Michael de Guzman

Albert lives with his mother Elly in small-town Mountain View, Idaho. She toils as a late-night waitress and he craves a life more adventurous than the one he's living now. One day, Elly's estranged father Wendell shows up with his Stradivarius case and takes Albert on a three-day trip through Oregon to Seattle. In Seattle, Albert learns that Wendell is a con man who's about to pull off his biggest and last con on a longtime adversary, Reo Bascom. Albert meets Wendell's cronies who are all in on the act. Albert himself gets involved by directly trading the violin case for $200,000 from Reo. The adventure and friendship with his grandfather gives Albert a confidence that helps him understand his mother better and a fresh new perspective on his future.… (mehr)

After a series of living in foster homes all his life, Newboy is determined to make his current escape from the system permanent. On the streets, he discovers a battered ventriloquist's dummy which he uses to speak (at age 9, Newboy stopped talking). Newboy finds a family of sorts with other homeless kids. It's all about finding where one belongs. Life on the streets is tough (there are scenes of beating and force) but considering the target age for this book, there is no raw language, and nothing too brutal or beyond age development. It could be a book that saves someone.… (mehr)

Reviewed by Grandma Bev for TeensReadToo.com

A destitute teen mother abandons her infant in an apartment building, leaving a note with him, printed in childish block letters. "His name is Newboy. He is one week old. Please take care of him. I can't."

By the time Newboy is twelve years old he has stopped talking, and after a series of uncaring foster homes, he is sent to the worst one yet. Medical examinations and testing do not reveal a cause for his silence, but for Newboy, life is just easier that way. The Knoxes keep their flock of foster children on a very rigid schedule and all Newboy can think about is escaping to a freedom that he imagines will be much better.

When he does escape, he takes refuge in a garbage bin where he finds a foul-smelling and damaged ventriloquist's dummy. He names the doll "Stinko." Newboy is able to talk through the dummy and express himself for the first time in several years. Newboy meets other runaways like himself living on the dangerous streets and they form alliances that help them survive. Mr. and Mrs. Knox are relentlessly searching for him...after all, the State pays them for his care.

This is a touching story of hardship, survival, and the friendships of children struggling against nearly insurmountable odds. Newboy's innate sense of right and wrong and his moral values remain intact in spite of his troubles and the young hoodlums that confront him.

de Guzman keeps the tempo fast-paced and exciting, with a cast of wonderful, compelling characters, as Newboy dodges his foster parents and young thugs that mean him harm and races toward a satisfying climax. I highly recommend this book...the short length and rapid pace will make it especially attractive to reluctant readers.… (mehr)