Todd Strasser spent years as a working reporter before he turned
to fiction for young adult readers. Ê"One of the things I used
to like about writing books for young people," he says, "was
the fact that it wasn't necessary to deal with murder." ÊBut
as the bloodbath of Colorado's Columbine High School descended
in April of 1999, Strasser had to admit, the rules had gradually
changed. Ê
"Give a Boy a Gun" is a haunting fictional account of the school
shooting dynamic. ÊBased, in part, on Strasser's exhaustive
research into sixteen acts of violence, the book offers differing
points of view as the story winds through 146 pages.
From the shooter's perspective, to the teacher's viewpoint,
from the bully to the jock to the cheerleader to the parents,
Strasser covers all the intellectual bases, without choosing
sides. He clearly deplores the violence and its perpetrators.
ÊBut he also blames the easy accessibility of hand guns and
a lack of school centered empathy and compassion without apology.
While Strasser's imaginary school shooting scenario is gripping,
his nonfiction footnotes are astonishing, offering real-life
support for the premise his fiction unveils. Ê"Give a Boy a
Gun" is a riveting read for teenagers of all cliques and social
leanings. ÊIt is a book that will make all readers think.
Click here to buy: Give
a Boy a Gun at Amazon.com.
