Black Chuck

Black Chuck. Regan McDonell. Victoria, BC: Orca, April, 2018. 290 pp., trade pbk., pdf & epub, $14.95 (pbk.). ISBN 978-1-4598-1630-5 (pbk.), ISBN 978-1-4598-1631-2 (pdf), ISBN 978-1-4598-1632-9 (epub).

Grades 9 and up / Ages 14 and up.

Review by Chasity Findlay.

Reviewed from Advance Reading Copy.

excerpt:

"Hey, Alex," he said, glancing sideways.

Alex shifted to look at Ré, cheekbone propped on his fist, elbow resting on the door. "What's up, man?"

Réal swallowed hard. "I, uh, gotta tell you something." He squeezed the wheel again, biting his lip. His eyes darted over the road, looking for a way to not say what he was about to say and not finding one.

When he spoke again, his voice was thin.

"I was with Shaun the night he died."

The silence that hung between them transformed. It became full and heavy and curious. Alex said nothing, but his mouth opened a little, his eyes narrowed.

"I beat the living crap out of him," Ré continued. "And he near busted my nose." He glanced at Alex again to see if the image would register-those Irish sunglasses, his nose all scabbed and bloody. It did.

"Why?" Alex's voice was just a breath.

"That's a long story I can't tell you," he said wearily. "But the thing is, he was alive when I lefthim at Nan's. Beat up, but no worse than I was."

"So what happened?"

Réal's chest crushed. Alex's face was as hurt and confused as a dog's smacked by its master. Réal swallowed and shook his head, choking the words out. "I don't remember. I lefthim, I drove around, and then -"

He gripped the wheel tighter...