, December 10, 2006
APRIL HENRY

Ian McDermott, the main character in Michael Harmon's novel "Skate" (Knopf, $15.95, 256 pages), is like any of a thousand 16-year-old boys -- he loves to skateboard, he doesn't fit in at school and his parents are divorced.

Unlike most boys, Ian is raising Sammy, his 8-year-old brother, while their mother is either off on a crack binge or, worse yet, bringing home her latest lowlife boyfriend. Ian and Sammy get by, barely, but they do have each other and plenty of time to skateboard.

But the administrators at Ian's high school have made it clear they don't like him. When the coach goads him one too many times, Ian knocks him unconscious. In a flash, Ian can see what will happen -- he'll go to juvie, and Sammy will end up in a foster home.

Ian's not going to let that happen. So the two boys run away from Spokane, trying to find the father who left their family long ago. Here Harmon pulls off some neat plot twists -- four in a row -- that make perfect sense, but each surprises the reader all the same.

Harmon himself ran away from home as a kid, didn't graduate from high school and never had any formal writing training. But he did have the good luck to meet Chris Crutcher, a respected young adult author, who took an interest in Harmon's writing. One night when Harmon was to get together with Crutcher, his car broke down. He ran two miles through snow in dress shoes -- but his dedication impressed Crutcher, who mentored him.

The result is a strong story about the bond between brothers and a kid who has to learn to trust.

April Henry is the author of "Shock Point," a thriller for young adults, as well as five mysteries and thrillers for adults.

Excellent, October 23, 2006
Bright Star Reviewer

I work with teenagers, primarily troubled youth, and getting them away from the TV, video games and all of the other things that are way cooler then reading can be a pretty big challenge. In my experience with the reluctant readers if you get get them to read one really GOOD book, you can get them hooked. This is the one.

This is a story of boy who can't seem to catch a break. He gets into some trouble at school, and knowing that his drug addicted mother can't take care of herself much less help him solve his problems, he gathers his younger brother who relies on him for everything and they skate away.

I was given this book by one of my coworkers. It has been an absolute GODSEND! I gave it to one of my RR's (reluctant readers) who was so completely engrossed by it that now I have to buy several more copies for the rest of the group!

There is a wonderful message of hope in this story and it is an engaging read, even for a 30 something woman. I would highly recommend this to all out there, teen and adult alike.

Thanks so much for this fantastic contribution,I know several kiddos that are waiting for the next book!

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Simon Parlow 13, from Kingston, Ontario
Member of the Indigo Book Stores JAB (Junior Advisory Board) team.

For outsiders these days, life is tough. They need to cope with society frowning upon them, and deal with their disadvantages. For some, a bright future may not exist even in their dreams. This was the case for two brothers, Ian and Sammy McDermott of Spokane. For them, life was even harder then it looked.

Ian had been raising Sammy practically on his own for several years. Their mother was addicted to hard drugs and was never home, and their dad had left them before Sammy was even born. Sammy was failing school, and Ian's teachers wanted him and his attitude out. They didn't have any money, or parents who cared; life was awful. The rare times their mother did come home, Ian and Sammy ended up sleeping in the shed, while they watched their mother party all night with drug dealers.

The day that Ian McDermott lost his temper in gym class, was the day that their lives changed forever. Coach Florence, Ian's awful gym teacher, grabbed Ian after he had given him some attitude. Ian lost it. He punched Coach Florence hard in the face, knocking him unconscious. At that moment, Ian knew that he needed to run. He needed to run far away from Spokane, otherwise he would be arrested. Ian grabbed his brother and they started their journey, with a cell phone given to them by their sympathetic vice-principal Ms. Veer. She wanted to help, but Ian knew that her help wasn't what he and Sammy needed at that moment. Ian and Sammy's journey was going to be rough; they needed to travel across the state on foot with little food, and little water. Once they started, there was no turning back.

This book was great. Michael Harmon was spectacular with the realism and integrity he put into this phenomenal novel. The characters were clear and had individual personalities. Ian was my favorite. He showed intense leadership and responsibility. It was clear that he had anger management issues, but he wasn't afraid to admit it, or to get treatment for it. Sammy was nice and polite, but he was scared of the world around him, this made it hard for him to cope with society. In Skate, you are drawn to love the good characters, and to hate the bad ones.

The writing Michael Harmon used was very practical: all of the dialogue could easily be related to the real world. Skate has some offensive language, but it's used in the right context, to reflect the way that most skater punks talk. The book was great, but I would have liked to have seen more character development. Except for Ian becoming more responsible towards the end, the characters did not change much at all throughout the story. Considering all this, the book is a little too mature for tweens, so I'd recommend this book to all teens who are interested in an exciting, real-life fiction novel, that is not afraid to showcase the true life of outsiders. I give this book 4 stars out of 5.

A HEARTRENDING ADVENTURE
Reviewer:Alice
Date:06/12/2006

Ian McDermott feels unwanted. His mother is out every night doing drugs with creepy guys and hardly ever comes home. His father is long gone, having divorced his mother over a decade ago. And to make matters worse, all of his teachers at school hate him and the pricipal "guarantees" that his staying at the school would not be beneficial to him. Ian would gladly leave his town and just be done with everything and everyone he knows. But he can't -- he can't because of Sammy. Sammy is Ian's younger brother, only ten years of age. At school, Sammy is picked on by his classmates and his teachers think he is a troubled little kid who they label as a "slow learner." Ian knows that Sammy is worth much more than they make it seem. And he also knows that Sammy needs him around. Sammy cannot make do on his own. As their mom flees from home to the dump of some drug addict, Ian must scrounge for food and all means of survival for himself and Sammy. But when Ian does something wrong--something really wrong, he knows that he's in deep trouble and he does the only thing he can possibly think of to keep him and his brother out of trouble. And that is, he leaves. He takes Sammy and runs deep into the wilderness on a trek towards a better life. But how can a fifteen-year-old and a ten-year-old survive out in the wild by themselves? As you venture throughout this amazing heart-throbbing story, you will meet amazing people and evil characters as well. You will follow Ian and Sammy through their extraordinary experience as they strive for survival and a much better life. Full of law-breaking, criminal activity, adrenaline, and adventure, this story will have tears streaming down your face when you quest through the full adventure. This one is absolutely great and is a must read for EVERYONE, especially those who don't understand youth.

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