Endgame

Publishers Weekly

The Wilton family left Massachusetts for Connecticut after Gray, at 14, was twice suspended from middle school for carrying a knife to fend off bullies. Despite the fresh start at a new high school, Gray is immediately sicced upon again, this time by "the jock pack," and for no reason other than that they can. As the abuse escalates and becomes life-threatening, Gray's thoughts of revenge become an obsession. There's no one to turn to-teachers who witness harassment laugh it off as "boys will be boys," and Gray's gun-loving father has instilled in his son a feeling of utter worthlessness. Though absorbing, this "anatomy of a school shooting rampage" isn't totally convincing. Garden (Annie on My Mind) structures the narrative as a series of conversations between Gray, who at 15 is awaiting trial on murder charges when the story opens, and his attorney, whose occasional interruptions feel tacked on and disrupt the flow. The characterizations of the villains and especially Gray's father feel cartoonish (at one point he nearly says he'd choose the family dog over his son's life). Even so, plenty of readers will keep going to find an ending even more tragic than expected. No one learns anything. The victimized kid gets no help. Ages 14-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

What causes a kid to bring a gun to school and shoot his classmates? The answer to this difficult question is explored in the story of Gray Wilton. Through first person narrative, the reader comes to know Gray, a short, pimply-faced kid who loves drums, archery, and his dog Barker. The story opens at a juvenile detention center and Gray explains to his attorney how it all happened. When Gray's family relocated to a new neighborhood, he was hoping it would be a fresh start. Gray was determined that Greenford High would be a new beginning for him. Instead, Gray is shadowed by his older, favored brother at home, and harassed at school. He quickly becomes a target as he was at his former school and is bullied relentlessly by older football players. Gray's only friend is tormented alongside him. Although a few students and his brother urge him to tell an adult, Gray's experience has led him to believe that the bullying will only get worse if he tells. Feeling unsupported at home or school, Gray graduates from carrying a knife in his sock to bringing his dad's gun to school. The results are devastating, and the reader will feel true sympathy for the characters who are caught in the line of fire, and for Gray. 2006, Harcourt, Ages 13 to 17.
—Mary Loftus

VOYA

In flashbacks through prison interviews with his lawyer, Gray Wilton talks about his life and what pushed him to take a gun to school and use it. Life at home is not perfect. Gray's father is insensitive, demanding, and borderline brutal. His mother, meek and ineffective, avoids all conflict. His older brother, Peter, is quietly supportive, but Gray's dog Barker provides him the most solace. At his new school, something about Gray has made him a handy target for the football bullies, Zorro and Johnson. Their harassment, supported by other football players, starts with name calling, pushing and shoving, and leads to vandalism, physical violence, and humiliation-and the death of Barker. A few teachers know, several students know, Gray's brother and girlfriend know, but no one stops these elitist bullies until Gray brings his father's gun to school. This book, like so many recent newspaper headlines, raises questions. Why are some youth easier targets than others? Why do some people need to humiliate? Why do so many-students, teachers, administrators, and parents-remain silent when they need to speak, scream out, and act to examine and change the environment of schools instead of pretending not to see the behaviors. In her acknowledgements, Garden thanks a teacher from a high school in Littleton, Colorado, for encouraging her to write this book. Garden presents readers with a well-written, thought-provoking novel that parallels reality all too closely. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2006, Harcourt, 304p., $17. Ages 12 to 18.
—C. J.Bott

Michelle Sherer

When fifteen-year-old Gray Wilton enters the halls of Greenford High School with his father's gun, his world is forever changed. He is convicted of murder and given a life sentence without parole. Sitting in the detention center, Gray reflects on the months that went wrong. Trouble began with the occasional bully, bringing a knife to school, and then moving to a new city. Gray turns to his music, one love that he feels may save him from the turmoil. Things at the new school don't improve but take a devastating turn for the worse. Gray ends up making a decision that changes his life forever. Endgame takes a serious look at the issues of bullying and school violence. This book is appropriate for ages 14 and up and is strongly recommended to all educators.

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up-Fifteen-year-old Gray Wilton is in juvenile detention, waiting for his murder trial. In a series of interviews, his defense lawyer slowly uncovers the gradual escalation of physical and emotional bullying that drove the sensitive, musically artistic kid to the point where he takes a gun to school and starts shooting. Reading the unfolding story is like watching a train wreck in slow motion: the tension is palpable, as is the sense of inevitable tragedy. Gray begins a new school year in a new town, hoping that the bullying he suffered in middle school will be a thing of the past. Almost immediately, he discovers that there are bullies at Greenford High, and they don't take long to find him. Teachers and administrators turn a blind eye to the harassment that he and his only friend, Ross Terrel, suffer at the hands of Zorro and the other ruling jocks. Constant hazing turns into ugly incidents of physical violence. The final blows come when Zorro and his buddies, during a joy ride, hit and kill Gray's dog, and then try to force Ross and Gray to perform oral sex in the gym showers. The ending provides an emotional punch that is difficult to forget. This is a hard-hitting and eloquent look at the impact of bullying, and the resulting destruction of lives touched by the violence. It reinforces the need to have adults in the lives of teens who not only see, but also take action against the behavior. Libraries that own Walter Dean Myers's Shooter (HarperCollins, 2004) or Todd Strasser's Give a Boy a Gun (S & S, 2000) will want to add this book as it provides an emotional depth that exceeds that of previous titles.-Jennifer Ralston, Harford County Public Library, Belcamp, MD Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Having gotten into trouble for reacting too violently to the bullies at his old school, Gray seriously hoped that things would be better in his new community. As he tells the tale to his lawyer, readers see that each thing in his life giving him confidence and support were gradually removed. Gray is excellent at archery, but Dad only seems to respect hunting with guns, and while Gray shows promise as a musician and drummer, that outlet slowly closes. Gray has friends, even a girlfriend for a while, but nothing lasts. Unable to confide in any adult or find any support in a system that idolizes jocks, Gray finally is pushed beyond his endurance. The viciousness of the bullies amps up as the story progresses, making clear how inevitable the explosion will become. While empathizing with Gray, the narrative also makes clear his culpability. Riveting. (Fiction. YA)