Gap Life

"Teens who don t know what they want to do with their lives will relate well to the protagonist of this fast-paced realistic novel. Cray Franklin is a 17-year-old high school graduate whose parents have mapped out his life attend St. Luke s College and become a doctor. Those ambitions do not coincide with Cray s own. He doesn t know what he wants to be or what he wants to do after graduation. Enter Rayne, a wise, worldly fellow high school graduate who helps Cray get a job at a group home for adults with disabilities. ...Cray s ways of dealing with the conflicts among his parents, sibling, friends, employer, and love interest are painfully authentic. The author ... provides opportunities for discussion questions that elicit greater reflection about how Cray s obstacles might mirror students own challenges. "--School Library Journal

"Cray has just graduated from high school and although his demanding father has decided he will be attending St. Luke s in the fall to become a doctor, Cray doesn t agree with the decision. He is finally brave enough to tell his father this, only to be screamed at, told that he needs to find a job to pay rent, and that he is making the biggest mistake of his life. In trying to find a new job, he meets Rayne, who helps him get hired at a developmentally disabled adult home, a job he enjoys but his father disapproves of. Rayne also teaches him about her concept of a Gap Year where you take a year for yourself doing whatever you choose. While learning to be on his own and struggling with the growing feelings he has for Rayne, Cray plans the trip of his life. This is a wonderful story that captivates you from the very beginning. You will start and end the story with a smile. Cray s voice is unique and draws readers in through funny and realistic moments. There is some profanity and adult content references which make this a book for high school age students.

Highly Recommended--School Library Connection

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