Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
OSTRICH BOYS is about friendship and loyalty. Blake, Sim, and Kenny just lost their best friend, Ross. Hit by a car while riding his bike, he is gone and they can hardly believe it.
After the boys attend his funeral, they decide the ceremony didn't do their friend justice. Ross was so much more than a collection of words and hymns. As a sort of revenge for the fact that he was taken in such unfair circumstances and at an early age, they concoct a plan to honor him in their own way.
Ross always dreamed of visiting a town of the same name, Ross, Scotland. The three remaining friends "kidnap" Ross's ashes and head to Scotland. The removal of the funeral urn from Ross's home didn't go as smoothly as planned, so their scheme to take a train to Scotland and back in just two days turns into a sort of escape that has Ross's family and the families of the three boys frantic.
Just before leaving Ross's house, his father confronted Blake about the possibility that Ross may have taken his own life by riding his bike into the path of the car. Blake is shocked by the question, as are Kenny and Sim, but shortly into their journey there is word that they have been on the evening news. Speculation is that the three boys are part of a suicide pact, and now the hunt is on.
OSTRICH BOYS is filled with action and adventure. Each boy is unique - Blake is known as the intelligent one, Kenny is the computer whiz and happens to be the bankroll for their trip until he unfortunately forgets his bag while switching trains, and Sim possesses an amazing knowledge of collective nouns that is sure to fascinate and provide remarkably useless information for readers.
Author Keith Gray combines bungee jumping, wild train rides, quirky characters, and the emotional upheaval of losing a close friend to create an incredible tale. A bit of a slow start might discourage some readers, but if they are encouraged to stick with it, most will find it a rewarding read.
OSTRICH BOYS is about friendship and loyalty. Blake, Sim, and Kenny just lost their best friend, Ross. Hit by a car while riding his bike, he is gone and they can hardly believe it.
After the boys attend his funeral, they decide the ceremony didn't do their friend justice. Ross was so much more than a collection of words and hymns. As a sort of revenge for the fact that he was taken in such unfair circumstances and at an early age, they concoct a plan to honor him in their own way.
Ross always dreamed of visiting a town of the same name, Ross, Scotland. The three remaining friends "kidnap" Ross's ashes and head to Scotland. The removal of the funeral urn from Ross's home didn't go as smoothly as planned, so their scheme to take a train to Scotland and back in just two days turns into a sort of escape that has Ross's family and the families of the three boys frantic.
Just before leaving Ross's house, his father confronted Blake about the possibility that Ross may have taken his own life by riding his bike into the path of the car. Blake is shocked by the question, as are Kenny and Sim, but shortly into their journey there is word that they have been on the evening news. Speculation is that the three boys are part of a suicide pact, and now the hunt is on.
OSTRICH BOYS is filled with action and adventure. Each boy is unique - Blake is known as the intelligent one, Kenny is the computer whiz and happens to be the bankroll for their trip until he unfortunately forgets his bag while switching trains, and Sim possesses an amazing knowledge of collective nouns that is sure to fascinate and provide remarkably useless information for readers.
Author Keith Gray combines bungee jumping, wild train rides, quirky characters, and the emotional upheaval of losing a close friend to create an incredible tale. A bit of a slow start might discourage some readers, but if they are encouraged to stick with it, most will find it a rewarding read.
This book accomplishes a lot. First, It's a coming-of-age/loss-of-innocence story, wherein three 15-year-old friends take the ashes of their recently dead fourth friend on a journey they all need. Second, it's a book that reminds you that no matter what happens on a road trip, road trips are always worth it. Third, it's sickly funny.
So, yeah, these three mates (that's British for 'friends') take their mate's (friend's) ashes. Take them. Out of the dead guy's sisters hands. Because they're angry that the funeral was just what a bunch of people who didn't care particularly for their friend made it. And they book for Scotland. They figure what they're doing is illegal, but don't quite know what crime it is. Things don't go smoothly, of course - otherwise you wouldn't have a book, would you? - and they find themselves off course, without money, hungry, and more interested in the girls on the train than the coming storm and their shelterless evening awaiting.
Some of what you know is going to happen toward the end happens, but it has to happen, because some of it was pretty much inevitable. That's not the point, though, is it? It's the journey, after all.
Road trips are always worth it.
By the way, I'm a modern, enlightened dad, and want to make sure everybody's kids but my own are exposed to the most vile stuff imaginable, but be aware that the language in this book is like real fifteen year old boys talk, when adults aren't around. There's plenty of sex slang and meaningless curse words throughout. It's YA, but definitely for the older members of that demographic.
So, yeah, these three mates (that's British for 'friends') take their mate's (friend's) ashes. Take them. Out of the dead guy's sisters hands. Because they're angry that the funeral was just what a bunch of people who didn't care particularly for their friend made it. And they book for Scotland. They figure what they're doing is illegal, but don't quite know what crime it is. Things don't go smoothly, of course - otherwise you wouldn't have a book, would you? - and they find themselves off course, without money, hungry, and more interested in the girls on the train than the coming storm and their shelterless evening awaiting.
Some of what you know is going to happen toward the end happens, but it has to happen, because some of it was pretty much inevitable. That's not the point, though, is it? It's the journey, after all.
Road trips are always worth it.
By the way, I'm a modern, enlightened dad, and want to make sure everybody's kids but my own are exposed to the most vile stuff imaginable, but be aware that the language in this book is like real fifteen year old boys talk, when adults aren't around. There's plenty of sex slang and meaningless curse words throughout. It's YA, but definitely for the older members of that demographic.
