Tangerine

Tangerine
By Edward Bloor
Harcourt Brace, 1997. 320 pgs. Young Adult

Twelve-year-old Paul has been visually-impaired since he was five years old, when he looked into a solar eclipse--or so his family says. He doesn't quite believe that, but he's not sure what did happen. However, he thinks it has something to do with his older brother, Erik. Getting anyone to admit the truth is harder than he'd like, though, because his parents are caught up in the Erik Fisher Football Dream and their lives revolve around getting Erik a college scholarship. When Paul joins the Tangerine Middle School soccer team, pieces start to come together and Paul finds he can see more than anyone around him realizes.

Tangerine has the ability to appeal to a wide variety of readers. Boys and girls alike will be interested in Paul's story. He's a smart, fun character who isn't willing to let anything keep him down. The mystery surrounding his poor eyesight and some of the more humorous moments of the book will keep readers hooked.

AE