A review by posies23
If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth

4.0

This novel does a commendable job of recreating the feel of the middle school experience from the viewpoint of an alienated student. In this case, he's not only poor, but he's one of the only non-white students in his classes. To make matters worse, he draws the attention of the school bully, who seems out to make his life miserable just because of the color of his skin. Fortunately, there's a new kid in school, who doesn't seem to have the prejudiced assumptions most of his school has. This isn't an "action-packed-thrill-ride" kind of book, but it is an effective and engaging read. As a Beatles, Wings, and Queen fan, I was delighted by the author's use of music in the narrative, and felt that he did a great job of recreating the "feel" of the mid-1970's vibe. There's a lot to discuss and think about in this novel, because not everything is simple or tied up into a neat bow at the end.

A bit of a warning to Middle and High School teachers -- there are a few moments in the book that might not fit in with your community standards, so make sure to pre-read this book and consider the audience before handing it to students. There's some adult language and adult content that very much fits with the story, but might offend some people who look for offense regarding that sort of thing.

Highly recommended for people interested in diversity and equality topics (especially about socio-economic status, the military, and native americans), and fans of 1970's music!