The Deathday Letter

Gr 9 Up—In this mildly provocative but flat speculative story, Ollie, 15, has one day to live—and he knows it because in his otherwise just-like-ours world, everyone is mailed a Deathday Letter announcing their final 24 hours. His family members are devastated (but let him go to school)—and so are his best friend Shane and his ex Ronnie, who bust him out of Moriville High for a day worth going out on. Crude, girl-obsessed Ollie likes to spew predictable teen "truths" (e.g., "a teenage guy with a penis is like a twitchy marine with a live grenade"). Oddly, he doesn't seem too weirded out as he goes with the flow of his friends' ideas, some inspired by the bucket lists they wrote in sixth grade. Hijinx ensue, from jumping off a bridge to crashing a strip club to stumbling upon and smoking pot with an underground group investigating who's behind the letters (an interesting side plot that doesn't go anywhere). Along the way, he tries to make good on his rocky past with Ronnie, experiences some convenient emotional growth, and learns some not-so-shocking truths about Shane (he's gay). The narrative is authentic, snappy, and sure to entertain, but what could be an insightful exploration of mortality or relationships is more a jaunty road to a romantic ending (one can almost hear the swell of '80s movie music). A possibility for reluctant readers.—Riva Pollard, Prospect Sierra Middle School, El Cerrito, CA