The Sledding Hill (by Chris Crutcher)

That book, Warren Peece is a fake book by the real author of this book, Chris Crutcher, who becomes a character in his own book when he gets involved in the effort to stop the banning. And that book happens to be the only meaningful thing Eddie has found to help him deal with his grief. So Eddie, though he hasn't spoken since he found Billy's body, is determined to save the book, and take down the Reverend at the same time.

Chris Crutcher is mad as, well, heck, and he's not going to take it anymore. All of his previous books have been the target of censorship efforts, and here he is taking on would-be banners directly, in a book in which they will find no bad language or sex acts or violence, but has content designed to be objectionable to them anyway. The whole book is Crutcher's way of saying, "Come and get me."

Unfortunately, as is almost always the case when an author has a Point to make, the Point often comes before the story. Too much of the book consists of characters acting as the author's mouthpieces and spouting speeches. Though the author at one point makes a halfhearted nod to evenhandedness, this is an angry diatribe cloaked in humor, which doesn't make for three-dimensional characters or much emotional involvement on the part of the reader. But it's a mostly enjoyable read nonetheless, and it addresses a compelling issue in a way that will get kids talking.