Homer is an average boy who always expected to take over his family's farm in rural Iowa. On his thirteenth birthday however, his father shocks him with the announcement that turns his world upside down: he's adopted. He also finds out that his biological family lived in New York City. Feeling betrayed, Homer runs away in search of his "real" family, and his best friend Jamie decides to go with him, just to keep him out of trouble. On entrance into this adventure, they immediately face danger. A hobo named Smilin' Jack taked the boys under his wing and introduces them to the intriguing hobo world. When Jaime comes down with pneumonia, things turn very serious. Will the boys be separated forever?
When I read the description of the book I was both excited an skeptical. It isnt a book that I would normally pick, but the concept of it seemed interesting. Because Homer was still young, I had a hard time connecting with his character. I did feel bad for him when he did find out that he was adopted. The fact that he had the guts to run away still amazes me. I wouldn't have been able to do it. I think that Jaime was an absolute sweetheart, just because he decided to accompany his friend. I was immediately attached to Jaime's character. When he did get sick, I was devastated. The ending of the book was adequate though I felt like that finality factor wasn't there. I would recommend this book to anyone who is willing to follow a boys journey to find his identity.
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Date of Review: January 6, 2011
Publisher: West Side Books
Release date: June 21, 2010
