Brothers

Children's Literature - Kathleen Karr

From the author of the cult classic, The Grounding of Group 6, comes another novel of troubled young adults. Cam is seventeen-year-old Chris's older brother, his hero and role model. When Cam mysteriously disappears, first from college and then from an upscale retreat for the mentally ill, Chris takes off on a quest to find and save him. A cross-country road trip with Cam's girlfriend and younger sister ends up in a confrontation at a western survivalist compound. En route, Chris learns a lot about his brother and himself. Thompson knows how to get into kids' heads, and writes a rousing good story along the way.

KLIATT

To quote KLIATT's Sept. 1998 review of the hardcover edition: Chris Craven, age 17, has always worshipped his eccentric and somewhat unstable older brother Cam. When he learns that Cam has dropped out of college and been sent to a sanitarium, and then has disappeared from the sanitarium, Chris is distraught and decides to head out to find his brother. He starts by asking around at the sanitarium, where he meets a beautiful girl named Michelle who seems to know where Cam might be. Michelle and her younger sister Millie join Chris on a cross-country road trip in search of Cam. They find him out west, living in a barricaded compound with a small group of militia types who call themselves the Sons of Liberty Two. Chris's attempt to rescue Cam forms the exciting climax to this novel. The plot is engaging, though I found Chris an overly chatty narrator—I didn't want to know as much about his meals and his meandering thoughts as I was told. The section on the militia is gripping and action-filled, and the sympathetic yet realistic take on mental illness is refreshing. KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 1998, Random House/Knopf, 220p, 18cm, 98-11001, $4.99. Ages 13 to 18. Reviewer: Paula Rohrlick; September 2000 (Vol. 34 No. 5)

School Library Journal

(Gr 8-Up) - When Chris Craven, 17, discovers that his brother Cam dropped out of college, was sent to a mental sanitarium, and then disappeared, he begins a quest to find him. Retracing his brother's tracks, Chris goes to a hospital in the Berkshires, where he meets Michelle, a friend of Cam's and also a former patient. When Cam contacts Michelle, she, her younger sister Millie, and Chris drive cross-country to find him and bring him home. They discover him at the compound of a group of antigovernment white supremacists. Cam, who lives off the land and preaches nonviolence and love of nature, mistakenly believes that he has something in common with these men, while they view him as a harmless eccentric and take his money. The militiamen invite Chris and the girls to stay for awhile to visit Cam-and to be used as hostages in case of government attack. The three, caught in a standoff between the two forces, must work quickly to rescue themselves and Cam. The main characters are well rounded and the relationships are well drawn. The ways in which Chris and Millie deal with their siblings' problems provide insight into the world of mental illness and its impact on family members. The multilevel plot involves not only a journey of adventure and self-discovery, but also an exploration of complex relationships and psychological problems. Chris faces both physical and emotional challenges with a thoughtful maturity. With intriguing characters and a fast-moving plot, this book will grab readers. - Janet Hilbun, Sam Houston Middle School, Garland, TX