Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Labor Day


Summer is winding down and those carefree, mindless days are soon to be over for thirteen-year-old Henry; friendless, awkward, and living with his long-divorced mother who, as her summer project, has taught Henry the fox trot. After the Labor Day holiday, Henry must return to school and be subjected to eating lunch alone and taking 'hits' in the locker room. There is not much to look forward to. Things would be better if he could make his emotionally-frail , reclusive mother happy .... for longer than a moment. Things would be better if he could somehow feel a part of the 'family' that his estranged father has created with a new wife, baby and step-son.

Life changes dramatically for Henry when he and his mother, while on their yearly shopping trip, encounter a mysterious bleeding man at the local Wal-Mart. Over the course of the next week the man, Frank, tranforms life for Henry and his mother. Henry finally learns to throw a baseball, discover the secret for a perfect pie crust, and sees that real love is well-worth the wait.

In this novel, Joyce Maynard paints a perfect picture of an endearing but awkward adolescent through the character of Henry. You will marvel at how this boy's life was altered through the events of one single long, hot weekend.

No comments: