Poster Boy

By Dede Crane

Book Overview

Sixteen-year-old Gray Fallon's life is looking pretty good. His easygoing parents let him entertain his friends in their basement "sweet," complete with TV, video games, and hot tub. A part-time job at the Cineplex; the occasional beer or joint; a smart, funny best friend; a hot new girlfriend -- things couldn't be better. Then Gray's 12-year-old science-nerd sister, Maggie, contracts a rare form of cancer. When he learns the cancer may have environmental origins, Gray sets out to investigate and make Maggie better. While his mother joins his crusade, Gray's father, to his son's disgust, only wants to celebrate what's left of his daughter's life. Eventually Gray's obsessive campaign alienates his friends. When his research indicates silkscreen chemicals may have caused the cancer, his mother's subsequent breakdown and his father's anger drive him to quit school and seek haven at an organic farm run by an older couple. What will Gray do next? Dede Crane's acute observation of teen bravado, vulnerability, humor, and self-righteousness, coupled with a serious theme handled with sensitivity and directness, makes Poster Boy an unforgettable read.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0888998554
• ISBN13: 9780888998552
• Release Date: August 2009
• Publisher: Groundwood Books
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.3" x 1.0" x 5.3"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher