Dead to Me

Reviewed by: Kara Reiman - Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 30, 2017

Review

"Dead to Me" by Cristy Watson is a Hi-Lo book written for high schoolers. It starts with Logan Gomez, a twelve year-old, going on a birthday fishing trip with his uncle. Logan's father passed away back when Logan was very young and his uncle has been like a father to him. His uncle gives Logan a beer (apparently a Gomez family tradition for a son to have his first beer when he turns twelve) and then tells him how Logan's father died. The book jumps to four years later when Logan is 16. Logan is a troubled kid, drinking a lot, getting in fights, hanging out with an older teen who street races, and he has refused to see his uncle since his twelfth birthday. The book focuses on Logan living life as a high schooler, dealing with racism, drinking, and emotional issues. The book is set in Canada, so a few things pop up that I didn't know about (like when a student says, "I can't wait to get my N," and I could tell it had to do with driving, but I had no clue what it meant. It's apparently a Novice Permit, which is a step above a Learner's Permit). A must-buy if your Hi-Lo collection is popular. ~Reviewed by Kate Radke

Overall Book Score: very good