About This Book
A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is grappling with the shame of a parent's addiction or struggling to reconcile their own past mistakes with the person they want to become. Carl is a sixteen year old living a double life in the city: one as a caregiver for his alcoholic mother and another as a clever student running an illegal scheme to fund his escape. When his mother's arrest forces him into the care of relatives in rural Wisconsin, the quiet of the woods brings both healing and a painful confrontation with his conscience. This is a gritty, realistic look at the weight of responsibility, the process of redemption, and the difficult choice to be honest when it costs you everything. It is best suited for older teens due to its honest depiction of substance abuse and criminal behavior.
