Notes from the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick was perfect for the BAM Challenge theme this month (thanks for the suggestion, Christi!) but it was also just an all-around great young adult novel. I'm so glad I read it!
Struggling with his parents' divorce, Alex is at a particularly low point one evening when he gets drunk and drives over a neighbor's lawn gnome. He is sentenced to community service and must spend 100 hours with a cranky old man at a local nursing home. But as he gets to know Solomon Lewis, he becomes more invested in the home and begins to plan concerts to entertain the residents, and ultimately stays on for a summer job. Through the time he spends with Solomon, he also gains insights into his own problems and becomes more adept at dealing with issues in his personal life. This is a great story of personal growth that avoids being overly sentimental. The writing is witty, the characters are likeable, and it's a super quick read!
1 comment:
I'm so glad you liked it!
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