 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
All That Remains
- By Bruce Brooks
- Genre: Short Stories
Common Sense Media says
Three novellas tell of teens dealing with death.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that each of the three novellas in this book focuses on characters dealing with death and grief. There's a bit of strong language and drinking, as well as a same-sex relationship and some violence (hunting, bullying).
What's the story?
Three novellas tell of teens dealing with death, its aftermath, and the help of friends. In the first, two cousins help their aunt's lesbian partner cremate their aunt's body, despite laws prohibiting the cremation of those with AIDS. In the second a boy reluctantly tries to help his orphaned cousin. And in the last, three boys help a new friend disperse her father's ashes.
Is it any good?
What may sound dark and bizarre in synopsis is actually entertaining and uplifting on the page. Bruce Brooks' trademarks are his respect for intelligence, both that of the reader and of his characters, leading to the kind of subtle and clever dialogue more often seen on The West Wing than in children's books, and the wicked way he applies that intelligence to sports description. Both are amply on display here.
Hockey and golf are Brooks' favorite sports, and they figure prominently, and to great effect, in the second and third stories respectively. But it is in the first story that he lets loose what he calls "a more dicey aspect of my humor, a less classical narrative sense, and generally more peculiar subjects and shadows." A reviewer couldn't describe it better, except to say that in Brooks' hands peculiar seems to be synonymous with fascinating -- and often moving.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about death -- how we deal with it, and what we do with the remains of the dead. Be prepared to have a serious conversation about the topic.
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| Author: | Bruce Brooks |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Short Stories |
| Publisher: | Simon & Schuster |
| Publication date: | February 19, 2004 |
| Number of pages: | 168 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.00 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 12 - 17 |
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