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Seller notes: From Publishers Weekly: ""Lynch describes in unflinching detail a squalid, urban scene, "" said PW, calling this novel ""meticulously crafted, its prose evocative and lyrical and almost excruciating to read."" Ages 12-up. (Oct. ) Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal: Grade 9 Up-Spanning the first 12 years of Davey's life, this book skillfully portrays the subject of childhood neglect and deprivation. Relegated to the care of his older sister, Davey spends hours in front of the television or riding aimlessly through the city on the mountain bike given to him by his deadbeat dad. Occasionally he accompanies his sister to the porch hangout of her dope-smoking friends or is dumped at a bar by his mom, where he is left in the charge of the bartender. Davey lives on macaroni and cheese and he rarely talks. His only friend (if you can call him that) is a local drug dealer who nicknames him Gypsy Davey. One day the friend is gone from the street with only the chalk outline of his dead body left. To complete this depressing cycle, Davey, before he is a teenager, becomes the caretaker of his sister's new baby. The characters are well drawn and elicit readers' concern. The dialogue crackles with realism including sporadic profanities. But the masterful prose is often overwhelmed by the brutal reality and the gloomy hopelessness of Davey's situation. Unlike his acclaimed novel, Shadow Boxer (HarperCollins, 1993), Lynch here gives us little to cheer about. Davey's father does return, but just for the warm months. And the rainbow in this story is found in an oily puddle of rainwater along the street gutter. In terms of literary quality, this work is outstanding. The book would inspire serious discussions in English classes, and, particularly with the guidance of a good teacher, will give worthwhile insights into parenting and family issues. Tim Rausch, Crescent View Middle School, Sandy, UT Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.