18 April 2002 SHATTERING GLASS by Gail Giles, Millbrook/Running Brook Press, March 2002

"Simon Glass was easy to hate. I never knew exactly why, there was too much to pick from. I guess, really, we each hated him for a different reason, but we didn't realize it until the day we killed him."

Talk about first lines! Reading that aloud will be sufficient to convince kids to reach for this dark, forceful tale.

Does the remainder of the book live up to its opening? You bet it does!

The craftsmanship is consistently excellent, and the plot utterly gripping, as this lethal tale unwinds. In fact, the UPS guy showed up with my copy at dinnertime last night--no, he didn't stay--and I finished reading it long before sunup.

We are teased throughout the story with enigmatic quotes that lead off the book's chapters from characters whom we frequently don't otherwise hear from directly:

"'Glass? Rob's posse thought I was dumber than duck doo, but Glass fooled them not me. Simon wasn't what anybody thought he was.'--Lance Ansley"

The back cover sports advance praise from Chris Crutcher, Ron Koertge, Michael Cadnum, and Edward Bloor, who states quite succinctly of the story, "Gail Giles's high school characters play at Pygmalion, but they must answer to Frankenstein."

And, of course, when you name your doomed character Simon Glass, there is fertile ground for all sorts of puns (as in the title).

SHATTERING GLASS is a fascinating and suspenseful read. It gives one heck of a jump start to Millbrook's new Roaring Brook Press. I can't wait to see what else veteran editor Deborah Brodie has up her sleeve.

Richie Partington

http://richiespicks.com

BudNotBuddy@aol.com