Trouble
by Gary D. Schmidt
by Gary D. Schmidt
TROUBLE by Gary D. Schmidt
Category: Historical
Age Recommendation: Grades 6+
Release Date: 4/21/08
Publisher: Clarion
Reviewed by: Harmony
Rating: 5 Stars
I don't think that there's any way for me to summarize the complex plot that makes up the novel TROUBLE, but I'm going
to try.
Henry's father always said that if you stayed far enough away from Trouble, Trouble would never find you. It was what
Henry and everyone else in his family believed. Until Trouble came to their lives in the form of Chay, a young Cambodian
teen. Henry's older brother, Franklin, had been jogging on the night Chay hit him. Chay said it was an accident but their
community thinks otherwise -- because Cambodians don't belong there and are the cause of every disaster.
Filled with anger of the accident, Henry, his best friend, and Black Dog set out to do the one thing Henry and Franklin had
planned to do - climb Mt. Katahdin. They don't know how they're going to get there, how they're going to survive, or
anything about climbing mountains, but they know they're going to do it.
As their journey continues, Henry runs into the one he hates most. Chay is also running from Trouble, and the
once-enemies become allies. Henry begins to realize that family is not always what it seems -- and sometimes you just
can't run from Trouble.
All I can say is that this is an amazing book and should be required reading in every classroom. Not only were the
characters real and three-dimensional, each with their own quirks and problems, but the plot was also drawn out perfectly,
with the right amount of details and action. You could feel yourself being taken into their world and, though this is
technically a historical novel, I could barely tell because it seemed so real.
While reading this book, you will feel your heart breaking for Chay but you'll also be hoping that everything turns out okay
for Henry's family. TROUBLE will take you on a roller coaster of emotions that you will never forget.
There's really no way for me to explain how much I loved this book. It's creative and original and just all-around amazing.
Whether you're a middle school English teacher or a student, you should definitely pick this up on your next trip to the
bookstore. Or heck, order it from Amazon today!
Category: Historical
Age Recommendation: Grades 6+
Release Date: 4/21/08
Publisher: Clarion
Reviewed by: Harmony
Rating: 5 Stars
I don't think that there's any way for me to summarize the complex plot that makes up the novel TROUBLE, but I'm going
to try.
Henry's father always said that if you stayed far enough away from Trouble, Trouble would never find you. It was what
Henry and everyone else in his family believed. Until Trouble came to their lives in the form of Chay, a young Cambodian
teen. Henry's older brother, Franklin, had been jogging on the night Chay hit him. Chay said it was an accident but their
community thinks otherwise -- because Cambodians don't belong there and are the cause of every disaster.
Filled with anger of the accident, Henry, his best friend, and Black Dog set out to do the one thing Henry and Franklin had
planned to do - climb Mt. Katahdin. They don't know how they're going to get there, how they're going to survive, or
anything about climbing mountains, but they know they're going to do it.
As their journey continues, Henry runs into the one he hates most. Chay is also running from Trouble, and the
once-enemies become allies. Henry begins to realize that family is not always what it seems -- and sometimes you just
can't run from Trouble.
All I can say is that this is an amazing book and should be required reading in every classroom. Not only were the
characters real and three-dimensional, each with their own quirks and problems, but the plot was also drawn out perfectly,
with the right amount of details and action. You could feel yourself being taken into their world and, though this is
technically a historical novel, I could barely tell because it seemed so real.
While reading this book, you will feel your heart breaking for Chay but you'll also be hoping that everything turns out okay
for Henry's family. TROUBLE will take you on a roller coaster of emotions that you will never forget.
There's really no way for me to explain how much I loved this book. It's creative and original and just all-around amazing.
Whether you're a middle school English teacher or a student, you should definitely pick this up on your next trip to the
bookstore. Or heck, order it from Amazon today!
