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| Image courtesy of http://www.geneva.lib.il.us/teen/node/196 |
Imagine being stuck in multiple worlds, but not quite feeling right in any of them. For Lucky Linderman, a soon-to-be sophomore in Pennsylvania, that is his reality. Bullied at school, lonely at home with absent parents, and unable to rescue his Grandpa, a POW in Laos whom he visits in his dreams, Lucky tries the best he can to cope with reality while simultaneously wishing he could escape it. But when a bully takes it too far, and he is forced to leave town, Lucky takes a trip that changes his life.
What I liked about the plot in this novel is that it artfully toggled between three stories - the frame story, in which Lucky is on his "coming of age" trip to Arizona, the flashback stories, in which he explains the unfortunate events of his freshman year that led up to his needing to leave, and the fantasies/dreams, in which Lucky gets to be his "macho" self and battle the jungle to rescue his Grandpa. Though the story moved between these three ideas, it was so well done that I didn't feel confused or lose track of which event happened when. That being said, perhaps my only critique would be that the ending is a bit predictable (though in a "coming of age," boy vs. bully story, what ending isn't?). The story was well paced, and an appropriate length for many readers.
What really made this story fun was the engaging voice of the narrator, Lucky. He has a dry sense of humor that many readers can relate to, and his inner pain and self-loathing are believable without being overwrought. Teachers be warned, though: he is a teenage boy. So, his narration is peppered with what one might imagine goes through a teenage boy's mind, namely swear words (several "f bombs") and thoughts of girls' breasts.
The cover on this book might lead to kiddos not necessarily picking it up right away. However, my biggest worry about this would just be that that title is a bit cryptic - what are the "ants," after all? But, rest assured, the title comes full circle in a very touching way that would reach even the hardest of teenage hearts.
Overall, I would give this one a recommendation for mature readers. There are many swear words, as I said, some sexual discourse, and a few very disturbing war and bullying scenes. While much of the graphic depiction happens off-stage, one is left to infer some really difficult ideas, which could upset more sensitive readers. However, for the right reader, this book is truly magic.
Also recommended: Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson.
