A Small Free Kiss in the Dark

A Small Free Kiss in the Dark
By Glenda Millard
Holiday House, 2010. 180 pp. Young adult fiction.

Skip, nicknamed for his habit of running away or "skipping" from foster families, has decided to live on the streets rather than endure the abuse experienced from those who were supposed to care for him. Unfortunately, a war hits Australia and Skip is caught in the midst of it. He joins forces with Billy, a homeless man, and Max, a lost six-year-old. As they flee the city and claim the House of Horrors as their home in an abandoned amusement park, they are joined by Tia and her infant. Skip feels a familial connection with this rag-tag group and desperately strives to bond them all permanently together. They struggle to find food and to remain hidden from the patrolling enemy soldiers. Despite the horrific circumstances, Skip's artistic soul sees the beauty in the world around him, especially in his makeshift family. This is a haunting, tender story that is delicately and poignantly told.

Beautifully written, this book is one that addresses war but is also about family, love, and hope. Narrated by eleven year old Skip, the reader gets a glimpse into his world of failed families and loneliness and sees it transformed into a better one, ironically, because of the war. There is such a sense of hope and light in Skip's perspective, written in an almost poetic language. This was an excellent read and is definitely one to be recommended.

CW