Reading Metrics
Description
Angry when his alcoholic father abandons the family, senior Tyrone gives up his plans to become an engineer, drops out of school, and takes a full-time job, refusing help from his girlfriend, school counselor, and a psychologist with problems of her own.
Quick Summary
If you've ever felt like giving up on your dreams because life threw you a curveball, this story will hit hard. Tyrone starts out with big plans becoming an engineer someday but after his alcoholic father bails on the family, he spirals into anger and decides nobody's going to help him, not his girlfriend, not his school counselor, not even a psychologist who's barely holding her own life together. It's one of those raw, realistic reads that doesn't wrap everything up with a neat bow, which makes it feel more like real life than a lot of teen novels. Kids who enjoy emotionally intense stories about family struggles, like those in *The Outsiders*, will likely connect with Tyrone's frustration and the tough choices he faces. Parents should know it deals directly with abandonment, alcoholism, and teen anger so it's honest and a bit heavy at times, but never preachy. At around 30,000 words, it's a solid middle-length read that won't intimidate but still gives you plenty to think about. It's especially good for reluctant readers who think they don't like "issue books" because Tyrone's voice feels genuine and his situation is something many teens might recognize, even if they haven't lived it exactly.