Strasser, Todd
Can’t Get There From Here, pgs. 198. Simon and Schuster, 2004. FICTION.
Language, 0 swears; Mature Content, PG13; Violence, PG13.
Language, 0 swears; Mature Content, PG13; Violence, PG13.
MS, HS - ESSENTIAL
This story focuses on the abuse of children, and through each characters story
on the streets we find out what kind of dysfunctional homes they have come
from. We realize that for many of
these kids there has never been a choice, but the streets. We are sucked into their world of
living off the streets, dirty hair, black hands from never being washed,
malnutrition, prostitution and drugs.
The story makes you feel uncomfortable yet, somehow, confident that they
all might survive. We root for all
of them to make right choices, but realize how hopeless their situations sound
to them. So we pin our hopes on
Maybe, that she will be okay and turn her life around, and with her we will
find a little hope within ourselves.
G rated language makes this a great read
for junior high/high school. The
book has an interesting set up.
Chapter one is the opening “grab you” story that introduces some of the
characters. The farther you read into the story the
more understanding you have of the characters. At first in chapter one, you really don’t like the kids at
all, and at the end you understand them and root for them to survive. I loved the in depth look at
homelessness told from the point of view of a young girl, whom we figure out is
twelve years old, as the story progresses.
Reviewer, Kathleen Dale, Library Media
Specialist, RJH Library.
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