Review of "Skin" by Adrienne Maria Vrettos

14 year-old Donnie LePlant's life has been pretty tough. His parents are always arguing, which forces Donnie and his 16 year-old sister Karen to flee the house just for some peace. Worse, he's one of the outcasts at school. His only two friends - fellow untouchables Chris and Bean - have been giving him the freeze-out. Then, a bright spot appears on the horizon. A new family moves in across the street and they have a pretty daughter named Amanda who's the same age as Karen. Karen and Amanda have an immediate connection, and unbelievably, they often tolerate Donnie's presence. Fortune further shines on Donnie's otherwise miserable life when the fates conspire to allow Amanda to accompany the LePlants on their summer vacation to a lake cabin. But - and you knew there was going to be a but - dark clouds are forming on the horizon that threaten to obliterate what little joy is left in Donnie's life.

Its a heart-wrenching story of how a teenaged boy tries cope with life's trials and tragedies, even though he's obviously facing much more than his fair share. Its not preachy or Pollyanish, just the realities of what can happen told from the boy's point of view. For grades 7-10.