Strays - Ron Koertge

Gripping story of teen entering foster care.

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Common Sense rates it
4
Read the book?
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Book details
  • Author:Ron Koertge
  • # of pages: 167
  • Publisher:Candlewick Press
  • Original Publication Date: 06/01/2007
  • Genre: Fiction - Contemporary Fiction
  • Hardcover: $16.99
  • Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 12 up
  • Read Aloud: 11
  • Read Alone: 12

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that there's nothing graphic, but there are many references to things that teen foster kids might encounter, including drinking and drugs, swearing, and child pornography.

Families can talk about the magic realism of the book. Does Ted really talk to animals, or is it all in his head? If it's real, why would he have this ability? If it's not, why would he be imagining this?

Message

Social Behavior:

Consumerism:

Specific mall chain stores mentioned.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Teens drink, references to drugs.

Violence

A few punches are thrown.

Sex

References to making out, homophobia, child pornography, getting laid, and a bare breast.

Language

Some swearing, including "f--k."

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Matt Berman

After Ted's parents are killed in a car accident he enters the foster care system and is placed with the Rafters. There's the husband, a by-the-book ex-military type, and the wife, a little wigged-out since the death of her baby at birth. And there are two other foster kids -- C.W. and Astin.

Ted's parents ran a pet shop, and didn't have much time for, or interest in, Ted, but he still misses them and, as he's awkward around other people, he's lonely and isolated. But he does have one solace -- he can talk to animals, and all over town they seem to know him, and are kind and sympathetic. But Astin, a gruff, body-building, motorcycle-riding tough guy takes an interest in Ted, and helps him connect with other people.

Is it any good?

4
Author Ron Koertge is rapidly becoming one of those authors whose new books jump to the head of the list of books to read right away, and this one is a good example of why: Though the plot is minimal, and nothing much really happens, it's absolutely impossible to put down.

Koertge accomplishes this mainly with two ingredients. The first is compelling characters -- not just Ted, the narrator, who can talk with animals, both real and imaginary; but especially Astin, his older roommate. Astin is every wimp's dream of a friend -- powerful, competent, wise, and mostly kind -- who not only protects Ted, but teaches him how to begin to cope with the world.

The second is the intriguing element of magic realism. Ted's ability to communicate with animals is handled with great subtlety and a very light, offhand touch. It's never really clear whether it's all in Ted's imagination or not, but it adds delightful and very poignant depth to his loneliness and isolation among humans. It's the perfect, lovely touch that raises this novel above the norm, and gives it unusual heart and resonance.

Other choices

Other Books by Ron Koertge:
The Brimstone Journals
Stoner & Spaz
Shakespeare Bats Cleanup

More Kids in Foster Care:
The Lottery Rose by Irene Hunt
Strays Like Us by Richard Peck
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
The Green Book by Jill Paton Walsh
Last Chance Summer by Diana Wieler
Nightwalkers by Judy K. Morris
The Fire Pony by Rodman Philbrick
The Maze by Will Hobbs
America by E. R. Frank
Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson

Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 1 reviews.

3

Posted on 01/16/08 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Not okay for tweens!

I was surprised that CSM rated it okay for 11+. There are references to sex, making out, drinking, and all manner of other things that are inappropriate for tweens. There is a very disturbing scene of a woman attempting to breastfeed a doll, and a boy makes a couple of lewd remarks about sex. Great book, but only for teens.

Adult Reviews

There are 1 reviews.

3

Posted on 01/16/08 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Not okay for tweens!

I was surprised that CSM rated it okay for 11+. There are references to sex, making out, drinking, and all manner of other things that are inappropriate for tweens. There is a very disturbing scene of a woman attempting to breastfeed a doll, and a boy makes a couple of lewd remarks about sex. Great book, but only for teens.

Kids Reviews

There are 0 reviews.

There are no kids reviews.

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