This week's book is one that I recently read for a teacher book club I belong to. It's called Trouble and it's written by Gary Schmidt. I had a hard time getting in to it, but once I was in I couldn't put it down.
Trouble is takes place in a small coastal Massachusetts town. Many of the residents of this town are well-to-do and have little use for the Cambodian immigrants who have recently started to move into their town. These two worlds collide when a young Cambodian-American man is accused of falling asleep while driving and running over a rich, white boy who's on a morning run. Many of the residents of this small town would like to see the Cambodian-American boy used as an example to show what happens when you mess with the townspeople who had inhabited this area for centuries.
This story quickly becomes a tale of the have versus that have-nots. Sometimes, though, the author shows that the lives of the "haves" are not as appealing and perfect as they seem on the outside.
Though there are a few too many predictable coincidences in this story, it does have some great moments and is a powerful story. This book is available for free reading and can be found at the back of the room.
